Comparison

Firefighter Academy vs IFSTA Instructor 9

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Firefighter Academy

Prepare for firefighter certification exams or refresh your knowledge with an interactive study guide. Features over a thousand questions, including Hazmat Ops, with explanations and illustrations. Track your progress and compete with friends.

Highlights
  • Over 1000 practice questions
  • Interactive quiz format
  • Explanations and illustrations
  • Searchable content
  • Progress tracking
  • Game Center integration
  • Bookmark and review missed questions
Features
Read full description

Firefighter Academy is a study guide for firefighters and fire company officers. This is an excellent tool to help you pass your initial certification exam with flying colors, or to refresh and keep your skills sharp long after you become certified. This fun interactive quiz software, or "electronic flashcards", provides the most high quality sample questions you will find for firefighters at this price. Now with 100% more Hazmat Ops! There are flashcards, and then there are flashcards! We’ve been at this since the first Palm Pilot! Here are some advanced features that we provide, that set us apart from the competition: —Questions are revised and updated multiple times per year; you can easily email a question to us for an explanation or comment, from right within a quiz —Search for keywords to review questions covering a particular topic (i.e. "fire extinguisher") —Some cards include full color illustrations; most include explanations when these can be helpful —Universal app that supports iPhone and iPads, screen rotation, and all the things you expect in the latest devices —Cards can be bookmarked for quick access later —You can go back and just look at the questions you missed —Advanced score tracking keeps track of your progress daily, weekly, and monthly —GAME CENTER support so you can play with friends, compete on leaderboards, and earn achievements —There are no in-app purchases required to unlock the “real” app -- one purchase for lifetime access Over 500 FIREFIGHTER questions, many with explanations, divided into these chapters: --Fire Service Orientation --Incident Command System --Fire Behavior --Bldg Construction --PPE --Extinguishers --Ropes & Knots --Search & Rescue --Forcible Entry --Ladders --Ventilation --Water Supply --Fire Hose --Fire Streams --Fire Control --Detection Systems --Loss Control --Fire Cause --Communications --Intro to Hazmat Firefighter II Chapters: --Communications II --ICS II --Assisting Special Rescue --Hose Testing --Using Foam --Fire Control II --Detection Systems II --Loss Control II --Fire Cause II --Prevention & Education Plus we have a section of visual picture-based quizzes, because we all like to look at pictures, right? Over 300 FIRE COMPANY OFFICER questions divided into these chapters: --General --Human Resources --Community Relations --Administration --Inspections/Investigations --Emergency Operations --Safety Over 75 DRIVER OPERATOR/UTILITY questions divided into these chapters: --Types of Fire Apparatus --Inspection and Maintenance --Operating Emergency Vehicles --Positioning Apparatus --Apparatus Testing (we're planning on adding Pumper questions in a future update) Over 100 HAZMAT OPS questions divided into these chapters: As a special bonus, we're added more quizzes covering these related topics: --Medical First Responder (over 125 questions) --NIMS IS-700 (over 25 questions) --Wildland Fire (25 questions) --CPR Reference Guide THAT'S WELL OVER A THOUSAND QUESTIONS TOTAL!

About

IFSTA Instructor 9

This app provides instructor training for fire and emergency services professionals, aligning with NFPA 1041 standards. It includes free flashcards and access to the first chapter of the audiobook and exam prep, with full access available via in-app purchases.

Highlights
  • NFPA 1041 compliant instructor training
  • Flashcards for key terms and definitions
  • Exam preparation with 565 validated questions
  • Progress tracking for study sessions
  • Full audiobook narration with offline access
  • Chapter 1 free access for all features
Features
Read full description

The Fire and Emergency Services Instructor, 9th Edition, Companion App is THE IFSTAⓇ source for instructor training. A safe and effective fire service must have capable instructors delivering effective training, and this App is that training at your fingertips. The text includes all NFPA 1041, Standard for Fire Service Instructor Professional Qualifications, (2019) Levels I, II, and III JPRs. Included FREE in this App is Flashcards and Chapter 1 of the Audiobook and Exam Prep. Flashcards: Review all 134 key terms and definitions found in all 18 chapters of the Fire and Emergency Services Instructor, 9th Edition, Manual with Flashcards. This feature is FREE for all users. Exam Prep: Use the 565 IFSTAⓇ-validated Exam Prep questions to confirm your understanding of the content in the Fire and Emergency Services Instructor, 9th Edition, Manual. The Exam Prep covers all 18 chapters of the Manual. Exam Prep tracks and records your progress, allowing you to review your exams and study your weaknesses. In addition, your missed questions are automatically added to your study deck. This feature requires an in-app purchase. All users have free access to Chapter 1. Audiobook: Purchase the Fire and Emergency Services Instructor, 9th Edition, Audiobook through the app. All 18 chapters are narrated in their entirety for 11 hours of content. Features include offline access, bookmarks, and the ability to listen at your own speed. All users have free access to Chapter 1. This App covers the following topics: 1. The Instructor as a Professional 2. Principles of Learning 3. Instructional Planning 4. Instructional Materials and Equipment 5. Learning Environment 6. Classroom Instruction 7. Student Interaction 8. Skills-Based Training Beyond the Classroom 9. Testing and Evaluation 10. Records, Reports, and Scheduling 11. Lesson Plan Development 12. Training Evolution Supervision 13. Test Item Construction 14. Supervisory and Administrative Duties 15. Instructor and Class Evaluations 16. Course and Curriculum Development 17. Training Program Evaluation 18. Training Program Administration

Screenshots

Firefighter Academy4 screens
IFSTA Instructor 94 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Firefighter Academy at 92% against IFSTA Instructor 9's 0%. Firefighter Academy also leads on rating (3.9 vs 3.2) and in-app purchases (none vs 2). IFSTA Instructor 9's advantage is price (Free vs $2.99) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). On ratings volume, ads 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

IFSTA Instructor 9 is free to download; Firefighter Academy costs $2.99 up front. IFSTA Instructor 9 sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Firefighter Academy asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Firefighter Academy holds the better App Store score, 3.9 against 3.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 8 and 17 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 92% of Firefighter Academy's written reviews are positive against 0% of IFSTA Instructor 9's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Firefighter Academy ships an update every 5 months, IFSTA Instructor 9 every 10 months. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Firefighter Academy versus IFSTA Instructor 9: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFirefighter AcademyIFSTA Instructor 9
Price$2.99Free — better
Rating3.9 (8 ratings) — better3.2 (17 ratings)
Positive reviews91.7% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings817 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 months — betterEvery 10 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size5 MB124 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPeakview Software LLCIFSTA

Customer experience

Firefighter Academy

All ratings8 ratings
Positive75.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative25.0%
Written reviews48 reviews
Positive91.7%
Neutral4.2%
Negative4.2%

IFSTA Instructor 9

All ratings17 ratings
Positive58.8%
Neutral5.9%
Negative35.3%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

In-app purchases

None

Firefighter Academy

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

IFSTA Instructor 9

One-time2
  • Exam Prep$14.99
  • Audiobook$30.99

Questions

Is Firefighter Academy free?
Firefighter Academy costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is IFSTA Instructor 9 free?
IFSTA Instructor 9 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Firefighter Academy or IFSTA Instructor 9?
Firefighter Academy is rated higher. Firefighter Academy averages 3.9 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while IFSTA Instructor 9 averages 3.2 from 17 ratings.
Do Firefighter Academy or IFSTA Instructor 9 have ads?
Neither Firefighter Academy nor IFSTA Instructor 9 shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Firefighter Academy or IFSTA Instructor 9?
Firefighter Academy ships an update every 5 months, and IFSTA Instructor 9 every 10 months. Most recently, Firefighter Academy was updated on October 19, 2026 and IFSTA Instructor 9 on October 20, 2026.

Other comparisons