Comparison

FAA Private Pilot Prep vs Private Pilot Checkride

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
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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 Checkride

Prepare for your private pilot practical exam with over 900 questions and answers based on FAA standards. This app helps identify knowledge gaps and build confidence for your checkride, covering all essential aviation topics.

Highlights
  • Over 900 exam-style questions and answers
  • Aligned with FAA Airman Certification Standards (ACS)
  • Answers with FAA references and ACS codes
  • Flag questions for custom study sets
  • Includes Applicant Practical Test Checklist
  • Covers all essential private pilot topics
Features
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Using a question-and-answer format, Private Pilot Checkride lists the questions most likely to be asked by examiners during the last step in the pilot certification process – the Practical Exam – and provides succinct, ready responses. Pilots will find this App an indispensable tool in both planning for what to expect during the airplane checkride and mastering the subject matter. Instructors rate them as excellent preparation for students, as well as preps for Flight Reviews, aircraft transitions, and as general refresher material. This Private Pilot Checkride app is based on the popular Private Oral Exam Guide book by Jason Blair and aligns with the FAA Airman Certification Standards (ACS). It is designed for student pilots training for the Private Pilot Certificate with an airplane rating. More than 900 questions and responses ensure all the subjects a Private Pilot candidate will be tested on during a checkride and review flight are covered. Topics include: pilot qualifications and limitations, aircraft airworthiness requirements, preflight procedures, postflight procedures, human factors, performance and limitations, airport operations, national airspace system, weather information, cross-country flight planning, night operations, emergency equipment and survival gear, and scenario-based training. Answers and explanations were researched using FAA documents (which are identified so pilots know where to go for further study) as well as interviewing FAA examiners and include the corresponding ACS code. Questions can be marked for further study from any subject to build your own collection of flashcards. An Applicant Practical Test Checklist and quick-reference to the Private Pilot maneuvers and tolerances (as defined in the Airman Certification Standards) are also included. Compatible with iOS phones and tablets, this app teaches applicants not only what to expect, but also how to exhibit subject mastery and confidence when under the examiner’s scrutiny. It identifies candidates’ strengths, weaknesses, and gaps in their aeronautical knowledge, which increases study efficiency. App features: • More than 800 questions are included with succinct, ready responses. • Questions from any subject can be flagged for further study into a separate group. • Includes all the questions and answers from the popular book, Private Pilot Oral Exam Guide by Jason Blair. • Answers supported with FAA references and ACS codes. • Brought to you by a trusted resource in aviation training and publishing, Aviation Supplies & Academics (ASA).

Screenshots

FAA Private Pilot Prep4 screens
Private Pilot Checkride4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Private Pilot Checkride at $9.99 against FAA Private Pilot Prep's $69.99. Private Pilot Checkride also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1). FAA Private Pilot Prep's advantage is rating (4.5 vs 3.3) and update cadence (monthly vs every 19 months). On ads, chart position and device support 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

FAA Private Pilot Prep costs $69.99 and Private Pilot Checkride $9.99 up front. FAA Private Pilot Prep sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Private Pilot Checkride asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

FAA Private Pilot Prep holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 73 and 20 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 79% of FAA Private Pilot Prep's written reviews are positive against 52% of Private Pilot Checkride's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

FAA Private Pilot Prep ships an update monthly, Private Pilot Checkride every 19 months. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 3 level
FAA Private Pilot Prep versus Private Pilot Checkride: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFAA Private Pilot PrepPrivate Pilot Checkride
Price$69.99$9.99 — better
Rating4.5 (73 ratings) — better3.3 (20 ratings)
Positive reviews79.2% of reviews — better52.2% of reviews
Number of ratings73 — better20
Update frequencyMonthly — betterEvery 19 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterPaid
Best chart rank#97 — better#124
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS9.0 — better14.0
Further details — not scored
Size640 MB9 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDauntless SoftwareASA

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 Checkride

All ratings20 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral20.0%
Negative30.0%
Written reviews23 reviews
Positive52.2%
Neutral17.4%
Negative30.4%

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 Checkride

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

FAA Private Pilot Prep

One-time1
  • Audio Review$19.99
None

Private Pilot Checkride

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is FAA Private Pilot Prep free?
FAA Private Pilot Prep costs $69.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Private Pilot Checkride free?
Private Pilot Checkride costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, FAA Private Pilot Prep or Private Pilot Checkride?
FAA Private Pilot Prep is rated higher. FAA Private Pilot Prep averages 4.5 out of 5 from 73 ratings, while Private Pilot Checkride averages 3.3 from 20 ratings.
Do FAA Private Pilot Prep or Private Pilot Checkride have ads?
Neither FAA Private Pilot Prep nor Private Pilot Checkride shows ads.
Which is updated more often, FAA Private Pilot Prep or Private Pilot Checkride?
FAA Private Pilot Prep ships an update monthly, and Private Pilot Checkride every 19 months. Most recently, FAA Private Pilot Prep was updated on October 14, 2026 and Private Pilot Checkride on October 13, 2026.
Which is more popular, FAA Private Pilot Prep or Private Pilot Checkride?
FAA Private Pilot Prep currently peaks at #97 in the App Store charts, and Private Pilot Checkride at #124. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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