Comparison

KnowTAM vs Private Pilot Test Prep

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

Head to head
About

KnowTAM

Prepare for FAA knowledge tests and checkrides with flashcards, quizzes, and practice exams. Features detailed explanations, regulation references, and spaced repetition for effective learning. Study offline anytime, anywhere.

Highlights
  • Flashcards with CFI explanations
  • Practice exams mirroring real tests
  • Offline study functionality
  • Spaced repetition learning
  • Oral exam preparation
  • Study plan tailored to test date
Features
Read full description

Study smart and pass. KnowTAM is flashcard, quiz, practice-exam, and oral-exam prep for your FAA knowledge tests and checkrides, with over 1,800 cards across every rating. Whether you're a student knocking out your first written, a pilot prepping for a checkride, or staying sharp for a flight review, KnowTAM gets you ready and keeps you ready. WHAT'S INSIDE • Flashcards with the answer, a CFI explanation of the "why," the regulation or handbook reference, and the exact FAA ACS code each card maps to, all written to the Airman Certification Standards. • "Refer to the figure" questions on real FAA images: sectionals, instrument and approach plates, airport signs and markings, and weather diagrams. • Multiple-choice quizzes by subject area that don't just mark you wrong; they highlight exactly why each wrong answer is wrong, with instant feedback scored against the 70% FAA passing mark. • Full-length practice exams built like the real thing: a short question with three lettered choices, timed, scored against the 70% passing mark, with Private exams drawn to the FAA's subject blueprint so the mix matches the real test. • A study plan paced to your test date: tell KnowTAM your rating and when your written is, and it sets each day's new cards and reviews, shows whether you're on track, and tells you when to take a practice exam. • Spaced repetition that brings back the cards you miss and spreads out the ones you know, so you reach "mastered" and stay there. • Checkride / oral-exam sets that drill the way a Designated Pilot Examiner actually asks. Also perfect before a flight review. STUDY ANYWHERE, ANYTIME KnowTAM works fully offline: no signal, no problem. Everything runs in airplane mode with no account required, so you can study whenever and wherever you are: at the hold-short line, on a long cross-country, or on the airline ride to your checkride. START FREE Start free with Private: the first three modules are on us. And the entire Aviation Weather track is free for everyone: the atmosphere, fronts, thunderstorms, icing, mountain weather, and reading the reports, all with FAA diagrams. Unlock the rest of Private, add Instrument, Commercial, or Multi-Engine, or grab the all-access bundle. Simple one-time purchases, never a subscription. RATINGS COVERED • Aviation Weather (free for everyone) • Private Pilot • Instrument Rating • Commercial Pilot • Multi-Engine (Vmc, the critical engine, single-engine performance) Original, ACS-aligned content, written and reviewed by a working CFI. No account needed: your progress stays on your device unless you choose to sync it with a free account. An app by Fly With Winston. KnowTAM is independent study material and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the FAA.

About

Private Pilot Test Prep

Features
Read full description

Private Pilot Test Prep helps you pass the FAA Private Pilot Airplane (PAR) knowledge test — the written exam every student pilot takes before the checkride. Study with 2,000+ practice questions, 450+ flashcards, 42 built-in study guides, and a full timed mock exam, all working completely offline. IMPORTANT: The app is free to download with a short intro. Unlocking the full question bank, flashcards, study guides, mock exam, and progress tools requires a paid subscription or a one-time Lifetime purchase (pricing below). WHAT YOU GET • 2,000+ practice questions covering every PAR knowledge area: regulations (FARs), airspace and airport operations, aviation weather and METAR/TAF decoding, aerodynamics, aircraft systems and instruments, performance, weight and balance, navigation and sectional charts, cross-country and E6B math, and aeromedical factors and decision-making. • Step-by-step explanations for every question, each citing the governing FAA reference (14 CFR, AIM, PHAK, AFH). • Includes the FAA's own public sample PAR questions, plus hundreds of worked calculation problems. • 450+ flashcards with Leitner spaced repetition for real active recall. • 42 study guides — a built-in ground school you can search and listen to. • Quick 10, build-your-own quizzes, timed quizzes, and single-topic drills. • Full mock exam: 60 questions, 2 hours 30 minutes, 70% passing standard, with a strict exam-simulation mode. • Mistake bank that automatically saves every question you miss so you can drill your weak areas. • Progress dashboard: per-topic mastery, syllabus completion, accuracy charts, spaced-repetition forecast, and study streaks. • Read-aloud, Dynamic Type, VoiceOver, and dark mode. • 100% offline. No account, no ads, no tracking. SUBSCRIPTION & PRICING • Monthly — $9.99 per month • Yearly — $49.99 per year (includes a 3-day free trial) • Lifetime — $99.99 one-time purchase (not a subscription) Payment is charged to your Apple ID at confirmation of purchase. Auto-renewable subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period; manage or cancel anytime in your Apple ID settings. Any unused portion of a free trial is forfeited when you buy a subscription. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://appios432.blogspot.com/p/privacy-policy_01139292984.html Private Pilot Test Prep is an independent study aid and is not affiliated with, authorized, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). All trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Practice questions are original works based on public-domain FAA materials, plus the FAA's public sample questions. This app is a study aid and is not a substitute for instruction from a certificated flight instructor.

Screenshots

KnowTAM4 screens
Private Pilot Test Prep4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: KnowTAM at every 2 months against Private Pilot Test Prep's every 4 months. On price, ads, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. KnowTAM sells 8 one-off in-app purchases and Private Pilot Test 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

KnowTAM ships an update every 2 months, Private Pilot Test Prep every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 19, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
KnowTAM versus Private Pilot Test Prep: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterKnowTAMPrivate Pilot Test Prep
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings2 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 months — betterEvery 4 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.4 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size75 MB3 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperWinston Tripp Aviation LLCMD Shahariar Nazim Joy

In-app purchases

8 purchases

KnowTAM

One-time8
  • KnowTAM CAX Checkride$9.99
  • KnowTAM Instrument Checkride$9.99
  • KnowTAM Private Checkride$9.99
Show 5 more
  • KnowTAM Multi-Engine$14.99
  • KnowTAM Commercial (CAX)$19.99
  • KnowTAM Instrument (IRA)$19.99
  • KnowTAM Private (PAR) - Full$19.99
  • All-Access Bundle$59.99
3 purchases

Private Pilot Test Prep

Subscriptions2
  • Pro Monthly$9.991 Month
  • Pro Yearly3 Days trial$49.991 Year
One-time1
  • Premium Lifetime$99.99

Questions

Is KnowTAM free?
KnowTAM is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Private Pilot Test Prep free?
Private Pilot Test Prep is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do KnowTAM or Private Pilot Test Prep have ads?
Neither KnowTAM nor Private Pilot Test Prep shows ads.
Which is updated more often, KnowTAM or Private Pilot Test Prep?
KnowTAM ships an update every 2 months, and Private Pilot Test Prep every 4 months. Most recently, KnowTAM was updated on October 17, 2026 and Private Pilot Test Prep on October 19, 2026.

Other comparisons