# Private Pilot Test Prep vs FlightReady Academy

The clearest difference is price: FlightReady Academy at Free against Private Pilot Test Prep's $14.99. FlightReady Academy also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 4 months) and rating (4.7 vs 4.3). Private Pilot Test Prep's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 17) and review sentiment (82% vs 60%). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

FlightReady Academy is free to download; Private Pilot Test Prep costs $14.99 up front. FlightReady Academy sells 16 one-off in-app purchases. Private Pilot Test Prep asks for nothing beyond the download.

FlightReady Academy holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: FlightReady Academy has 893 ratings behind it against 115, 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 60% of FlightReady Academy'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 4 months, FlightReady Academy fortnightly. Both last shipped on October 14, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Private Pilot Test Prep | FlightReady Academy |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $14.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.3 (115 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/private-pilot-test-prep/id414141811/reviews) | **[4.7 (893 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flightready-academy/id998722803/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 115 | **893** |
| Positive reviews | **81.8% of reviews** | 59.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#28** | — |
| Size | 27 MB | 122 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 17.1 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Sporty's Pilot Shop](https://appshunter.io/developer/371817958) | [Aeroapps Technology](https://appshunter.io/developer/923860276) |

## What reviewers say

### Private Pilot Test Prep

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

**Currently charting:** #28 Top Paid · Education (US App Store)

Prepare for your FAA written test with this comprehensive study tool. It offers three modes: study questions by topic with detailed explanations, review using flashcards, and take full-length practice tests. Track your progress with detailed reports.

**Highlights:** Study questions by topic, Custom review sessions, Detailed answer explanations, Flashcard review mode, Simulated practice tests, Progress reports

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro 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


### FlightReady Academy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flightready-academy/id998722803)

Prepare for FAA pilot exams with comprehensive ground school courses and practice tests. Access a free basic test prep with hundreds of questions and simulated exams. Upgrade for full courses, instructor endorsements, and advanced study tools.

**Highlights:** FAA pilot exam preparation, Basic and premium test prep, Simulated FAA exams, Instructor endorsement, Detailed question explanations, SmartExam for weak areas, Progress tracking and statistics

**In-app purchases (16)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Instrument Rating Trial | Free | one-time |
| Free Trial - CFII Add | Free | one-time |
| Free Trial - Commercial Pilot | Free | one-time |
| Free Trial - Private Pilot | Free | one-time |
| Free Trial - Flight Instructor | Free | one-time |
| Remote Pilot Premium Test Prep | $49.99 | one-time |
| Private Pilot Test Prep | $49.99 | one-time |
| Instrument Rating Test Prep | $49.99 | one-time |
| Comm. Pilot Test Prep | $49.99 | one-time |
| Upgrade to Ground School | $129.99 | one-time |
| Drone Ground School | $139.99 | one-time |
| CFI Airplane Ground School | $179.99 | one-time |
| Commercial Ground School | $179.99 | one-time |
| CFII Ground School | $179.99 | one-time |
| Private Pilot Ground School | $179.99 | one-time |
| Instrument Ground School | $179.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent ground school
- 👍 Great study aid
- 👍 Best over the other prep apps
- 👍 Very Good App
- 👍 Excelent Learning Tool

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Don't bother submitting feedback
- 🐛 App glitches out of WiFi
- 👎 Wretched interface
- 🐛 The app still crashes upon launch
- 👎 Don't waste your time

**Reported bugs**

- The app installed correctly. But when you open the app. It wants you to download what course you are interested in. But it gets to 90% downloaded and stops
- App glitches out of WiFi range and has to constantly redownload and sinc data which leads to a lot of time wasted
- Whenever I click on "study questions" my app crashes and brings me back to my home screen

**Requested features**

- Charts, graphs and scales and not selectable with a pc or Android
- Test scores are saved and not resettable, the final test cannot be taken multiple times
- Explanations for the answers


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Private Pilot Test Prep free?

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

### Is FlightReady Academy free?

FlightReady Academy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Private Pilot Test Prep or FlightReady Academy?

FlightReady Academy is rated higher. Private Pilot Test Prep averages 4.3 out of 5 from 115 ratings, while FlightReady Academy averages 4.7 from 893 ratings.

### Do Private Pilot Test Prep or FlightReady Academy have ads?

Neither Private Pilot Test Prep nor FlightReady Academy shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Private Pilot Test Prep or FlightReady Academy?

Private Pilot Test Prep ships an update every 4 months, and FlightReady Academy fortnightly. Most recently, Private Pilot Test Prep was updated on October 14, 2026 and FlightReady Academy on October 14, 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.*