Comparison

Instrument Pilot Test Prep vs Instrument Rating Checkride

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

Head to head
About

Instrument Pilot Test Prep

Prepare for your FAA Instrument Rating knowledge test with study questions, flashcards, and practice tests. Access all figures offline and track your progress by topic. Designed for iPhone and iPad.

Highlights
  • Study questions by topic
  • Flashcard review
  • Randomized practice tests
  • Offline figure access
  • Progress tracking
  • Resume study sessions
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Sporty's Study Buddy prepares you for the FAA Instrument Rating knowledge test (the "written") with three ways to study: Study Questions, Flashcards and Practice Tests. Questions are organized by knowledge area, with explanations of the right and wrong answers developed by Sporty's team of Master CFIs, based on their experience preparing students for the Instrument Rating. • STUDY QUESTIONS BY TOPIC • Choose whole knowledge areas or individual topics to build your own study session. As soon as you answer, you'll see the correct answer, why it's right, and where to read more. Change your answer anytime, bookmark questions as you go, and jump to any question from the question list. Every study session is shuffled. • REVIEW WITH FLASHCARDS • Flashcards show just the question, so you answer from memory before revealing the correct answer and its explanation. Mark each card Know It or Still Learning, then start a new session from the cards you're still learning. On iPhone Duo, study a card with the phone open and close it to check the answer. • TAKE PRACTICE TESTS • Each Practice Test draws 60 questions at random from the full question bank, gives you 2 hours, and is graded at the FAA's 70% passing score. Afterward, see your score by topic, review every question or only the ones you missed, and turn your misses into a new study session. • PICK UP WHERE YOU LEFT OFF • Sessions save as you go. The History tab lets you resume any session in progress and review past results, including your scores by topic. • EVERY FIGURE, OFFLINE • The Figures tab includes the complete FAA Airman Knowledge Testing Supplement for Instrument Rating, with every figure and legend listed by name and page. Swipe through the pages or open any one full screen. Questions show their figures right alongside, and you can study without a connection. Designed for iPhone, iPhone Duo and iPad, with Dark Mode and support for larger text sizes. The FAA does not publish its knowledge test questions, so the questions on your test won't necessarily appear in this app. Study Buddy is meant to complement your training, not to replace flight and ground instruction.

About

Instrument Rating Checkride

Prepare for your instrument rating checkride with over 700 likely examiner questions and succinct answers. This app covers all essential topics, including preflight, en route, and scenario-based training, based on the popular "Instrument Oral Exam Guide."

Highlights
  • Over 700 examiner questions and answers
  • Covers all checkride topics
  • Based on popular aviation guide
  • Flag questions for further study
  • Includes practical test checklist
  • Researched using FAA documents
Features
Read full description

Using a question-and-answer format, Instrument Pilot Checkride lists the questions most likely to be asked by examiners during the last step in the pilot certification process – the Practical Exam – and provides succinct, ready responses. Pilots will find this App an indispensable tool in both planning for what to expect during the instrument rating checkride, and mastering the subject matter. Instructors rate them as excellent preparation for students, as well as preps for Instrument Proficiency Checks (IPC), aircraft transitions, and as general refresher material. Effective preparation for tests issued under the guidance of the Airman Certification Standards. This Instrument Pilot Checkride app is based on the popular Instrument Oral Exam Guide Eleventh Edition book by Jason Blair. It is designed for pilots training for the Instrument Rating or the Instrument Flight Instructor (CFII) certificate. More than 700 questions and responses ensure all the subjects an Instrument Rating candidate will be tested on during checkrides and IPCs are covered. Organization follows the Airman Certification Standards and topics include: preflight, departure, en route, arrival, and scenario-based training. A separate chapter is provided for Instrument Flight Instructor (CFII) applicants. Answers and explanations were researched using FAA documents (which are identified so pilots know where to go for further study) as well as interviewing FAA examiners. Questions include the ACS code and can be marked for further study from any subject to build your own collection of flashcards. An Applicant Practical Test Checklist and Instrument Proficiency Check Guidance document are also included. Compatible with iOS phones and tablets, this app teaches applicants not only what to expect, but also how to exhibit subject mastery and confidence when under the examiner’s scrutiny. It identifies candidates’ strengths, weaknesses, and gaps in their aeronautical knowledge, which increases study efficiency. App features: • More than 700 questions are included with succinct, ready responses. • Questions from any subject can be flagged for further study into a separate group. • Includes all the questions and answers from the popular book, Instrument Oral Exam Guide Eleventh Edition, by Jason Blair. • Brought to you by a trusted resource in aviation training and publishing, Aviation Supplies & Academics (ASA).

Screenshots

Instrument Pilot Test Prep4 screens
Instrument Rating Checkride4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Instrument Pilot Test Prep at 3.1 against Instrument Rating Checkride's 2.4. Instrument Pilot Test Prep also leads on review sentiment (39% vs 0%) and update cadence (every 5 months vs every 14 months). Instrument Rating Checkride's advantage is price ($9.99 vs $14.99) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.0). On ratings volume, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

Instrument Pilot Test Prep costs $14.99 and Instrument Rating Checkride $9.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Instrument Pilot Test Prep holds the better App Store score, 3.1 against 2.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 16 and 9 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 39% of Instrument Pilot Test Prep's written reviews are positive against 0% of Instrument Rating Checkride's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Instrument Pilot Test Prep ships an update every 5 months, Instrument Rating Checkride every 14 months. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Instrument Pilot Test Prep versus Instrument Rating Checkride: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterInstrument Pilot Test PrepInstrument Rating Checkride
Price$14.99$9.99 — better
Rating3.1 (16 ratings) — better2.4 (9 ratings)
Positive reviews39.3% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings16 — better9
Update frequencyEvery 5 months — betterEvery 14 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
Best chart rank#172 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.015.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size92 MB12 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSporty's Pilot ShopASA

Customer experience

Instrument Pilot Test Prep

All ratings16 ratings
Positive43.8%
Neutral6.3%
Negative50.0%
Written reviews28 reviews
Positive39.3%
Neutral14.3%
Negative46.4%

Instrument Rating Checkride

All ratings9 ratings
Positive22.2%
Neutral11.1%
Negative66.7%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

In-app purchases

None

Instrument Pilot Test Prep

No in-app purchases

None

Instrument Rating Checkride

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Instrument Pilot Test Prep free?
Instrument Pilot Test Prep costs $14.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Instrument Rating Checkride free?
Instrument Rating Checkride costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Instrument Pilot Test Prep or Instrument Rating Checkride?
Instrument Pilot Test Prep is rated higher. Instrument Pilot Test Prep averages 3.1 out of 5 from 16 ratings, while Instrument Rating Checkride averages 2.4 from 9 ratings.
Do Instrument Pilot Test Prep or Instrument Rating Checkride have ads?
Neither Instrument Pilot Test Prep nor Instrument Rating Checkride shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Instrument Pilot Test Prep or Instrument Rating Checkride?
Instrument Pilot Test Prep ships an update every 5 months, and Instrument Rating Checkride every 14 months. Most recently, Instrument Pilot Test Prep was updated on November 6, 2026 and Instrument Rating Checkride on November 6, 2026.

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