Comparison

CDL Ace vs CDL Prep

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

Head to head
About

CDL Ace

Features
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Prepare for your commercial driver's license exam with guided lessons, realistic practice, clear explanations, and progress tracking in one account. STUDY IN 12 LANGUAGES Choose English, Spanish, Simplified Chinese, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Arabic, French, Haitian Creole, Brazilian Portuguese, Russian, Hindi, or Punjabi. Supported lessons, questions, answer choices, explanations, and app controls follow your selected language. BUILD YOUR CDL PLAN Select your testing state, Class A, B, or C, and compatible endorsements including Air Brakes, Combination, Doubles/Triples, Tanker, HazMat, Passenger, and School Bus. PRACTICE WITH PURPOSE • Follow a guided handbook-based learning path • Take quick, category, and timed practice exams • Review an explanation after each answer • Focus on weak areas and track Estimated Readiness • Build XP, streaks, and milestone badges MOVE BETWEEN IPHONE, IPAD, AND WEB Sign in to keep your study plan, progress, history, and Premium access synced. Continue on iPhone, iPad, or getcdlace.com with the same account. CHECK OFFICIAL STATE RESOURCES Open official CDL manuals and agency resources for your testing state from inside CDL Ace. Official state and federal publications remain the final authority for test requirements and rules. STANDARD AND PREMIUM Standard includes a useful core study experience. CDL Ace Premium unlocks the full eligible question bank and lessons, unlimited Quick and category exams, selected endorsement content, harder practice sets, weak-area review, and detailed exam-history review. Premium is an auto-renewing monthly subscription; price and terms appear before purchase. Manage or cancel through the store where you subscribed. CDL Ace is an independent study aid. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by any DMV, state licensing agency, or the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Passing a practice test does not guarantee a passing official exam score. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

CDL Prep

Features
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Since April 17, 2026, the CDL knowledge test is given in English only across the United States. CDL Prep is built around that fact: study and understand the material in your language while you memorize the exact English wording you will see on the test. Bilingual mode shows both versions side by side — and English never disappears. WHY THIS APP IS DIFFERENT • Every question cites the section of the official manual it comes from. If you doubt an answer, you can check it yourself. • A report button on every question, with typed reasons. Errors get fixed because there is someone to tell. • Exam simulator with your state's real format: official question counts and passing scores, not generic ones. • Answers are shuffled by default: you learn the material, not "it's B". • Free, with no paywall. No accounts, no sign-up. WHAT'S INSIDE • Question bank by section: General Knowledge, Air Brakes, Combination Vehicles, Doubles/Triples, Tanker, HazMat, Passenger, School Bus and Road Signs. Every question comes with an explanation. • Practice with instant feedback, a timed exam simulator, review of your misses, and marathon mode. • Spaced repetition (Leitner system): the app keeps asking what you miss until you own it. • Pre-trip inspection trainer: the script you recite to the examiner, block by block, with automatic-failure steps marked. It is where most people fail, and almost no app covers it. • Official state manuals: download the PDF and read it offline. • A file on each state: licensing agency, minimum ages, and where it departs from the AAMVA standard. • Readiness score from 0 to 100 per section, computed so it cannot be fooled: five right answers out of five is not being ready. NINE LANGUAGES, ONE EXAM Interface and questions in English, español, français, português, русский, українська, 中文, العربية and ਪੰਜਾਬੀ. Bilingual mode teaches your language and the exam's English side by side. BUILT FOR THE ROAD Everything works offline: the question bank, the simulator, your progress and any manuals you have downloaded. No accounts, no sign-up. CDL Prep is free because it is supported by ads. We do not sell your data and we do not ask you for anything: if you decline ads or study offline, the app works exactly the same. CDL Prep is independent study material based on the AAMVA model manual and each state's public specifications. It is not affiliated with any state agency. Always confirm current requirements with your state's licensing agency.

Screenshots

CDL Ace4 screens
CDL Prep4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: CDL Prep at none against CDL Ace's 1. CDL Prep also leads on update cadence (daily vs fortnightly) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). CDL Ace's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price 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. CDL Ace sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $4.99 per month. CDL Prep asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

CDL Ace ships an update fortnightly, CDL Prep daily. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and August 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 2 level
CDL Ace versus CDL Prep: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCDL AceCDL Prep
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyFortnightlyDaily — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size33 MB41 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperJaret PriddyWhite Hat Mgmt LLC

In-app purchases

1 purchases

CDL Ace

Subscriptions1
  • CDL Ace Premium$4.991 Month
None

CDL Prep

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is CDL Ace free?
CDL Ace is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is CDL Prep free?
CDL Prep is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do CDL Ace or CDL Prep have ads?
CDL Prep shows ads; CDL Ace does not.
Which is updated more often, CDL Ace or CDL Prep?
CDL Ace ships an update fortnightly, and CDL Prep daily. Most recently, CDL Ace was updated on September 25, 2026 and CDL Prep on August 30, 2026.

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