# Private Pilot Test Prep vs Binnacle School

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Private Pilot Test Prep at 1.5K against Binnacle School's 1. Binnacle School's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.8) and update cadence (weekly vs fortnightly). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Private Pilot Test Prep sells 4 one-off in-app purchases and Binnacle School sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Binnacle School holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Private Pilot Test Prep has 1.5K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Private Pilot Test Prep ships an update fortnightly, Binnacle School weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Private Pilot Test Prep | Binnacle School |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (1.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/private-pilot-test-prep-faa/id1455479633/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/binnacle-school/id6778185737/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.5K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 84.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 122 MB | 3 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.1 | **17.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Aeroapps Technology](https://appshunter.io/developer/923860276) | [John Thomas](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896733361) |

## What reviewers say

### Private Pilot Test Prep

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/private-pilot-test-prep-faa/id1455479633)

Prepare for your FAA Private Pilot Knowledge Test with over 900 questions and explanations. Unlock a complete ground school course with detailed tracking and premium test prep, including a free trial.

**Highlights:** Over 900 FAA questions and explanations, Custom study sessions by topic, Simulated FAA exams, Review missed questions, Cross-device data sync, Instructor endorsement upon course completion

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Private Pilot Course Trial | Free | one-time |
| Private Pilot Test Prep | $49.99 | one-time |
| Upgrade to Ground School | $99.99 | one-time |
| Private Pilot Ground School | $149.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Thorough course with good foundation
- 🚀 Great graphics and easy to follow
- 🚀 Helped pass the FAA exam
- 🚀 Realistic practice exams with FARs and AIMs
- 🚀 Excellent explanations and figures

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Grading issues and incorrect marking of answers
- 🐛 Frequent app updates required, causing issues for users with poor internet
- 🐛 Inability to review missed questions after exiting the app
- 🐛 Lack of zoom and drawing tools for charts
- 🐛 Crashes and login issues reported

**Reported bugs**

- Grading issues and incorrect marking of answers
- Frequent app updates required, causing issues for users with poor internet
- Inability to review missed questions after exiting the app
- Crashes and login issues reported

**Requested features**

- Add sound when choosing correct answers
- Provide separate guides for each chapter
- Offer 50-question practice tests by chapter
- Allow users to pause and resume simulated tests
- Provide a bank of all practice tests and simulated tests


### Binnacle School

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/binnacle-school/id6778185737)

Prepare for your U.S. Coast Guard captain's license exams with a structured, module-based study approach. Practice questions with detailed explanations and interactive drills to master navigation, seamanship, and more. Track student progress for classes or unlock all content with a premium subscription.

**Highlights:** Module-based exam preparation, Explanation on every question, Interactive drills for practical skills, Class management and student tracking, Progressive unlocking of study modules, Daily practice with built-in tutor

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Binnacle School Premium | $4.99 | per month |
| Binnacle School Premium | $29.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Access | $79.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Private Pilot Test Prep free?

Private Pilot Test Prep is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Binnacle School free?

Binnacle School is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Private Pilot Test Prep or Binnacle School?

Binnacle School is rated higher. Private Pilot Test Prep averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.5K ratings, while Binnacle School averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Private Pilot Test Prep or Binnacle School have ads?

Neither Private Pilot Test Prep nor Binnacle School shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Private Pilot Test Prep or Binnacle School?

Private Pilot Test Prep ships an update fortnightly, and Binnacle School weekly. Most recently, Private Pilot Test Prep was updated on October 29, 2026 and Binnacle School on October 15, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*