Comparison

Pvt Pilot Course vs Ground School

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

Head to head
About

Pvt Pilot Course

This app prepares aspiring pilots for the oral portion of their FAA Private Pilot Practical Test. It features HD videos explaining requirements and includes essential handbooks and calculators for flight training.

Highlights
  • Checkride oral exam preparation
  • HD video explanations
  • Document and IACRA requirements
  • Includes FAA handbooks
  • Flight calculation tools
Features
Read full description

The Private Pilot Course - Eligibility gives you an insight into what happens at the beginning of the ground portion of your FAA Private Pilot Practical Test, commonly referred to as the Checkride Oral. This App includes HD video that explains documents, aeronautical experience and IACRA requirements for your check ride. Bonus features of this app are a copy of the FAA Airplane Flying Handbook, the Private Pilot PTS, the FAA Risk Management Handbook and the Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM). Also included are calculators for Stall Speed, Load Factor, Maneuvering Speed and Top of Climb calculations. Please check out the full version of the Ground Portion that provides an insight into a complete check ride oral and don't forget our companion app, the Private Pilot Course - Flight Portion, that gives you more than two and a half hours of exciting in-flight HD video and detailed animation including an in depth explanation of the takeoffs, landings and maneuvers needed to pass your FAA Private Pilot Practical Test. Both apps together make a perfect package that will make you pass your Checkride with ease.

About

Ground School

This app provides comprehensive FAA test preparation for aspiring pilots. It combines expert instruction with engaging videos, CG animations, and practice tests to ensure users pass their written exams and become safer pilots.

Highlights
  • Expert FAA flight instructor knowledge
  • Engaging video demonstrations
  • Cutting-edge CG animations
  • Over 1,000 practice questions
  • Pilot Perspective filming
  • Pilot Proficiency dashboard
  • FAA Knowledge Test endorsement
Features
Read full description

Featuring expert knowledge from an award-winning FAA flight instructor, Ground School will teach budding pilots everything they need to know for their FAA written test and beyond. By combining years of teaching know-how with cutting edge CG animation, informative video demonstrations, and more, Ground School is more than an app that teaches you how to fly — its gives you the knowledge you need to Fly Your Best, whether you're a complete novice or more experienced pilot. By following this FAA pilot knowledge course, you'll learn much more than is needed to pass an FAA written test. In fact, we guarantee you will pass that test and go on to be a better, safer pilot, too. Ground School users can look forward to: ・ Engaging videos that show you the things you need to know, perfect for visual learners. ・ Get the Pilot Perspective — Every video is filmed as if you are the one flying so there are no surprises when you're in the cockpit. ・ More than 1,000 questions that form unlimited practice tests so you know exactly what to expect when taking your FAA exam. ・ Cutting edge CG animations that help illustrate concepts that will help you understand the material in front of you. ・ The Pilot Proficiency dashboard that distills all of your interactions with Ground School into a single screen showing areas where you are strong as well as others that need work. ・ Get your endorsement to take the FAA Knowledge Test directly within Ground School. ・ And much more! Ground School is in active development and is always improving to give you the very best shot at not only passing exams, but being safe in the skies, too. Terms of Service: https://www.learnthefinerpoints.com/ground-school/tos Privacy Policy: https://www.learnthefinerpoints.com/ground-school/privacy

Screenshots

Pvt Pilot Course4 screens
Ground School4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Ground School at 4.9 against Pvt Pilot Course's 3.7. Ground School also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 5 months) and ratings volume (1.8K vs 3). Pvt Pilot Course's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 16.0). On price, ads 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. Ground School sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $49.99 per month. Pvt Pilot Course asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Ground School holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Ground School has 1.8K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of Pvt Pilot Course's written reviews are positive against 88% of Ground School's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Pvt Pilot Course ships an update every 5 months, Ground School every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Pvt Pilot Course versus Ground School: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPvt Pilot CourseGround School
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.7 (3 ratings)4.9 (1.8K ratings) — better
Positive reviews66.7% of reviews88.2% of reviews — better
Number of ratings31.8K — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Mac
Requires iOS11.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size125 MB215 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperFlight Training Apps, Inc.On The Flight Line Productions LLC

Customer experience

Pvt Pilot Course

All ratings3 ratings
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%

Ground School

All ratings1,764 ratings
Positive97.6%
Neutral1.4%
Negative1.0%
Written reviews136 reviews
Positive88.2%
Neutral5.1%
Negative6.6%

Bugs and requests

Pvt Pilot Course

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Ground School

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Syncing issues between iPhone and iPad
  • Some questions have incorrect or outdated answers

Requested features

4 requests
  • Desktop version of the app
  • More robust flashcard and spaced-repetition system
  • Deeper interactive practice with sectional charts
  • Expansion to commercial and ATP levels

In-app purchases

None

Pvt Pilot Course

No in-app purchases

9 purchases

Ground School

Subscriptions9
  • All-Access – Monthly Plan2 variants$49.991 Month
  • All-Access – Monthly Plan3 Days trial$49.991 Month
  • All-Access – Monthly Plan14 Days trial$49.991 Month
Show 6 more
  • All-Access – 3-Month Plan3 Days trial$149.993 Months
  • All-Access – 3-Month Plan (Sale)3 Days trial$149.993 Months
  • All-Access – Annual Plan$299.991 Year
  • All-Access – Annual Plan3 Days trial$299.991 Year
  • All Access – Annual Plan (Sale)3 Days trial$299.991 Year
  • All-Access – Annual Plan14 Days trial$299.991 Year

Questions

Is Pvt Pilot Course free?
Pvt Pilot Course is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Ground School free?
Ground School is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Pvt Pilot Course or Ground School?
Ground School is rated higher. Pvt Pilot Course averages 3.7 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while Ground School averages 4.9 from 1.8K ratings.
Do Pvt Pilot Course or Ground School have ads?
Neither Pvt Pilot Course nor Ground School shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Pvt Pilot Course or Ground School?
Pvt Pilot Course ships an update every 5 months, and Ground School every 2 weeks. Most recently, Pvt Pilot Course was updated on November 1, 2026 and Ground School on November 6, 2026.

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