# Private Pilot Test Prep vs Checkride Compass

The clearest difference is price: Checkride Compass at Free against Private Pilot Test Prep's $14.99. Checkride Compass also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.3) and update cadence (every 2 days vs every 5 months). Private Pilot Test Prep's advantage is ratings volume (116 vs 8) and chart position (#20 vs unranked). On ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Checkride Compass is free to download; Private Pilot Test Prep costs $14.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Checkride Compass holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Private Pilot Test Prep has 116 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 82% of Private Pilot Test Prep's written reviews are positive against 100% of Checkride Compass's.

Private Pilot Test Prep ships an update every 5 months, Checkride Compass every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and November 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Private Pilot Test Prep | Checkride Compass |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $14.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.3 (116 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/private-pilot-test-prep/id414141811/reviews) | **[5.0 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/checkride-compass/id6760925013/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **116** | 8 |
| Positive reviews | 81.8% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#20** | — |
| Size | 62 MB | 6 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 26.2 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Sporty's Pilot Shop](https://appshunter.io/developer/371817958) | [Jainik Parekh](https://appshunter.io/developer/1886854798) |

## What reviewers say

### Private Pilot Test Prep

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

**Currently charting:** #20 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


### Checkride Compass

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/checkride-compass/id6760925013)

Prepare for your Private Pilot checkride with focused quizzes, flashcards, and real-world scenarios. This tool helps build confidence for oral exams, ACS standards, and written preparation.

**Highlights:** Practice quizzes, ACS flashcards, Checkride-style scenarios, Focused study experience, Build confidence

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Private Pilot Test Prep free?

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

### Is Checkride Compass free?

Checkride Compass is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Private Pilot Test Prep or Checkride Compass?

Checkride Compass is rated higher. Private Pilot Test Prep averages 4.3 out of 5 from 116 ratings, while Checkride Compass averages 5.0 from 8 ratings.

### Do Private Pilot Test Prep or Checkride Compass have ads?

Neither Private Pilot Test Prep nor Checkride Compass shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Private Pilot Test Prep or Checkride Compass?

Private Pilot Test Prep ships an update every 5 months, and Checkride Compass every 2 days. Most recently, Private Pilot Test Prep was updated on November 8, 2026 and Checkride Compass on November 9, 2026.

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