Prepware Instrument Pilot vs Garmin GTN Trainer
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Prepware Instrument Pilot
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.
- Flashcard-style review
- Questions, answers, and explanations
- Study by subject
- Practice test simulation
- FAA Knowledge Exam preparation
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Comprehensive preparation, study and test tool for the FAA Knowledge Exam. Flashcard style review of questions, answers and explanations included for you to study by subject or with a true-to-form practice test.
Garmin GTN Trainer
Learn the basic operation of Garmin avionics with a simulated on-the-ground training environment. Practice using the pilot interface with realistic multi-touch controls, flight plan editing, and access to detailed airport information, approach charts, and weather data.
- Simulated multi-touch and drag interface
- Garmin SafeTaxi airport information
- Garmin FliteCharts approach charts
- Worldwide terrain and aviation databases
- Obstacle databases with powerline alerting
- Simulated weather and traffic data
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The Garmin GTN 650 / 750 Trainer allows you to experience the pilot interface and provides an on-the-ground environment to learn the basic operation of the avionics. Train like it's the real thing! The GTN 650 / 750 Trainer includes: • Simulated multi-touch and drag interface – allows you to interact with the system, graphically edit flight plans and much more • Garmin SafeTaxi – allows you to view detailed airport information on the moving map • Garmin FliteCharts – allows you to view published approach charts • High resolution worldwide terrain maps and aviation databases • High resolution obstacle databases including powerline alerting • Simulated interfaces and data including: Garmin GDL 88 ADS-B and TCAS Traffic with TargetTrend™ Relative Motion Garmin GDL 88 FIS-B Weather Garmin GDL 69 with SiriusXM Weather Garmin GWX 70 Weather Radar L-3 Avionics WX-500 Stormscope Lightning Detection Garmin GMA Series Audio Panel Control Garmin GTX Series Mode S Transponder Simulation * Notes: The GTN 650 / 750 Trainer runs on Apple iPad 2 and newer. Supports 32 and 64-Bit Devices. * This app contains simulated data and does not receive data from or interact with real Garmin avionics. This app should not be used for actual navigation purposes.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Garmin GTN Trainer at Free against Prepware Instrument Pilot's $9.99. Garmin GTN Trainer also leads on rating (3.5 vs 2.6) and iOS requirement (13 vs 15.0). Prepware Instrument Pilot's advantage is chart position (#155 vs unranked) and ratings volume (45 vs 10). On update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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
Garmin GTN 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.
Garmin GTN Trainer holds the better App Store score, 3.5 against 2.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 45 and 10 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 38% of Prepware Instrument Pilot's written reviews are positive against 30% of Garmin GTN Trainer's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Prepware Instrument Pilot ships an update every 4 months, Garmin GTN Trainer every 7 months. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Prepware Instrument Pilot | Garmin GTN Trainer |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $9.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 2.6 (45 ratings) | 3.5 (10 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 37.8% of reviews — better | 29.8% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 45 — better | 10 |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months — better | Every 7 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free — better | Paid |
| Best chart rank | #155 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 13 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 36 MB | 2.4 GB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | ASA | Garmin DCI |
Customer experience
Prepware Instrument Pilot
Garmin GTN Trainer
User reviews
Prepware Instrument Pilot
From 45 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Good value for money
- 👍 Offline functionality
- 👍 Helpful for passing written exams
- 👍 Simple interface
- 👍 Explanations provided
Room to improve
- 👎 Outdated question bank
- 👎 Inaccurate questions/answers
- 👎 Missing core features
- 👎 Poor optimization for iPad
- 👎 Formatting issues
Garmin GTN Trainer
From 10 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Great training tool
- 👍 Authentic functionality
- 👍 Useful for learning
- 👍 Good for practice
- 👍 Handy portable version
Room to improve
- 🐛 App crashes frequently
- 🐛 Blank/black screen
- 🐛 Unit does not turn on
- 🐛 App is broken/unusable
- 🐛 Outdated database
Bugs and requests
Prepware Instrument Pilot
Reported bugs
39 issues- 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
Show 34 moreShow fewer
- Dark mode broken
- App crashes
- Save feature does not work
- Answers lost when returning to app
- Progress lost when switching categories
- App closes by itself
- Loses test progress when minimized
- Figures not displayed for questions
- Incomplete questions
- Questions and answers do not match
- Questions not completely displayed
- Can't get back to question from figure display
- Back button disappears
- Can't take entire test without shutting down or redownloading
- Software reverts to quiz mode when returning to study mode
- Explanation link missing in study mode
- Can't go back when opening a figure
- Answers longer than three lines are cut off
- Figures are sometimes incomplete
- Figures are sometimes at too low a resolution
- No way to store previous test scores
- No progress shown
- Study modes stops showing correct answer
- Practice test questions do not allow access to appropriate figure
- Truncated answers
- Truncated questions
- Figures are sometimes incomplete
- Font is hard to read and small
- Bold indication of right or wrong is missing
- No running tally of missed questions
- App restarts in test mode even when last in study mode
- Bugs causing crashes that instantly exit the application
- Scans did not come over well, particularly weather graphics
- Hard to see some images
Requested features
18 requests- 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
Show 13 moreShow fewer
- Autosave and clear progress button
- Ability to search through questions
- Save test results
- Ability to uncheck material of questions not needed
- Ability to select questions relating to chapters
- Provide reasons for wrong answers
- Make background red or green for visibility
- Allow marking questions for review
- Record wrong answers for review
- Dark mode option
- Advanced analytics dashboard
- Ability to skip questions that do not apply to equipment
- Add CX-2 to iPhone
Garmin GTN Trainer
Reported bugs
75 issues- VNAV function does not work
- Airplane starts on the other side of the country
- GTN 750XI app crashes when start button is pushed
- GTN 650 closes out and stops when going to find frequency, recent
- App starts with a blank black screen on display
Show 70 moreShow fewer
- 750 screen is black on startup
- 650 just gets a spinning circle
- Nothing comes on the screen
- Loads but will not turn on
- No button or toggle to turn on the app
- Shows an off GPS
- Screen is all black
- Screen won't turn on when loading up
- GPS Screen Blank/Black
- Nothing loads on the display
- App does not load anymore
- Loads, but leaves you on a black screen with no functionality
- App seems to be broken for the iPad
- App doesn’t show anything on the simulated screen
- Loads to black screen
- Unit does not power on
- Doesn’t work with iPadOS 17.4.1
- GPS screen doesn’t turn on
- Controller loads but has zero functionality
- Garmin unit does not power on
- App is broken
- Slow and doesn't work
- GTN screens are black and nothing works
- GPS is just a black screen
- App is unusable
- Newest iPad version seems to have broken the entire software
- Apps are not kept up to date
- Simulator freezes
- App constantly crashes
- Airplane doesn’t start flying the route when you add airspeed and altitude
- Airplane’s starting location can’t be moved
- Manual doesn’t explain how to do things
- Graphically Edit Flight Plan Mode does not seem to operate correctly
- Jeppesen data is 2018
- Approaches don’t exist or are hamstrung
- GTN 650 starts at 51K in CA
- Cannot permanently delete initial fix
- No updated procedures for Europe
- RNAV approaches not updated
- ILS will not descend on autopilot
- Manual does not work
- Database with Europe seems to have gone away
- Needs 6.5x update
- Needs 6.50 or 6.51 update
- GTN 750 looks old fashioned
- Needs update for latest software version
- Won’t download or install
- Unsupported app
- Database age
- Missing X-Plane integration
- Does not recognize purchase
- Trial period expired
- Not recognizing paid purchase
- Does not agree with PC trainer
- Some utilities missing
- Layout is different
- Sync with X-Plane needed
- App is a trial
- Reinitializes anytime you switch away
- Loses flight plan and all inputs
- Starts all over with initialization
- Current session/flight/function is forever lost
- Expensive for limited functionality
- Crashes when opening app
- Does not work with OS 11
- App does not recognize paid purchase after upgrade
- App switched to subscription without tracking previous payments
- App turned paid app into a trial
- App reinitializes when switching away
- App loses place if you switch out of it
Requested features
25 requests- Integrate GFC 500 AP
- Integrate GFC 600/700 AP
- Add autopilot controller head
- Add annunciation display showing AP, HDG, ALT status
- Add fields for actual IAS and ALT of simulated airplane
Show 20 moreShow fewer
- Add second radio option to audio panel
- Add start-up field for 'Starting Location'
- Update Jeppesen database
- Update European procedures
- Add linked/synchronized G5 HSI simulator
- Add VNAV support to iPad version
- Update app to actual current version
- Add support for X-Plane integration over WiFi
- Add support for Lockheeds Martin Prepar3D flight simulation
- Add ability to sync with X-Plane
- Add Turboprop icon
- Add High-Wing Prop icon
- Allow two iPads connected over WiFi/Bluetooth
- Run GTN trainer on MacOS
- Add dark mode option
- Add advanced analytics dashboard
- Add vertical (Portrait mode) or Horizontal display mode support
- Update to GTN ver. 5.0 with HTAWS
- Make it like the $25 CD version
- Add support for GNS430 WAAS
In-app purchases
Prepware Instrument Pilot
No in-app purchases
Garmin GTN Trainer
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Prepware Instrument Pilot free?
Is Garmin GTN Trainer free?
Which has better reviews, Prepware Instrument Pilot or Garmin GTN Trainer?
Do Prepware Instrument Pilot or Garmin GTN Trainer have ads?
Which is updated more often, Prepware Instrument Pilot or Garmin GTN Trainer?
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