CDL Direct Course vs SaferTraining
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
CDL Direct Course
This FMCSA-approved course fulfills the Entry Level Driver Training (ELDT) requirement for obtaining a Commercial Learner's Permit (CLP). Complete all mandated theory training online, anytime, anywhere, and have your results instantly submitted to the FMCSA Training Provider Registry.
- FMCSA-approved ELDT
- Online course completion
- Instant FMCSA registry submission
- Accessible on any device
- Flexible scheduling
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FMCSA-APPROVED CDL ENTRY LEVEL DRIVER TRAINING (ELDT) Individuals who obtain a commercial learner’s permit (CLP) on or after February 7, 2022 will need to complete this course before they will be permitted to take their CDL skills or knowledge test. Upon completion of this course the results will instantly be submitted to the FMCSA Training Provider Registry. Prior to providing any testing services CDL testing centers will retrieve these results from the FMCSA Training Provider Registry to confirm that the student has completed the required ELDT theory training. This course covers all units for ELDT as mandated by the FMCSA. Follow the steps below to begin your journey to a new career. 1. Register For The Course - Registration is simple and only takes a few minutes. You can begin the course immediately after registration. No classrooms, no lines. 2. Begin The Course - The course can be taken from any device, any place, anytime. We keep track of your progress. All you have to do is login and complete each section of the course when it fits your schedule. 3. Complete The Course - The moment you complete the course we report the completion to the Federal Registry. You can then begin the behind-the-wheel training.
SaferTraining
Access and complete essential safety training courses like ELDT and Forklift. The app allows you to save progress, download certificates, and retake tests as needed. Contact support easily via email or phone.
- Complete ELDT and Forklift training
- Save and resume training progress
- Downloadable certificates
- Unlimited test retries
- Quick course completion
- Direct contact support
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Complete your ELDT, Forklift, and other safety training on our user-friendly app! - Leave and pick up where you left off in the training - Easily access and download certificates - Re-try the tests as many times as you need - Complete your required training courses quickly - Easily contact us through email or phone
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is monetization model: SaferTraining at free against CDL Direct Course's paid. SaferTraining also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 81%) and iOS requirement (15.2 vs 17.6). CDL Direct Course's advantage is ratings volume (1.9K vs 3). On price, rating, update cadence and ads 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
Both are free to download. CDL Direct Course sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and SaferTraining sells 12 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for CDL Direct Course against 5.0 for SaferTraining. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: CDL Direct Course has 1.9K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 81% of CDL Direct Course's written reviews are positive against 100% of SaferTraining's.
CDL Direct Course ships an update every 2 months, SaferTraining every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and July 15, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | CDL Direct Course | SaferTraining |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.9 (1.9K ratings) | 5.0 (3 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 80.8% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 1.9K — better | 3 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 6 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | 15.2 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 34 MB | 109 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | CDL Direct | SaferTraining LLC |
Customer experience
CDL Direct Course
SaferTraining
Bugs and requests
CDL Direct Course
Reported bugs
2 issues- No record of completion at DMV
- Unable to create account
Requested features
2 requests- Ability to enlarge text
- Option to use audio
SaferTraining
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
CDL Direct Course
- Class A CDL Course - Ages 18+$399.99
- Class B CDL Course - Ages 18+$399.99
- B to A CDL Upgrade - Ages 18+$399.99
SaferTraining
- Tanker Endorsement Study Guide$14.99
- Doubles & Triples Endorsement$14.99
- CDL Driver Defensive Driving$29.99
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- Commercial Vehicle Inspection$49.00
- HAZMAT Endorsement Spanish$49.00
- HAZMAT Endorsement Training$49.99
- Forklift Operator Training$49.99
- Class A ELDT Training Spanish$99.00
- Class B ELDT Theory - Spanish$99.00
- Class B to A ELDT Spanish$99.00
- Class B - ELDT Theory$99.99
- Class B to A - ELDT Theory$99.99
Questions
Is CDL Direct Course free?
Is SaferTraining free?
Which has better reviews, CDL Direct Course or SaferTraining?
Do CDL Direct Course or SaferTraining have ads?
Which is updated more often, CDL Direct Course or SaferTraining?
Other comparisons
