PatternCall vs PilotPrep
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
PatternCall
Practice real air traffic control radio calls with personalized scenarios based on your home airport and callsign. Receive instant, detailed feedback on every transmission to build confidence and accuracy. Offers structured learning paths for various flight operations, from basic communication to advanced IFR procedures.
- Personalized ATC scenarios
- Real airport frequencies
- Instant element-by-element feedback
- Multiple difficulty modes
- Structured learning paths
- Offline functionality
Read full descriptionHide full description
Stop dreading the mic. Practice real ATC radio calls at YOUR home airport, with YOUR callsign and real local frequencies — then get instant, word-by-word feedback on every transmission. Build the muscle memory so when you key the mic, the right words come out. PatternCall is the only radio communication trainer built around the airport you actually fly out of. Free to start with the Radio Basics path — upgrade to Pro for every scenario. PERSONALIZED TO YOU Enter your N-number and home airport. Every scenario uses your callsign and real frequencies from your field — so you practice exactly the calls you'll make. WHAT YOU GET - Training scenarios across structured learning paths - Real airport frequencies, airspace classes, and local procedures for 100+ US airports - Three difficulty modes: word panel (easy), hints only (medium), and free-type (hard) - Auto difficulty that levels up as you improve - Instant element-by-element feedback after every transmission — callsign, readback, runway, frequency, and more - ATC audio with ICAO phonetics and proper aviation number pronunciation LEARNING PATHS - Radio Basics — The Four W's, CTAF self-announce, readback rules - First Flight — Your first towered departure and arrival - Traffic Pattern — Downwind, base, final, touch-and-go - Ground Ops — Taxi clearances, ATIS copying, IFR clearances - XC VFR — Flight following, frequency changes, VFR diversions - Advanced VFR — Class C/B transitions, special VFR, weather - IFR Ops — Approaches, holds, vectors, missed approaches - Emergencies — Mayday, pan-pan, lost comm, diversions WORKS OFFLINE All scenarios run on-device. Practice on the ramp, in the FBO, or anywhere without cell service — no mic, no talking to your phone in public. FREE TO START The Radio Basics path is free. Unlock all scenarios and learning paths with PatternCall Pro: - PatternCall Pro Monthly — $5.99/month - PatternCall Pro Annual — $49.99/year (save 30%) Subscriptions auto-renew unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the renewal date. Manage or cancel from Settings > Apple ID > Subscriptions on your iPhone. PatternCall is a supplemental practice tool. It is not a certified flight training device. Always follow your CFI's guidance and current FAA procedures. Privacy Policy: https://patterncall.com/privacy.html Terms of Service: https://patterncall.com/terms.html
PilotPrep
Read full descriptionHide full description
Pass the FAA Private Pilot Airplane knowledge test — the written exam every student pilot must pass before the checkride. PilotPrep turns the whole Private Pilot syllabus into a game you can finish in a few minutes a day, and the first unit is free. READ REAL FAA CHART FIGURES Chart and weather questions sink more test-takers than anything else. PilotPrep drops the actual FAA sectional-chart and METAR figures right inside the question — airspace boundaries, tower and CTAF frequencies, obstruction heights, winds, and visibility — the same figures you'll decode on exam day. 335 QUESTIONS ACROSS EVERY ACS AREA A guided path covers the entire Private Pilot Airplane ACS: regulations, airspace and the National Airspace System, weather, aerodynamics, aircraft systems and performance, weight and balance, navigation, aeromedical factors, and aeronautical decision-making. Multiple choice, typing, matching, and true/false keep every lesson fresh, and every answer is explained and cited to its 14 CFR or FAA source. SIT THE WRITTEN BEFORE YOU SIT THE WRITTEN The full-length Practice Exam mirrors the real knowledge test: 60 questions, 42 correct to pass (70%), scored the moment you finish so you know exactly where you stand. SMART REVIEW THAT REMEMBERS FOR YOU Spaced repetition tracks every fact you've seen and brings back the ones you're about to forget — weakest first. A readiness score climbs as your test date approaches, so you walk in confident instead of guessing. MADE FOR BUSY STUDENT PILOTS • Daily goals, streaks, and gentle reminders keep you consistent • Hearts, XP, and a game map make studying feel like play • Works entirely offline for studying — no account, no sign-up FREE TO START, PREMIUM TO TEST The first unit and daily practice are free, ad-supported. Premium unlocks every unit of the syllabus, removes all ads, adds unlimited full-length 60-question practice exams, and gives unlimited hearts — monthly ($9.99) or one-time lifetime ($29.99). PilotPrep is an independent study aid and is NOT affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Always verify against current FAA publications before you fly or test. TERMS & PRIVACY Premium is offered as an auto-renewing monthly subscription ($9.99) or a one-time lifetime purchase ($29.99). Payment is charged to your Apple Account at purchase confirmation. The monthly subscription renews automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period; manage or cancel anytime in your Apple Account settings. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://parthnandaniya.github.io/civicspath-legal/pilotprep-privacy.html
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ads: PatternCall at none against PilotPrep's shown. On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement 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
Both are free to download. PatternCall sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and PilotPrep sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
| Parameter | PatternCall | PilotPrep |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.0 (1 ratings) — better | — |
| Number of ratings | 1 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Daily | — |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Freemium | — |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPad — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 10 MB | 16 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Broken Cloud Group LLC | Parth Nandaniya |
In-app purchases
PatternCall
- PatternCall Pro$5.991 Month
- PatternCall Pro Annual$49.991 Year
PilotPrep
- Premium Monthly$9.991 Month
- Premium Lifetime$29.99









