# Prepware Instrument Pilot vs Garmin GPS Trainer

The clearest difference is price: Garmin GPS Trainer at Free against Prepware Instrument Pilot's $9.99. Garmin GPS Trainer also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). Prepware Instrument Pilot's advantage is chart position (#86 vs unranked) and device support (3 vs 1). On rating, review sentiment, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Garmin GPS Trainer is free to download; Prepware Instrument Pilot costs $9.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Prepware Instrument Pilot holds the better App Store score, 2.6 against 2.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 45 and 19 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 36% of Prepware Instrument Pilot's written reviews are positive against 33% of Garmin GPS Trainer's.

Prepware Instrument Pilot ships an update every 4 months, Garmin GPS Trainer every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Prepware Instrument Pilot | Garmin GPS Trainer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $9.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[2.6 (45 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/prepware-instrument-pilot/id338887882/reviews)** | [2.4 (19 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/garmin-gps-trainer/id1454577309/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **45** | 19 |
| Positive reviews | **35.7% of reviews** | 33.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | **#86** | — |
| Size | 36 MB | 1.3 GB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [ASA](https://appshunter.io/developer/334278379) | [Garmin DCI](https://appshunter.io/developer/309920282) |

## What reviewers say

### Prepware Instrument Pilot

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

**Currently charting:** #86 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


### Garmin GPS Trainer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/garmin-gps-trainer/id1454577309)

This app simulates the user interface of a GPS navigator, allowing users to explore its features and operational aspects. It's ideal for improving avionics familiarity and preparing for flights by practicing flight plans.

**Highlights:** Simulated multi-touch and drag interface, Garmin SafeTaxi with airport information, High resolution terrain and aviation databases, Obstacle databases with power line alerting, Simulated ADS-B Traffic and FIS-B Weather, Chair fly flight plans

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Prepware Instrument Pilot free?

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

### Is Garmin GPS Trainer free?

Garmin GPS Trainer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Prepware Instrument Pilot or Garmin GPS Trainer?

Prepware Instrument Pilot is rated higher. Prepware Instrument Pilot averages 2.6 out of 5 from 45 ratings, while Garmin GPS Trainer averages 2.4 from 19 ratings.

### Do Prepware Instrument Pilot or Garmin GPS Trainer have ads?

Neither Prepware Instrument Pilot nor Garmin GPS Trainer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Prepware Instrument Pilot or Garmin GPS Trainer?

Prepware Instrument Pilot ships an update every 4 months, and Garmin GPS Trainer every 3 months. Most recently, Prepware Instrument Pilot was updated on October 20, 2026 and Garmin GPS Trainer on October 15, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*