Comparison

NailPrep vs CA Nail Tech State Board Prep

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

Head to head
About

NailPrep

Prepare for your nail technician state board exam with AI-powered practice questions and mock tests. Master all NIC exam domains with detailed explanations and a gamified study guide. Available in English and Vietnamese.

Highlights
  • AI Tutor for instant explanations
  • 805+ expert-written practice questions
  • Realistic mock exams
  • Smart mistake review with flashcards
  • Gamified learning path
  • Bilingual support (English/Vietnamese)
Features
Read full description

Pass your nail technician state board exam on the first try - with an AI Tutor available 24/7. NailPrep is the #1 study app for nail tech, cosmetology, and manicurist license exams, featuring 805+ expert-written practice questions in NIC format. Whether you're a nail technology student, esthetician, or preparing for your cosmetology state board exams, NailPrep gives you everything you need to earn your nail certification with confidence. -- AI-POWERED STUDY BUDDY -- Stuck on a question? Ask our AI Tutor for instant, detailed explanations - like having a personal nail instructor in your pocket. Available in English and Vietnamese, 24/7. -- 805+ PRACTICE TEST QUESTIONS -- Master every topic with expert-written questions covering all 8 NIC exam domains. Each question includes detailed rationales so you understand the "why," not just the answer. -- REALISTIC MOCK EXAMS -- Simulate the real nail technician exam experience - 110 questions, 90-minute timer, NIC format. Build your test-taking stamina and know exactly what to expect on exam day. -- SMART MISTAKE REVIEW -- Every wrong answer automatically becomes a flashcard. Our spaced repetition system ensures you master your weak areas before exam day. -- GAMIFIED STUDY GUIDE -- A Duolingo-style learning path keeps you motivated with streaks, achievements, and progress tracking. Studying for your nail license has never been this fun. -- BILINGUAL: ENGLISH + VIETNAMESE -- Switch between English and Vietnamese with one tap. Perfect for Vietnamese nail tech students preparing for the US state board exam. -- WHAT YOU'LL STUDY - 8 NIC DOMAINS -- - Nail Structure & Growth - Nail Diseases & Disorders - Sanitation & Infection Control - Manicuring & Pedicuring - Nail Tips, Wraps & No-Light Gels - Acrylic (Liquid & Powder) Nails - UV Gel Nails - Salon Business & Client Safety -- FREE vs PREMIUM -- FREE: Access 100+ questions, limited mock exams, AI Tutor preview. PREMIUM ($2.99/week with 3-day free trial): Unlock all 805+ questions, unlimited mock exams, full AI Tutor access, offline study mode, and priority support. Join thousands of beauty school students who trust NailPrep as their go-to nail exam prep and practice test companion. Download now and start your journey toward your nail technician license today! Questions or feedback? Contact us at contact@nail-prep.com

About

CA Nail Tech State Board Prep

Features
Read full description

Prepare for the California Manicurist written licensing exam, listed as Nail Technician/Manicurist in the Board's April 2026 outline, with 1,000+ original practice questions written for this license. Every question is available in English, Spanish and Vietnamese, and every answer choice has its own explanation. Half of this exam is safety and infection control, and the full mocks in this app give that domain the same 50% weight. The rest covers nail care, consultation and nail analysis, and skin care. KNOW YOUR EXAM FORMAT The California Manicurist written exam has 60 scored questions and 5 unscored pretest questions, with 90 minutes to finish. California offers this exam in five languages, including English, Spanish and Vietnamese. Every question in this app comes in those three. Full mocks use the same 65 questions and 90 minutes, weighted to the domains of the April 2026 PSI exam outline: • Safety and infection control: 50% • Nail care: 22% • Consultation and nail analysis: 18% • Skin care: 10% WHAT'S INSIDE • An explanation for every answer choice: why the right answer is right and why each other option is wrong • Practice by exam domain, plus quick mixed sets • Full-length timed mocks and a short 10-question, 12-minute sample mock • Review of missed and uncertain questions, plus bookmarks • Progress by domain, so you can see where to focus next • A countdown to your exam date • Questions and explanations in English, Spanish and Vietnamese • Works offline after installation • Report a question issue from inside the app OFFICIAL RESOURCES AND DIAGRAMS Open the Board's exam information, current exam outline, multilingual Health and Safety Course and California's Article 12 health and safety rules from inside the app, along with PSI's Spanish and Vietnamese terminology guides. The Manicurist app adds OSHA's nail salon worker safety guidance and original, simplified skin-layer and nail-growth diagrams with English, Spanish and Vietnamese labels and NIH source links. FREE AND FULL ACCESS Free practice uses a fixed set of 30 sample questions across every exam domain, in short practice sets and the 10-question sample mock, with no purchase. Full study access unlocks every question in the bank, full-length timed mocks and longer 25-question domain sets in this app: $9.99 per month with a 3-day free trial, $19.99 every 3 months, or $34.99 once for lifetime access (US prices). Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Payment is charged to your Apple Account; manage or cancel subscriptions in your App Store account settings. Lifetime access is a one-time purchase and does not renew. Terms of Use: https://stateboardready.com/terms/ Privacy Policy: https://stateboardready.com/privacy/ IMPORTANT Beauty Exam Ready is an independent study app. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology or PSI. All questions are original practice items, not official exam questions, and practice scores are study estimates. The app does not guarantee that you will pass. Check the Board's current candidate information before your exam.

Screenshots

NailPrep4 screens
CA Nail Tech State Board Prep4 screens

Verdict

The call

NailPrep and CA Nail Tech State Board Prep are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

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

Both are free to download. NailPrep sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $2.99 per 7 days and CA Nail Tech State Board Prep sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
NailPrep versus CA Nail Tech State Board Prep: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNailPrepCA Nail Tech State Board Prep
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (6 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings6 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 daysEvery 2 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemium—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.1 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size45 MB45 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperHuy Tran QuangOhad Westler

In-app purchases

1 purchases

NailPrep

Subscriptions1
  • Full Access 1 week3 Days trial$2.997 Days
3 purchases

CA Nail Tech State Board Prep

Subscriptions2
  • Full access, 1 month3 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Full access, 3 months$19.993 Months
One-time1
  • Lifetime full access$34.99

Questions

Is NailPrep free?
NailPrep is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is CA Nail Tech State Board Prep free?
CA Nail Tech State Board Prep is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do NailPrep or CA Nail Tech State Board Prep have ads?
Neither NailPrep nor CA Nail Tech State Board Prep shows ads.
Which is updated more often, NailPrep or CA Nail Tech State Board Prep?
NailPrep ships an update every 2 days, and CA Nail Tech State Board Prep every 2 days. Most recently, NailPrep was updated on October 24, 2026 and CA Nail Tech State Board Prep on October 29, 2026.

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