# Prepware Instrument Pilot vs Sporty's Pilot Training

The clearest difference is price: Sporty's Pilot Training at Free against Prepware Instrument Pilot's $9.99. Sporty's Pilot Training also leads on rating (4.9 vs 2.6) and review sentiment (70% vs 38%). Prepware Instrument Pilot's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 14). On ads, chart position, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Sporty's Pilot Training is free to download; Prepware Instrument Pilot costs $9.99 up front. Sporty's Pilot Training sells 14 one-off in-app purchases. Prepware Instrument Pilot asks for nothing beyond the download.

Sporty's Pilot Training holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 2.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sporty's Pilot Training has 11K ratings behind it against 45, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 38% of Prepware Instrument Pilot's written reviews are positive against 70% of Sporty's Pilot Training's.

Prepware Instrument Pilot ships an update every 4 months, Sporty's Pilot Training weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Prepware Instrument Pilot | Sporty's Pilot Training |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $9.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [2.6 (45 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/prepware-instrument-pilot/id338887882/reviews) | **[4.9 (11K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sportys-pilot-training/id1272775528/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 45 | **11K** |
| Positive reviews | 37.8% of reviews | **70.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #155 | **#91** |
| Size | 36 MB | 203 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [ASA](https://appshunter.io/developer/334278379) | [Sporty's Pilot Shop](https://appshunter.io/developer/371817958) |

## What reviewers say

### Prepware Instrument Pilot

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/prepware-instrument-pilot/id338887882)

**Currently charting:** #155 Top Paid · Education (US App Store)

Prepare for your FAA Knowledge Exam with flashcard-style reviews and practice tests. Study by subject or take a full practice exam to gauge your readiness.

**Highlights:** Flashcard-style review, Questions, answers, and explanations, Study by subject, Practice test simulation, FAA Knowledge Exam preparation

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Good value for money
- 👍 Offline functionality
- 👍 Helpful for passing written exams
- 👍 Simple interface
- 👍 Explanations provided

**What reviewers complain about**

- 👎 Outdated question bank
- 👎 Inaccurate questions/answers
- 👎 Missing core features
- 👎 Poor optimization for iPad
- 👎 Formatting issues

**Reported bugs**

- Text frequently cut off
- App cannot dynamically scale text
- Some questions missing figures
- Figures have nothing to do with the question
- Correct answers no longer shown in green

**Requested features**

- Ability to focus on previously incorrect answers
- Major update for functionality and display bugs
- Ensure all software is up to date with FAA question banks
- Add timer and number of questions selection
- Ability to eliminate questions already known


### Sporty's Pilot Training

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sportys-pilot-training/id1272775528)

**Currently charting:** #91 Top Grossing · Education (US App Store)

Access a comprehensive library of aviation training courses, including video lessons, FAA test preparation, and interactive guides. Learn to fly, earn instrument ratings, and master various aircraft systems with expert-led content.

**Highlights:** Video training courses, FAA test preparation, Interactive flight maneuvers guide, Airman Certification Standards (ACS) reference, Flight Training Syllabus, Ask a CFI service

**Features:** Vision Pro support, SharePlay

**In-app purchases (14)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remote Pilot Test Prep | $19.99 | one-time |
| Sporty's CFI Lesson Plan Guide | $19.99 | one-time |
| Flying With ForeFlight | $39.99 | one-time |
| Pilot's Guide to Airspace | $39.99 | one-time |
| Takeoffs and Landings | $39.99 | one-time |
| Instrument Proficiency Check | $49.99 | one-time |
| VFR Communications | $49.99 | one-time |
| Aviation Weather | $79.99 | one-time |
| Real World Flight Review | $99.00 | one-time |
| Garmin G1000 Checkout | $99.99 | one-time |
| Multiengine Training Course | $129.99 | one-time |
| Instrument Rating Course | $299.00 | one-time |
| Sporty's Learn To Fly Course | $299.00 | one-time |
| Commercial Pilot Course | $299.00 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Highly recommended and worth recommending
- 🚀 Awesome training
- 👍 Excellent quality
- 👍 Great preparation for exams and flying
- 👍 Passed written exams

**What reviewers complain about**

- 👎 Desktop site is much better
- 👎 Not sure why all the good reviews
- 🐛 Buggy Chromecast
- 🐛 Lost ability to cast
- 🐛 Sync issues between devices

**Reported bugs**

- Occasional crashes
- Incompatible with older devices
- Login screen freezes
- Video downloads reset to zero when switching apps

**Requested features**

- Show progress/completion status of each video
- Sync video progress across all devices
- Ability to Airplay directly without third-party app
- Continuous play mode


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Prepware Instrument Pilot free?

Prepware Instrument Pilot costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Sporty's Pilot Training free?

Sporty's Pilot Training is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Prepware Instrument Pilot or Sporty's Pilot Training?

Sporty's Pilot Training is rated higher. Prepware Instrument Pilot averages 2.6 out of 5 from 45 ratings, while Sporty's Pilot Training averages 4.9 from 11K ratings.

### Do Prepware Instrument Pilot or Sporty's Pilot Training have ads?

Neither Prepware Instrument Pilot nor Sporty's Pilot Training shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Prepware Instrument Pilot or Sporty's Pilot Training?

Prepware Instrument Pilot ships an update every 4 months, and Sporty's Pilot Training weekly. Most recently, Prepware Instrument Pilot was updated on October 30, 2026 and Sporty's Pilot Training on November 1, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Prepware Instrument Pilot or Sporty's Pilot Training?

Prepware Instrument Pilot currently peaks at #155 in the App Store charts, and Sporty's Pilot Training at #91. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*