# Firefighter Academy vs IFSTA Essentials 8

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Firefighter Academy at 92% against IFSTA Essentials 8's 10%. Firefighter Academy also leads on rating (3.9 vs 2.7) and in-app purchases (none vs 3). IFSTA Essentials 8's advantage is price (Free vs $2.99) and update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 5 months). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

IFSTA Essentials 8 is free to download; Firefighter Academy costs $2.99 up front. IFSTA Essentials 8 sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Firefighter Academy asks for nothing beyond the download.

Firefighter Academy holds the better App Store score, 3.9 against 2.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 8 and 27 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 92% of Firefighter Academy's written reviews are positive against 10% of IFSTA Essentials 8's.

Firefighter Academy ships an update every 5 months, IFSTA Essentials 8 every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Firefighter Academy | IFSTA Essentials 8 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $2.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[3.9 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/firefighter-academy/id416443996/reviews)** | [2.7 (27 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ifsta-essentials-8/id6654913928/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 8 | **27** |
| Positive reviews | **91.7% of reviews** | 10.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 5 MB | 224 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Peakview Software LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/316120862) | [International Fire Service Training Association](https://appshunter.io/developer/495289396) |

## What reviewers say

### Firefighter Academy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/firefighter-academy/id416443996)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### IFSTA Essentials 8

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ifsta-essentials-8/id6654913928)

This educational app provides comprehensive study materials for aspiring firefighters based on the Essentials of Fire Fighting, 8th Edition manual. It offers exam preparation, interactive modules, flashcards, and skill videos to enhance learning and test knowledge.

**Highlights:** Exam Prep with 1,271 validated questions, Audiobook with offline access, Interactive learning modules, Flashcards for key terms, Tool and equipment identification, Skill videos for hands-on preparation

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock all Exam Prep Chapters | $19.99 | one-time |
| Unlock all Interactive | $25.00 | one-time |
| Unlock all Audiobook Chapters | $34.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Firefighter Academy free?

Firefighter Academy costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is IFSTA Essentials 8 free?

IFSTA Essentials 8 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Firefighter Academy or IFSTA Essentials 8?

Firefighter Academy is rated higher. Firefighter Academy averages 3.9 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while IFSTA Essentials 8 averages 2.7 from 27 ratings.

### Do Firefighter Academy or IFSTA Essentials 8 have ads?

Neither Firefighter Academy nor IFSTA Essentials 8 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Firefighter Academy or IFSTA Essentials 8?

Firefighter Academy ships an update every 5 months, and IFSTA Essentials 8 every 6 weeks. Most recently, Firefighter Academy was updated on October 23, 2026 and IFSTA Essentials 8 on October 24, 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.*