# CDL Direct Course vs Crane Operator Prep

The clearest difference is update cadence: Crane Operator Prep at every 5 days against CDL Direct Course's every 2 months. Crane Operator Prep also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.6). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. CDL Direct Course sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and Crane Operator Prep sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

CDL Direct Course ships an update every 2 months, Crane Operator Prep every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | CDL Direct Course | Crane Operator Prep |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (1.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cdl-direct-course/id1614714939/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1.9K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 80.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Size | 34 MB | 21 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [CDL Direct](https://appshunter.io/developer/1614714941) | [Shabnam Mohammad](https://appshunter.io/developer/6810073813) |

## What reviewers say

### CDL Direct Course

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cdl-direct-course/id1614714939)

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.

**Highlights:** FMCSA-approved ELDT, Online course completion, Instant FMCSA registry submission, Accessible on any device, Flexible scheduling

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Class A CDL Course - Ages 18+ | $399.99 | one-time |
| Class B CDL Course - Ages 18+ | $399.99 | one-time |
| B to A CDL Upgrade - Ages 18+ | $399.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💰 Affordable price
- 🤖 Easy to use and follow
- 🎓 Informative and helpful content
- ⏱️ Convenient self-paced learning
- 👍 Satisfied users

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔇 Audio issues
- 🔍 Small text that is hard to read

**Reported bugs**

- No record of completion at DMV
- Unable to create account

**Requested features**

- Ability to enlarge text
- Option to use audio


### Crane Operator Prep

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crane-operator-prep-nccco-cco/id6810073811)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Lifetime Access | $69.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is CDL Direct Course free?

CDL Direct Course is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Crane Operator Prep free?

Crane Operator Prep is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do CDL Direct Course or Crane Operator Prep have ads?

Neither CDL Direct Course nor Crane Operator Prep shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, CDL Direct Course or Crane Operator Prep?

CDL Direct Course ships an update every 2 months, and Crane Operator Prep every 5 days. Most recently, CDL Direct Course was updated on October 19, 2026 and Crane Operator Prep on October 13, 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.*