# Private Pilot Test Prep vs Sporty's Pilot Training

The clearest difference is price: Sporty's Pilot Training at Free against Private Pilot Test Prep's $14.99. Sporty's Pilot Training also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.3) and update cadence (weekly vs every 5 months). Private Pilot Test Prep's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10) and review sentiment (82% vs 70%). On ads and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Sporty's Pilot Training is free to download; Private Pilot Test Prep costs $14.99 up front. Sporty's Pilot Training sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Private Pilot Test Prep asks for nothing beyond the download.

Sporty's Pilot Training holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sporty's Pilot Training has 11K ratings behind it against 116, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 82% of Private Pilot Test Prep's written reviews are positive against 70% of Sporty's Pilot Training's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Private Pilot Test Prep ships an update every 5 months, Sporty's Pilot Training weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 10, 2026 and November 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Private Pilot Test Prep | Sporty's Pilot Training |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $14.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.3 (116 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/private-pilot-test-prep/id414141811/reviews) | **[4.9 (11K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sportys-pilot-training/id1272775528/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 116 | **11K** |
| Positive reviews | **81.8% of reviews** | 70.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | **#26** | #101 |
| Size | 62 MB | 194 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **16.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Sporty's Pilot Shop](https://appshunter.io/developer/371817958) | [Sporty's Pilot Shop](https://appshunter.io/developer/371817958) |

## What reviewers say

### Private Pilot Test Prep

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/private-pilot-test-prep/id414141811)

**Currently charting:** #26 Top Paid · Education (US App Store)

Prepare for your FAA Private Pilot knowledge test with study questions, flashcards, and practice tests. Features explanations from experienced instructors and offline access to all figures. Designed for iPhone and iPad.

**Highlights:** Study questions by topic, Flashcard review mode, Randomized practice tests, Offline figure access, Progress saving and history, Explanations for answers

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- ✅ Excellent for exam prep
- 💯 Questions are verbatim/similar
- 💡 Affordable and valuable
- 👍 Easy to use and navigate
- 📚 Good explanations

**What reviewers complain about**

- ⚠️ Some questions outdated/inaccurate
- 📉 Not all questions match real exam
- 😵 Repeat questions in test mode
- 📱 Difficult to use on small screens
- 🤔 Explanations not always perfect

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes in test mode
- Progress not saved on phone
- Blackout bug when viewing figures or rotating screen
- Crashes after deleting test sessions
- Not updated for iPhone X

**Requested features**

- Ability to save flagged questions across sessions
- Randomized questions in test mode
- Improved cross-device progress syncing (iCloud)
- Interactive map features for practice
- Search functionality for specific questions


### Sporty's Pilot Training

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sportys-pilot-training/id1272775528)

**Currently charting:** #101 Top Grossing · Education (US App Store)

Access a comprehensive library of aviation training courses, including FAA test preparation and interactive guides. Start with free access to handbooks, practice tests, and HD videos, with options to purchase in-depth courses for pilot certificates and ratings.

**Highlights:** Interactive FAA handbooks, FAR/AIM access, FAA practice tests, HD/4K training videos, Learn to Fly course, Instrument Rating course, Flight maneuvers guide

**Features:** Vision Pro support, SharePlay

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remote Pilot Test Prep | $19.99 | one-time |
| Flying With ForeFlight | $39.99 | one-time |
| Pilot's Guide to Airspace | $39.99 | one-time |
| VFR Communications | $49.99 | one-time |
| Real World Flight Review | $99.00 | one-time |
| Garmin G1000 Checkout | $99.99 | one-time |
| Multiengine Training Course | $129.99 | one-time |
| Instrument Rating Course | $299.00 | one-time |
| Sporty's Learn To Fly Course | $299.00 | one-time |
| Commercial Pilot Course | $299.00 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Highly recommended and worth recommending
- 🚀 Awesome training
- 👍 Excellent quality
- 👍 Great preparation for exams and flying
- 👍 Passed written exams

**What reviewers complain about**

- 👎 Desktop site is much better
- 👎 Not sure why all the good reviews
- 🐛 Buggy Chromecast
- 🐛 Lost ability to cast
- 🐛 Sync issues between devices

**Reported bugs**

- Occasional crashes
- Incompatible with older devices
- Login screen freezes
- Video downloads reset to zero when switching apps

**Requested features**

- Show progress/completion status of each video
- Sync video progress across all devices
- Ability to Airplay directly without third-party app
- Continuous play mode


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Private Pilot Test Prep free?

Private Pilot Test Prep costs $14.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Sporty's Pilot Training free?

Sporty's Pilot Training is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Private Pilot Test Prep or Sporty's Pilot Training?

Sporty's Pilot Training is rated higher. Private Pilot Test Prep averages 4.3 out of 5 from 116 ratings, while Sporty's Pilot Training averages 4.9 from 11K ratings.

### Do Private Pilot Test Prep or Sporty's Pilot Training have ads?

Neither Private Pilot Test Prep nor Sporty's Pilot Training shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Private Pilot Test Prep or Sporty's Pilot Training?

Private Pilot Test Prep ships an update every 5 months, and Sporty's Pilot Training weekly. Most recently, Private Pilot Test Prep was updated on November 10, 2026 and Sporty's Pilot Training on November 12, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Private Pilot Test Prep or Sporty's Pilot Training?

Private Pilot Test Prep currently peaks at #26 in the App Store charts, and Sporty's Pilot Training at #101. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

---

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