Comparison

FAA Private Pilot Prep vs Private Pilot Test Prep

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

Head to head
About

FAA Private Pilot Prep

Prepare for your FAA Private and Recreational Pilot knowledge tests with a comprehensive database of actual, up-to-date questions. Features detailed explanations, included charts, and flexible study modes to help you pass your exams.

Highlights
  • Actual FAA questions
  • Free updates
  • Illustrated explanations
  • Compatible with FAA ACS
  • Comprehensive question database
  • Flexible study modes
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Spend less time studying and more time flying! This is the FAA Private and Recreational Pilot version of GroundSchool, our FAA knowledge (written) test preparation featuring up-to-date questions, free updates, and illustrated explanations written by a professional team of pilot examiners and instructors. GroundSchool is fully compatible with FAA ACS (Airman Certification Standards) and our editorial team is working to keep it so as ACS continues to evolve. Don't be fooled by imitators! Competing apps use only the limited set of questions that the FAA publicly releases via its website - that is not enough to adequately prepare you for your test! Our GroundSchool app, on the other hand, features a much more comprehensive database (typically about 2-4 times the size of the demo FAA public one) of actual and current FAA questions that you likely can and will be asked on the actual test! This along with our detailed, professional explanations and easy to use interface are major reasons why pilots have come to trust GroundSchool. Study actual, up-to-date FAA questions and then ACE your FAA Private Pilot and/or Recreational Pilot knowledge (written) test the easy way with GroundSchool FAA Knowledge Test Preparation software by Dauntless Aviation, the trusted leader in FAA written test preparation. Features: * Actual FAA Questions Current and Valid for Right Now. As soon as you install the software, use the 'update' feature and the software will connect to our servers, grab the latest questions, images, figures, and explanation content, and you'll be good to go. * Detailed Explanations written by an experienced editorial team of examiner and instructor pilots. * All Charts and Figures Included * Several flexible study modes - fits the way you want to study! * Compatible with all FAA "ground school" classroom-based courses This Private and Recreational Pilot version of GroundSchool will prepare you for any or all of the following tests: * Private Pilot Airplane (PAR) * Private Pilot Rotorcraft Helicopter (PRH) * Private Pilot Glider (PGL) * Private Pilot Balloon - Gas (PBG) * Private Pilot Balloon - Hot Air (PBH) * Private Pilot Rotorcraft Gyroplane (PRG) * Private Pilot Powered Parachute (PPP) * Private Pilot Weight Shift Control (PWS) * Private Pilot Lighter-than-Air (Airship) (PLA) * Recreational Pilot Airplane (RPA) * Recreational Pilot Helicopter (RPH) * Recreational Pilot Gyroplane (RPG) * Private Pilot Airplane / Recreational Pilot - Transition (PAT) * Private Pilot Helicopter / Recreational Pilot Transition (PHT) * Private Pilot Gyroplane / Recreational Pilot Transition (PGT) * Canadian Private Pilot to USA FAA Conversion (PCP) With Dauntless Aviation's GroundSchool, you don't need to worry: * Our material is UP TO DATE. No matter what date is listed here in regarding the 'Release date', this date refers to the program itself only. Once you get the program on your device, use the built-in update feature and it will connect to our servers and download the latest and greatest version of the test prep content and our explanations that we have available. To learn more about this, please visit our website. * Furthermore, you are welcome to update the material as often as you like. This means that even if you don't take your test soon, when do you, GroundSchool will be ready for you. Compare this to books or DVDs (which are going out of date from the moment they are printed). * We pride ourselves on the quality of our explanations. This is not some idle boast - our explanations are more detailed and more illustrated than that of ANY other FAA knowledge test provider, period. * Tens of thousands of people have used our products to prepare for their FAA knowledge tests. Ours is a system that works. Good luck on your test!

About

Private Pilot Test Prep

Prepare for the FAA Private Pilot Knowledge Test with over 900 practice questions and detailed explanations. Customize study sessions, review missed questions, and take simulated exams that mirror the official test format and question distribution. Unlock a complete ground school course for advanced features and tracking.

Highlights
  • Over 900 FAA practice questions
  • Detailed explanations and references
  • Customizable study sessions
  • Practice sessions from missed questions
  • Simulated FAA exams
  • Data sync across iOS devices
  • Instructor endorsement upon course completion
Read full description

The #1 Private Pilot test prep app is now free, and includes over 900 FAA questions and explanations to help prepare for the FAA Private Pilot Knowledge Test. Upgrade to the complete ground school course to unlock all lesson, detailed tracking and statistics, and premium test prep with hundreds of additional questions (free trial available). ▸ Custom study sessions based on topics, session size, and your overall mastery. Filters allow you to include or exclude questions that require the use of figures or an E6B. ▸ Create practice sessions from missed questions after a completed practice or exam session. ▸ Review missed questions after a practice or exam session. ▸ Take simulated FAA exams administered under the same rules and time constraints as the actual Private Pilot knowledge test. Unlike other test prep apps, our exams present the correct proportion of questions from each knowledge area per the ACS. ▸ Sync your data and course progress across on all of your iOS devices ▸ Access a library of study resources for the Private Pilot certificate ▸ Question bank covers all areas of the Private Pilot Airman Certification Standards to ensure thorough preparation for the knowledge test. ▸ Detailed explanations and references for all questions. ▸ Obtain an instructor endorsement after completing the course.

Screenshots

FAA Private Pilot Prep4 screens
Private Pilot Test Prep4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Private Pilot Test Prep at Free against FAA Private Pilot Prep's $69.99. Private Pilot Test Prep also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.5) and ratings volume (1.5K vs 73). FAA Private Pilot Prep's advantage is chart position (#108 vs unranked) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 17.1). On review sentiment, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

Private Pilot Test Prep is free to download; FAA Private Pilot Prep costs $69.99 up front. FAA Private Pilot Prep sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Private Pilot Test Prep sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Private Pilot Test Prep holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Private Pilot Test Prep has 1.5K ratings behind it against 73, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 79% of FAA Private Pilot Prep's written reviews are positive against 85% of Private Pilot Test Prep's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

FAA Private Pilot Prep ships an update monthly, Private Pilot Test Prep fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
FAA Private Pilot Prep versus Private Pilot Test Prep: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFAA Private Pilot PrepPrivate Pilot Test Prep
Price$69.99Free — better
Rating4.5 (73 ratings)4.9 (1.5K ratings) — better
Positive reviews79.2% of reviews84.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings731.5K — better
Update frequencyMonthlyFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#108 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS9.0 — better17.1
Further details — not scored
Size640 MB116 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperDauntless SoftwareAeroapps Technology

Customer experience

FAA Private Pilot Prep

All ratings73 ratings
Positive89.0%
Neutral2.7%
Negative8.2%
Written reviews77 reviews
Positive79.2%
Neutral2.6%
Negative18.2%

Private Pilot Test Prep

All ratings1,517 ratings
Positive97.0%
Neutral1.5%
Negative1.6%
Written reviews59 reviews
Positive84.7%
Neutral3.4%
Negative11.9%

User reviews

FAA Private Pilot Prep

From 73 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 💯 Excellent test preparation
  • 📚 Comprehensive explanations
  • 🔄 Frequently updated content
  • 🎛️ Numerous practice modes
  • 🎯 Clever stack system

Room to improve

  • 😞 Not modern or aesthetically pleasing
  • 🐛 Update issues
  • 🐛 Incorrect answers reported
  • 🐛 No response to review requests
  • 🐛 Poor audio system integration

Private Pilot Test Prep

From 1.5K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Thorough course with good foundation
  • 🚀 Great graphics and easy to follow
  • 🚀 Helped pass the FAA exam
  • 🚀 Realistic practice exams with FARs and AIMs
  • 🚀 Excellent explanations and figures

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Grading issues and incorrect marking of answers
  • 🐛 Frequent app updates required, causing issues for users with poor internet
  • 🐛 Inability to review missed questions after exiting the app
  • 🐛 Lack of zoom and drawing tools for charts
  • 🐛 Crashes and login issues reported

Bugs and requests

FAA Private Pilot Prep

Reported bugs

66 issues
  • Update issues
  • Incorrect answers
  • No response to review requests
  • Poor audio system integration
  • Lacks dark mode
Show 61 more
  • Appalling audio quality
  • Inconsistent cloud storage
  • Lacks 'Sign with Apple'
  • UX/UI design issues
  • Expensive compared to alternatives
  • Dated UI design
  • Annoying sound effects
  • Difficult to read UI
  • Annoying figure viewing
  • Need to flip back and forth
  • Customer service issues
  • Rude customer service
  • Unusable after iOS update
  • Crashing on devices
  • Blank screen on test questions
  • No customer service phone
  • Limited MP3 questions
  • Crashing frequently
  • Audio volume varies
  • Sectional diagrams poor quality
  • PDF issues
  • Slow website
  • App restarts from main menu
  • Nuisance switching contexts
  • Missing chart/sectional questions
  • E6B used differently
  • Some questions not in app
  • Phrasing and figures differ
  • Not all questions covered
  • Expensive
  • Vocal teaching inconsistent
  • Audio files disappear
  • Wasted money
  • Needs programmer work
  • Database failure
  • Bugs, bugs, bugs
  • Never performs updates
  • Database corrupted message
  • Crashes on launch
  • Slow loading
  • Not as effective as old tapes
  • Not a test simulator/tutor
  • Limited to test passing ability
  • Lacks silly graphics/mnemonics
  • Needs tweaks
  • Cannot see charts and questions simultaneously
  • Lose progress when going home
  • Why would anybody use this app?
  • Floundering and falling asleep
  • Needs human instructor videos
  • Interface quirks
  • Doesn't always save progress
  • Cartoon-like UI
  • Expensive
  • Vocal teaching only sometimes works
  • Buggy
  • Cannot update test questions
  • Likely out of date questions
  • Poorly tested on iPad
  • Ignores non-working parts
  • Not a serious piece of software

Requested features

15 requests
  • Dark mode
  • Use Apple's iCloud for storage
  • Use 'Sign with Apple'
  • More FAR/AIM questions
  • Improved UI/UX design
Show 10 more
  • More modern interface
  • Better audio playback system
  • More comprehensive MP3 review
  • Fix sectional diagram quality
  • Improve chart and sectional questions
  • Better saving of progress
  • Allow viewing charts and questions simultaneously
  • Add CFI sign-off to iPad version
  • Improve audio loudness consistency
  • Add more human instructor videos

Private Pilot Test Prep

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Grading issues and incorrect marking of answers
  • Frequent app updates required, causing issues for users with poor internet
  • Inability to review missed questions after exiting the app
  • Crashes and login issues reported

Requested features

8 requests
  • Add sound when choosing correct answers
  • Provide separate guides for each chapter
  • Offer 50-question practice tests by chapter
  • Allow users to pause and resume simulated tests
  • Provide a bank of all practice tests and simulated tests
Show 3 more
  • Display passed section grades to track progress
  • Add a lock zoom feature for charts
  • Integrate a protractor tool

In-app purchases

1 purchases

FAA Private Pilot Prep

One-time1
  • Audio Review$19.99
4 purchases

Private Pilot Test Prep

One-time4
  • Private Pilot Course TrialFree
  • Private Pilot Test Prep$49.99
  • Upgrade to Ground School$99.99
Show 1 more
  • Private Pilot Ground School$149.99

Questions

Is FAA Private Pilot Prep free?
FAA Private Pilot Prep costs $69.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Private Pilot Test Prep free?
Private Pilot Test Prep is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, FAA Private Pilot Prep or Private Pilot Test Prep?
Private Pilot Test Prep is rated higher. FAA Private Pilot Prep averages 4.5 out of 5 from 73 ratings, while Private Pilot Test Prep averages 4.9 from 1.5K ratings.
Do FAA Private Pilot Prep or Private Pilot Test Prep have ads?
Neither FAA Private Pilot Prep nor Private Pilot Test Prep shows ads.
Which is updated more often, FAA Private Pilot Prep or Private Pilot Test Prep?
FAA Private Pilot Prep ships an update monthly, and Private Pilot Test Prep fortnightly. Most recently, FAA Private Pilot Prep was updated on September 24, 2026 and Private Pilot Test Prep on September 22, 2026.

Other comparisons