Private Pilot Checkride vs Instrument Pilot Test Prep
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
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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).
Instrument Pilot Test Prep
Prepare for your FAA Instrument Pilot written test with a comprehensive study tool. It offers three modes: study questions by topic, review using flashcards, and take simulated practice tests. Detailed explanations and progress reports help you track your learning.
- Study questions by topic
- Customizable review sessions
- Flashcard mode for knowledge testing
- Simulated 60-question practice tests
- Detailed explanations for answers
- Progress reports and test history
- High-resolution FAA figures and legends
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Sporty's Study Buddy will prepare you for the FAA Instrument Pilot written test like no other study tool available with three modes of operation. Test material is expertly organized into categories based on subject matter and includes, questions, answers, correct answers, and detailed explanations. • STUDY QUESTIONS BY TOPIC • Learning Mode allows you to create custom review sessions by selecting exactly which categories you want to review. Each session randomly generates the question order, and provides instant feedback based on your answer selection. Each question also provides a detailed description as to why each answer is right or wrong. These explanations were developed by Sporty’s team of Master CFI’s, based on their experience preparing students for the Instrument Rating. • REVIEW QUESTION FLASHCARDS • Flashcard mode tests your knowledge by allowing you to only see the question without the answer choices. After answering the question mentally, you can then select to show the correct answer, and self-grade your progress along the way. This is a great feature that keeps you from being distracted by incorrect answers! • TAKE PRACTICE TESTS • Test mode randomly generates a 60-question session from the entire database of published FAA test questions, simulating the real Instrument Pilot test. After answering all the questions, you’ll be given instant results, and have the option to review either all the questions, or just missed questions. Included in the review session are the same detailed explanations for why each answer is right or wrong. •PROGRESS REPORTS• After completing each test your results are saved in the app's Progress Report section, where you can review previous scores and and a detailed history of each question and answer selection. You can also pause a partially-completed session, and resume it at a later time here. Also includes the new upgraded test prep supplement (figures and legends) from the FAA, with new high-resolution images.
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Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Private Pilot Checkride at $9.99 against Instrument Pilot Test Prep's $14.99. Private Pilot Checkride also leads on review sentiment (52% vs 39%). Instrument Pilot Test Prep's advantage is update cadence (every 5 months vs every 19 months). On rating, ratings volume, 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
Private Pilot Checkride costs $9.99 and Instrument Pilot Test Prep $14.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Private Pilot Checkride holds the better App Store score, 3.3 against 3.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 20 and 16 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 52% of Private Pilot Checkride's written reviews are positive against 39% of Instrument Pilot Test Prep's.
Private Pilot Checkride ships an update every 19 months, Instrument Pilot Test Prep every 5 months. Both last shipped on October 23, 2026.
| Parameter | Private Pilot Checkride | Instrument Pilot Test Prep |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $9.99 — better | $14.99 |
| Rating | 3.3 (20 ratings) — better | 3.1 (16 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 52.2% of reviews — better | 39.3% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 20 — better | 16 |
| Update frequency | Every 19 months | Every 5 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Free — better |
| Best chart rank | #148 | #98 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | 13.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 9 MB | 28 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | ASA | Sporty's Pilot Shop |
Customer experience
Private Pilot Checkride
Instrument Pilot Test Prep
In-app purchases
Private Pilot Checkride
No in-app purchases
Instrument Pilot Test Prep
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Private Pilot Checkride free?
Is Instrument Pilot Test Prep free?
Which has better reviews, Private Pilot Checkride or Instrument Pilot Test Prep?
Do Private Pilot Checkride or Instrument Pilot Test Prep have ads?
Which is updated more often, Private Pilot Checkride or Instrument Pilot Test Prep?
Which is more popular, Private Pilot Checkride or Instrument Pilot Test Prep?
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