# CFA Essentials vs CFA Level I Practice 2027

The clearest difference is ads: CFA Essentials at none against CFA Level I Practice 2027's shown. CFA Level I Practice 2027's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 5 months) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. CFA Essentials sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and CFA Level I Practice 2027 sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

CFA Essentials ships an update every 5 months, CFA Level I Practice 2027 every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | CFA Essentials | CFA Level I Practice 2027 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cfa-essentials-review-and-prep/id6745157137/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1** | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 14 MB | 43 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [晔斌 范](https://appshunter.io/developer/1609081920) | [Kei Lam Chan](https://appshunter.io/developer/1862184384) |

## What reviewers say

### CFA Essentials

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cfa-essentials-review-and-prep/id6745157137)

Prepare for CFA Levels I, II, and III exams with comprehensive curriculum coverage and LOS-focused content. Master complex financial concepts with clear explanations and essential formulas, perfect for on-the-go study.

**Highlights:** Complete curriculum coverage, LOS-focused content, Clear explanations of financial concepts, Essential formulas, Study on the go

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| CFA Essentials Monthly Access | $1.99 | per month |
| CFA Essentials Quarterly Access | $3.99 | per 3 months |
| CFA Essentials Lifetime Unlock | $9.99 | one-time |


### CFA Level I Practice 2027

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cfa-level-i-practice-2027/id6762739176)

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock Premium | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is CFA Essentials free?

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

### Is CFA Level I Practice 2027 free?

CFA Level I Practice 2027 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do CFA Essentials or CFA Level I Practice 2027 have ads?

CFA Level I Practice 2027 shows ads; CFA Essentials does not.

### Which is updated more often, CFA Essentials or CFA Level I Practice 2027?

CFA Essentials ships an update every 5 months, and CFA Level I Practice 2027 every 4 days. Most recently, CFA Essentials was updated on October 30, 2026 and CFA Level I Practice 2027 on November 7, 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.*