Comparison

Boldmethod vs Answers to the ACS

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Boldmethod

Enhance your aviation knowledge with extensive video training and online courses. Practice with quizzes and master essential piloting skills like takeoffs, landings, airspace navigation, and weather interpretation. Prepare for checkrides and improve your flying proficiency.

Highlights
  • Extensive video training library
  • Online aviation courses
  • Pilot knowledge quizzes
  • Master takeoffs and landings
  • National Airspace System training
  • Aviation weather interpretation
  • VFR charts and publications
Read full description

Want to improve your piloting skills? Then the Boldmethod app is for you. With over 50 hours of videos and online training courses, you'll walk away with the knowledge that makes you a better pilot. Access your Boldmethod training courses in one app, watch the latest training videos, and test your knowledge with quizzes. What's new? The Feed and Challenges tabs are the place to start learning or to brush up on your aviation knowledge. When you're ready to take the next step, sign up for courses to truly master your pilot knowledge. MASTERING TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS Do you have a perfect landing every time? Neither do we. This video course helps you master your takeoffs and landings. Whether you're trying to stop floating past your landing point or trying to smooth out your touchdown, you'll learn how to fix any of your takeoff and landing problems with this simple-to-use online course. The course breaks down takeoffs and landings into sections: Normal Takeoffs Traffic Patterns Normal Landings Crosswind Takeoffs and Landings Short Field Takeoffs and Landings Soft Field Takeoffs and Landings Non-Standard Takeoffs and Landings Night Takeoffs and Landings NATIONAL AIRSPACE SYSTEM Our airspace course covers everything you need to know about the National Airspace System, including Class A-G airspace, Special Use Airspace, and Other Airspace. It's an excellent way to prepare for your private pilot checkride and keep your flying skills sharp. The course breaks down airspace into sections: Class A airspace Class B airspace Class C airspace Class D airspace Class E airspace Class G airspace Special use airspace Other airspace AVIATION WEATHER REPORTS AND FORECASTS Our weather course covers everything you need to know about aviation weather, including METARs, TAFs, Pilot Reports, Graphical Forecasts For Aviation, Winds Aloft Forecasts, AIRMETs, SIGMETs, and Convective SIGMETs. It's an excellent way to prepare for your private pilot checkride and keep your flying skills sharp. The course breaks down aviation weather into sections: METARs TAFs PIREPs Graphical Forecasts For Aviation Winds Aloft Forecasts AIRMETs, SIGMETs, and Convective SIGMETs VFR CHARTS AND PUBLICATIONS Our charts course covers everything you need to know about VFR charts and publications, including sectional charts, terminal area charts, the Digital Chart Supplement, and NOTAMs. The course breaks down publications into sections: Sectional Charts Terminal Area Charts Digital Chart Supplement NOTAMs MOUNTAIN WEATHER Do you want to feel more comfortable flying around the high country? Boldmethod's Mountain Weather course helps make that happen. You'll learn how to evaluate mountain weather during your planning and while you're in flight. You'll also learn how terrain generates updrafts, downdrafts, turbulence, and storms, and changes the direction of the wind throughout the day. The course breaks down weather into sections: Mountain Waves Strong Surface Winds Updrafts, Downdrafts, And Turbulence Convergence Zones Coastal Mountain Wind Systems The North American Monsoon Daily (Diurnal) Winds In Valleys Mountain Thunderstorms

About

Answers to the ACS

This app provides comprehensive multimedia training materials to prepare pilots for their checkrides based on the Airman Certification Standards (ACS). It includes in-depth manuals, video series, and fully sourced information for students, instructors, and evaluators.

Highlights
  • ACS-based manuals
  • Multimedia training content
  • Organized by Area of Operation
  • Digital library access
  • Offline content download
  • Checkride video series
  • Fully sourced information
Features
Read full description

Getting ready for a checkride? The Airman Certification Standards (ACS) is what it will be based on. Answers to the ACS fully addresses it in our multimedia training app with manuals, videos, sources, and more. BUILT ON THE ACS 
-Two in-depth manuals for Private, Instrument, and Commercial that address every knowledge, risk, and skill element in the ACS.
-Organized by Area of Operation, Task, and Element so you can easily find what you need to study.
-ACS-aligned navigation, search, and bookmarks to make it easy to use during training, teaching, or evaluating. DIGITAL LIBRARY 
-Access dedicated libraries for Private, Instrument, and Commercial.
-View samples for free, then subscribe to the libraries you need.
-Stream files or download them for offline use. CHECKRIDE VIDEO SERIES (PRIVATE PILOT) 
-Our Private Pilot Checkride Video Series walks you through the entire checkride, including the oral and flight.
-ACS elements are displayed on-screen when evaluated. -Checklists and flows are displayed when performed during the flight. -Graphical maneuver profiles are briefed before every maneuver, making these videos relevant for training, not just checkride prep. -Risk management is discussed at the end of each maneuver and integrated in questioning. 
(Note: Video series currently only available for the Private Pilot library) FULLY SOURCED, NOT JUST GOUGE 
-Direct citations from regulations, advisory circulars, FAA legal interpretations, accident data, and more - so you can show where your answers come from.
-An extensive, organized sources library so you don’t have to spend hours digging through search results. FOR STUDENTS, CFIs, AND DPES 
-Students: Train to the ACS from day one and be fully prepared for your checkride.
-CFIs: Standardize your teaching around the ACS and give students a single, reliable reference.
-DPEs and evaluators: Use our manuals, sources, and videos as a structured, authoritative reference for your work. Free to download. View sample content from each library, then subscribe to the libraries that fit your needs. https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Boldmethod4 screens
Answers to the ACS4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Answers to the ACS at none against Boldmethod's shown. Boldmethod's advantage is rating (4.9 vs 4.6) and ratings volume (983 vs 23). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Boldmethod sells 9 one-off in-app purchases and Answers to the ACS sells 14 in-app purchases, starting at $29.99 per 3 months. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Boldmethod holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Boldmethod has 983 ratings behind it against 23, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 97% of Boldmethod's written reviews are positive against 92% of Answers to the ACS's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Boldmethod ships an update every 3 weeks, Answers to the ACS every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Boldmethod versus Answers to the ACS: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBoldmethodAnswers to the ACS
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (983 ratings) — better4.6 (23 ratings)
Positive reviews97.3% of reviews — better92.3% of reviews
Number of ratings983 — better23
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 5 weeks
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple TV — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.6 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size26 MB31 MB
Age rating4+9+
DeveloperBoldMethod, LLCMojsak Aero LLC

Customer experience

Boldmethod

All ratings823 ratings
Positive98.4%
Neutral0.7%
Negative0.9%
Written reviews73 reviews
Positive97.3%
Neutral2.7%
Negative0.0%

Answers to the ACS

All ratings23 ratings
Positive87.0%
Neutral4.3%
Negative8.7%
Written reviews13 reviews
Positive92.3%
Neutral7.7%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Boldmethod

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Crashing or freezing issues
  • Compatibility problems with older devices

Requested features

2 requests
  • Provide explanations for incorrect answers in quizzes
  • Improve navigation and progress tracking through courses

Answers to the ACS

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

9 purchases

Boldmethod

One-time9
  • Aviation Weather Products$19.99
  • National Airspace System$19.99
  • VFR Charts$19.99
Show 6 more
  • National Airspace System$24.99
  • Aviation Weather Products$24.99
  • VFR Charts and Publications$24.99
  • Mastering Takeoffs & Landings$139.99
  • Mountain Weather$299.99
  • Instrument Procedures$499.99
14 purchases

Answers to the ACS

Subscriptions14
  • Private$29.993 Months
  • Commercial$29.993 Months
  • Instrument$29.993 Months
Show 11 more
  • Instrument2 variants$39.993 Months
  • Commercial2 variants$39.993 Months
  • Private$39.996 Months
  • Commercial$44.993 Months
  • Private$44.993 Months
  • Commercial$49.991 Year
  • Instrument$49.991 Year
  • Private$49.991 Year
  • Private$69.991 Year
  • CFI and DPE$99.991 Year
  • CFI and DPE$119.991 Year

Questions

Is Boldmethod free?
Boldmethod is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Answers to the ACS free?
Answers to the ACS is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Boldmethod or Answers to the ACS?
Boldmethod is rated higher. Boldmethod averages 4.9 out of 5 from 983 ratings, while Answers to the ACS averages 4.6 from 23 ratings.
Do Boldmethod or Answers to the ACS have ads?
Boldmethod shows ads; Answers to the ACS does not.
Which is updated more often, Boldmethod or Answers to the ACS?
Boldmethod ships an update every 3 weeks, and Answers to the ACS every 5 weeks. Most recently, Boldmethod was updated on October 29, 2026 and Answers to the ACS on October 24, 2026.

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