Comparison

HAM Test Prep Lite vs FCC Exams

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

Head to head
About

HAM Test Prep Lite

Prepare for your Amateur Radio Extra license exam with practice questions and tests. Review FCC rule text, track your proficiency, and utilize features like zoomable figures and immediate feedback. This lite version offers a sample of the full question pool.

Highlights
  • Practice question pool
  • Practice exams
  • Proficiency tracking
  • Immediate feedback option
  • Zoomable figures
  • Viewable FCC rule text
  • Resumable practice tests
Features
Read full description

Includes the Extra Question Pool effective July 1, 2024! NOTE: This "Lite" version contains only 2 of the 10 subelements in the question pool. Click the 'Buy Now' link in the app to get the FULL version. Upgrade your HAM license from General to Amateur Extra! With the elimination of the Morse Code requirement, there is no reason not to upgrade your license to the highest level to obtain all privileges! Amateur Radio License exams are composed of questions from a pool. Use this application prior to taking your exam to review and practice all possible questions. Then, test your knowledge with practice exams! After completing your first practice exam, the question pool screen will display your proficiency in each question group for all practice exams you have completed. You may choose to receive immediate feedback on right and wrong answers when taking a practice test. On practice tests, questions in a group will not be repeated until all of them have been used. Some questions require you to review associated Figures. These figures may be zoomed and panned on iPhone/iPod touch. FCC rule text is viewable within the application. All sections can be browsed from the main screen. Additionally, for questions where rule sections have been identified, the rule text can be viewed on the question screen when studying the question pool or reviewing test results. An in-progress practice test can be resumed if you exit the test or the application. Current Extra question pool is valid through June 30, 2028. This "Lite" version only contains questions from subelements E1 and E5. Versions of this application for both the Technician and General license classes are also available. This app has these additional features: • Accessibility option for vision-impaired users to exclude questions with figures • Dark mode support • Portrait and Landscape support on iPad • Swipe gestures to navigate between questions • Tap on answer to select it • Double-tap or use pinch gesture to zoom Figures on iPhone and iPod touch • Buttons to skip to next/previous wrong answer in test results • ARRL question number displayed on practice tests • Configurable Test Settings • Optional randomizing of test answers • Optional auto-advance during test

About

FCC Exams

Prepare for FCC commercial radio operator license exams with up-to-date practice questions. Covers various elements including basic law, general radiotelephone, and GMDSS practices. Run through practice tests to ensure readiness for your examination.

Highlights
  • Up-to-date practice questions
  • Covers multiple FCC exam elements
  • Basic Radio Law practice
  • General Radiotelephone practice
  • GMDSS Radio Operating Practices
  • Ship Radar Techniques practice
Features
Read full description

Our questions are UP TO DATE and updated as soon as there are any changes. This app includes: * Element 1 - Basic Radio Law Basic radio law and operating practice with which every maritime radio operator should be familiar. To pass, an examinee must correctly answer at least 18 out of 24 questions. * Element 3 - General Radiotelephone Electronic fundamentals and techniques required to adjust, repair, and maintain radio transmitters and receivers. To pass, an examinee must correctly answer 75 out of 100 questions. * Element 6 - Advanced Radiotelegraph Technical, legal, and other matters applicable to the operation of all classes of radiotelegraph stations. To pass, an examinee must correctly answer at least 75 out of 100 questions. * Element 7 - GMDSS Radio Operating Practices GMDSS radio operating procedures and practices sufficient to show detailed practical knowledge of the operation of all GMDSS sub-systems and equipment. The exam consists of questions from the following categories: general information, narrow-band direct-printing, INMARSAT, NAVTEX, digital selective calling, and survival craft. To pass, an examinee must correctly answer at least at least 75 out of 100 questions. * Element 7R - Restricted GMDSS Practices Restricted GMDSS Radio Operating Practices. Fifty questions concerning those GMDSS radio operating procedures and practices that are applicable to ship stations on vessels that sail exclusively in sea area A1, as defined in sections 80.1069 and 80.1081 of the Commission's Rules. To pass, an examinee must correctly answer at least 38 out of 50 questions. * Element 8 - Ship Radar Techniques Specialized theory and practice applicable to the proper installation, servicing, and maintenance of ship radar equipment in general use for marine navigation purposes. To pass, an examinee must correctly answer at least 38 out of 50 questions. * Element 9 - GMDSS Radio Maintenance GMDSS Radio Maintenance Practices and Procedures. Requirements set forth in IMO Assembly on Training for Radio Personnel (GMDSS), Annex 5 and IMO Assembly on Radio Maintenance Guidelines for the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System related to Sea Areas A3 and A4. The exam consists of questions from the following categories: radio system theory, amplifiers, power sources, troubleshooting, digital theory, and GMDSS equipment and regulations. To pass, an examinee must correctly answer at least 38 out of 50 questions. FCC rules require that licensees of ship, aircraft, and international fixed public radiocommunication stations permit only persons holding the appropriate FCC-issued commercial operator license to perform specified transmitter operation, maintenance and repair duties. To obtain a new or upgraded FCC commercial operator license, you must pass an examination administered by one of the Commercial Operator License Examination Managers (COLEMs). Run through various types of practice test to ensure that you'll be prepared! FEATURES * includes all actual and up to date questions * intelligent learning mode and actual test mode * all charts and figures included * sound on/off option * timer on/off option * showing/hiding the correct answer * statistic analysis of your learning progress * questions and answers are sorted randomly You can choose between the following app modes: - FCC GROL (Elements 1 & 3) : $8.99 - FCC Commercial Radio Exam (Elements 1, 3, 6, 7, 7R, 8, 9) : $17.99

Screenshots

HAM Test Prep Lite4 screens
FCC Exams4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: HAM Test Prep Lite at none against FCC Exams's 2. FCC Exams's advantage is rating (4.9 vs 4.6) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.5). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and update cadence 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. FCC Exams sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. HAM Test Prep Lite asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

FCC Exams holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 24 and 16 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 93% of HAM Test Prep Lite's written reviews are positive against 100% of FCC Exams's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

HAM Test Prep Lite ships an update every 5 months, FCC Exams every 7 months. The most recent releases landed on September 18, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
HAM Test Prep Lite versus FCC Exams: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHAM Test Prep LiteFCC Exams
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (24 ratings)4.9 (16 ratings) — better
Positive reviews92.5% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings24 — better16
Update frequencyEvery 5 months — betterEvery 7 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.59.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size3 MB7 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPatrick J Maloney LLCABY LLC

Customer experience

HAM Test Prep Lite

All ratings24 ratings
Positive91.7%
Neutral4.2%
Negative4.2%
Written reviews40 reviews
Positive92.5%
Neutral5.0%
Negative2.5%

FCC Exams

All ratings16 ratings
Positive93.8%
Neutral6.3%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

HAM Test Prep Lite

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

FCC Exams

One-time2
  • FCC GROL Exam$8.99
  • FCC Commercial Radio Exam$17.99

Questions

Is HAM Test Prep Lite free?
HAM Test Prep Lite is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is FCC Exams free?
FCC Exams is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, HAM Test Prep Lite or FCC Exams?
FCC Exams is rated higher. HAM Test Prep Lite averages 4.6 out of 5 from 24 ratings, while FCC Exams averages 4.9 from 16 ratings.
Do HAM Test Prep Lite or FCC Exams have ads?
Neither HAM Test Prep Lite nor FCC Exams shows ads.
Which is updated more often, HAM Test Prep Lite or FCC Exams?
HAM Test Prep Lite ships an update every 5 months, and FCC Exams every 7 months. Most recently, HAM Test Prep Lite was updated on September 18, 2026 and FCC Exams on October 3, 2026.

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