Comparison

Nail Tech Prep 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

Nail Tech Prep

Features
Read full description

Walk into the nail technician state board exam ready. Nail Tech Prep 2026 gives you 875+ practice questions with a clear explanation for every single answer, so you don't just memorize the right choice - you understand the concepts behind it. Built for candidates preparing for the nail technician state board exam. WHY IT WORKS Passing isn't about cramming. It's about repeated, targeted practice across every objective the exam tests - then reinforcing exactly what you got wrong until it sticks. - 875+ questions written to match the real exam's style and difficulty - An explanation on every answer, so each question teaches you something - Full coverage of every section: Infection Control - Nail Anatomy - Manicuring & Pedicuring - Nail Enhancements - Chemistry & Safety - State Laws STUDY YOUR WAY - Daily Plan that sizes itself to your exam date and keeps you on pace - Quick 10 for a fast review between study blocks - Timed Mode to build exam-day speed and stamina - Smart Review using spaced repetition to resurface weak spots - Full-Length Practice Exam that simulates the real thing - Missed Questions queue so nothing slips through - Custom Quiz to drill any section on demand TRACK YOUR PROGRESS - Pass probability that updates as you practice - Accuracy broken down by section - Streaks to keep you consistent - Exam countdown WHO IT'S FOR Nail technicians preparing for the state board license exam. START TODAY Your exam date isn't moving. Start a free trial, take your first Quick 10 today, and watch your pass probability climb. --- SUBSCRIPTION DETAILS Full access is available through an auto-renewing subscription: A free trial is available for new subscribers. Payment will be charged to your Apple ID account at confirmation of purchase. Your subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. You can manage and cancel your subscriptions by going to your App Store account settings after purchase. Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when you purchase a subscription. Terms of Use: https://hermesdigitalbr-spec.github.io/nailtech-legal/terms.html Privacy Policy: https://hermesdigitalbr-spec.github.io/nailtech-legal/privacy.html

About

CA Nail Tech State Board Prep

Prepare for the California Manicurist licensing exam with over 1,000 practice questions. Covers safety, infection control, nail care, and skin care. Available in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese with detailed explanations for every answer choice.

Highlights
  • 1,000+ original practice questions
  • Explanations for every answer choice
  • Practice by exam domain
  • Full-length timed mock exams
  • Progress tracking by domain
  • Available in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese
  • Works offline
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

Nail Tech Prep3 screens
CA Nail Tech State Board Prep4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: CA Nail Tech State Board Prep at every 3 days against Nail Tech Prep's every 3 weeks. 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. Nail Tech Prep sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 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

Nail Tech Prep ships an update every 3 weeks, CA Nail Tech State Board Prep every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on November 13, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Nail Tech Prep versus CA Nail Tech State Board Prep: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNail Tech PrepCA Nail Tech State Board Prep
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—1 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
Monetization—Free with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.016.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size9 MB45 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperHermes Inteligencia Digital LtdaOhad Westler

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Nail Tech Prep

Subscriptions3
  • Nail Tech Prep Weekly3 Days trial$3.997 Days
  • Nail Tech Prep Monthly3 Days trial$10.991 Month
  • Quarterly3 Days trial$21.993 Months
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 Nail Tech Prep free?
Nail Tech Prep 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 Nail Tech Prep or CA Nail Tech State Board Prep have ads?
Neither Nail Tech Prep nor CA Nail Tech State Board Prep shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Nail Tech Prep or CA Nail Tech State Board Prep?
Nail Tech Prep ships an update every 3 weeks, and CA Nail Tech State Board Prep every 3 days. Most recently, Nail Tech Prep was updated on November 13, 2026 and CA Nail Tech State Board Prep on November 10, 2026.

Other comparisons