# CFA Essentials vs CFA Study Planner

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: CFA Study Planner at none against CFA Essentials's 3. CFA Study Planner also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 3 months) and iOS requirement (16.4 vs 18.0). On price, ads 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. CFA Study Planner asks for nothing beyond the download.

CFA Essentials ships an update every 3 months, CFA Study Planner every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | CFA Essentials | CFA Study Planner |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 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 | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 18 MB | 41 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **16.4** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [晔斌 范](https://appshunter.io/developer/1609081920) | [Kavya Sharma](https://appshunter.io/developer/6780958574) |

## 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

**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 Study Planner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cfa-study-planner-chartered/id6780958572)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is CFA Essentials free?

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

### Is CFA Study Planner free?

CFA Study Planner is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do CFA Essentials or CFA Study Planner have ads?

Neither CFA Essentials nor CFA Study Planner shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, CFA Essentials or CFA Study Planner?

CFA Essentials ships an update every 3 months, and CFA Study Planner every 5 days. Most recently, CFA Essentials was updated on September 21, 2026 and CFA Study Planner on October 2, 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.*