Comparison

Pennsylvania CDL Test Prep vs CDL Direct Course

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

Head to head
About

Pennsylvania CDL Test Prep

Prepare for your Pennsylvania CDL permit test with over 580 practice questions covering all essential topics. Study offline, choose your CDL class and endorsements, and access a free digital copy of the PA CDL manual. Includes cheat sheets and immediate feedback on answers.

Highlights
  • 580+ practice questions
  • PA CDL Manual included
  • Offline study mode
  • CDL class and endorsement selection
  • Printable cheat sheets
  • Immediate answer checking with explanations
Features
Read full description

Join the 40,000+ drivers we've helped pass their CDL permit tests! Why Choose Pennsylvania CDL Test Prep? • Learn at Your Own Pace: Study whenever and wherever you want, even without internet access. • Ace Your Tests: Practice with tons of quizzes that match the format and style of the real DMV exam. • Choose Your Path: Focus on the CDL class (Class A or Class B) and endorsements you need. What's Included: • Everything You Need for Your CLP: Get ready for your Commercial Learner's Permit test with quizzes covering everything from driving safely to special trailers. • 580+ practice questions • Pennsylvania CDL Manual included for FREE • Road signs included for FREE 580+ questions: - Air Brakes - Combination Vehicles - Doubles and Triples - Driving Safely - Hazardous Materials - School Bus - Tank Vehicles - Transporting Cargo - Transporting Passengers Cheat sheets are printable, can be copied to iBooks, or use our built-in reader: - Air Brakes cheat sheet - Passenger cheat sheet - Cargo cheat sheet - School Bus cheat sheet Features: - Preview answers to all practice questions - Bookmark questions for later study - Study mode has immediate answer checking and explanations (where available) - Share questions on Facebook to get help from friends - Questions are not repeated until a topic is complete - Practice tests are saved automatically and can be restarted at any time These practice questions were developed by a CDL expert and based on the work supported by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Practice questions are available in English only.

About

CDL Direct Course

This FMCSA-approved course fulfills the Entry Level Driver Training (ELDT) requirement for obtaining a Commercial Learner's Permit (CLP). Complete all mandated theory training online, anytime, anywhere, and have your results instantly submitted to the FMCSA Training Provider Registry.

Highlights
  • FMCSA-approved ELDT
  • Online course completion
  • Instant FMCSA registry submission
  • Accessible on any device
  • Flexible scheduling
Features
Read full description

FMCSA-APPROVED CDL ENTRY LEVEL DRIVER TRAINING (ELDT) Individuals who obtain a commercial learner’s permit (CLP) on or after February 7, 2022 will need to complete this course before they will be permitted to take their CDL skills or knowledge test. Upon completion of this course the results will instantly be submitted to the FMCSA Training Provider Registry. Prior to providing any testing services CDL testing centers will retrieve these results from the FMCSA Training Provider Registry to confirm that the student has completed the required ELDT theory training. This course covers all units for ELDT as mandated by the FMCSA. Follow the steps below to begin your journey to a new career. 1. Register For The Course - Registration is simple and only takes a few minutes. You can begin the course immediately after registration. No classrooms, no lines. 2. Begin The Course - The course can be taken from any device, any place, anytime. We keep track of your progress. All you have to do is login and complete each section of the course when it fits your schedule. 3. Complete The Course - The moment you complete the course we report the completion to the Federal Registry. You can then begin the behind-the-wheel training.

Screenshots

Pennsylvania CDL Test Prep4 screens
CDL Direct Course4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: CDL Direct Course at Free against Pennsylvania CDL Test Prep's $12.99. CDL Direct Course also leads on review sentiment (81% vs 38%) and rating (4.9 vs 4.5). Pennsylvania CDL Test Prep's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17.6). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model 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

CDL Direct Course is free to download; Pennsylvania CDL Test Prep costs $12.99 up front. Pennsylvania CDL Test Prep sells 4 one-off in-app purchases and CDL Direct Course sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

CDL Direct Course holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: CDL Direct Course has 1.9K ratings behind it against 83, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 38% of Pennsylvania CDL Test Prep's written reviews are positive against 81% of CDL Direct Course's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Pennsylvania CDL Test Prep ships an update every 11 months, CDL Direct Course every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Pennsylvania CDL Test Prep versus CDL Direct Course: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPennsylvania CDL Test PrepCDL Direct Course
Price$12.99Free — better
Rating4.5 (83 ratings)4.9 (1.9K ratings) — better
Positive reviews38.5% of reviews80.8% of reviews — better
Number of ratings831.9K — better
Update frequencyEvery 11 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS12.0 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size34 MB34 MB
Age rating12+12+
DeveloperKelvin BeecroftCDL Direct

Customer experience

Pennsylvania CDL Test Prep

All ratings83 ratings
Positive86.7%
Neutral3.6%
Negative9.6%
Written reviews13 reviews
Positive38.5%
Neutral7.7%
Negative53.8%

CDL Direct Course

All ratings1,937 ratings
Positive98.6%
Neutral0.6%
Negative0.8%
Written reviews26 reviews
Positive80.8%
Neutral0.0%
Negative19.2%

Bugs and requests

Pennsylvania CDL Test Prep

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

CDL Direct Course

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • No record of completion at DMV
  • Unable to create account

Requested features

2 requests
  • Ability to enlarge text
  • Option to use audio

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Pennsylvania CDL Test Prep

One-time4
  • Air Brakes Cheat SheetFree
  • Cargo Cheat SheetFree
  • Passenger Cheat SheetFree
Show 1 more
  • School Bus Cheat SheetFree
3 purchases

CDL Direct Course

One-time3
  • Class A CDL Course - Ages 18+$399.99
  • Class B CDL Course - Ages 18+$399.99
  • B to A CDL Upgrade - Ages 18+$399.99

Questions

Is Pennsylvania CDL Test Prep free?
Pennsylvania CDL Test Prep costs $12.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is CDL Direct Course free?
CDL Direct Course is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Pennsylvania CDL Test Prep or CDL Direct Course?
CDL Direct Course is rated higher. Pennsylvania CDL Test Prep averages 4.5 out of 5 from 83 ratings, while CDL Direct Course averages 4.9 from 1.9K ratings.
Do Pennsylvania CDL Test Prep or CDL Direct Course have ads?
Neither Pennsylvania CDL Test Prep nor CDL Direct Course shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Pennsylvania CDL Test Prep or CDL Direct Course?
Pennsylvania CDL Test Prep ships an update every 11 months, and CDL Direct Course every 2 months. Most recently, Pennsylvania CDL Test Prep was updated on October 11, 2026 and CDL Direct Course on October 10, 2026.

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