Instrument Pilot Checkride vs SAFE Toolkit
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Instrument Pilot Checkride
This app prepares aspiring pilots for their instrument rating practical exam by providing over 700 likely examiner questions and succinct answers. It covers all essential topics, follows Airman Certification Standards, and helps identify knowledge gaps for efficient study.
- Over 700 questions and answers
- Covers all instrument rating topics
- Based on Airman Certification Standards
- Flag questions for further study
- Includes CFII specific chapter
- Researched using FAA documents
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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).
SAFE Toolkit
This app offers essential news and resources for Certified Flight Instructors (CFIs), including endorsement details, experience requirements, and test codes. It also provides flight test applicants with insights from Designated Pilot Examiners and features a weekly blog and industry news notifications for all pilots.
- CFI endorsements, experience requirements, test codes
- Flight test insights from DPEs
- Weekly SAFE blog
- Industry news push notifications
- Pilot resources
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SAFE Toolkit provides "go-to" news and resources for CFIs: (endorsements, experience requirements, and test codes), but also "Checkride Ready™ for flight test applicants (the inside story from DPEs). Pilots enjoy the SAFE blog every week and push notifications of industry news. Download and stay up to date; "We are here to help! ALl we "sell" is safety!"
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: SAFE Toolkit at Free against Instrument Pilot Checkride's $9.99. SAFE Toolkit also leads on rating (4.2 vs 2.4) and review sentiment (38% vs 0%). Instrument Pilot Checkride's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and chart position (#181 vs unranked). On ratings volume, in-app purchases 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
SAFE Toolkit is free to download; Instrument Pilot Checkride costs $9.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
SAFE Toolkit holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 2.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 9 and 19 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of Instrument Pilot Checkride's written reviews are positive against 38% of SAFE Toolkit's.
Instrument Pilot Checkride ships an update every 25 months, SAFE Toolkit every 7 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Instrument Pilot Checkride | SAFE Toolkit |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $9.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 2.4 (9 ratings) | 4.2 (19 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | 37.5% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 9 | 19 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 25 months | Every 7 months — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Ad-supported — better |
| Best chart rank | #181 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | 11.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 9 MB | 33 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | ASA | David St. George |
Customer experience
Instrument Pilot Checkride
SAFE Toolkit
In-app purchases
Instrument Pilot Checkride
No in-app purchases
SAFE Toolkit
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Instrument Pilot Checkride free?
Is SAFE Toolkit free?
Which has better reviews, Instrument Pilot Checkride or SAFE Toolkit?
Do Instrument Pilot Checkride or SAFE Toolkit have ads?
Which is updated more often, Instrument Pilot Checkride or SAFE Toolkit?
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