# Firefighting I/II Exam Prep vs IFSTA Essentials 8

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Firefighting I/II Exam Prep at 89% against IFSTA Essentials 8's 10%. Firefighting I/II Exam Prep also leads on rating (4.6 vs 2.7) and in-app purchases (none vs 3). IFSTA Essentials 8's advantage is price (Free vs $11.99) and update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 4 months). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

IFSTA Essentials 8 is free to download; Firefighting I/II Exam Prep costs $11.99 up front. IFSTA Essentials 8 sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Firefighting I/II Exam Prep asks for nothing beyond the download.

Firefighting I/II Exam Prep holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 2.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 129 and 27 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 89% of Firefighting I/II Exam Prep's written reviews are positive against 10% of IFSTA Essentials 8's.

Firefighting I/II Exam Prep ships an update every 4 months, IFSTA Essentials 8 every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Firefighting I/II Exam Prep | IFSTA Essentials 8 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $11.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.6 (129 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/firefighting-iii-exam-prep/id791415069/reviews)** | [2.7 (27 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ifsta-essentials-8/id6654913928/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **129** | 27 |
| Positive reviews | **88.6% of reviews** | 10.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 8 MB | 224 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Code 3 Apps](https://appshunter.io/developer/427516925) | [International Fire Service Training Association](https://appshunter.io/developer/495289396) |

## What reviewers say

### Firefighting I/II Exam Prep

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/firefighting-iii-exam-prep/id791415069)

Prepare for Firefighter I and II written exams with a comprehensive study guide. Access over 2,200 questions based on IFSTA Essentials 6th Edition, with page and NFPA references for each answer. Customize study sessions by chapter or create your own exams.

**Highlights:** Over 2,200 IFSTA-based questions, Page and NFPA references for answers, Comprehensive exam mode, Chapter-specific study, Customizable exam builder, Favorite questions, Review incorrect answers

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great study tool
- 👍 Easy to use
- 👍 Helpful for passing tests
- 👍 References to book chapters
- 👍 Good for studying on the go

**What reviewers complain about**

-  outdated content
- 🐛 Duplicate questions
- 🐛 Questions don't disappear
- 🐛 No landscape mode for tablets
- 🐛 Unorganized tests

**Reported bugs**

- Some questions won't go away in 'incorrect' section
- Duplicate questions when creating own exam
- Questions repeat frequently within the same test
- No landscape mode for tablet use
- Minor mistakes in page references

**Requested features**

- Update to latest edition
- Add explanations for incorrect answers
- Improve question bank diversity
- Add landscape mode for tablets
- Option to study only FF1 information


### IFSTA Essentials 8

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ifsta-essentials-8/id6654913928)

This educational app provides comprehensive study materials for aspiring firefighters based on the Essentials of Fire Fighting, 8th Edition manual. It offers exam preparation, interactive modules, flashcards, and skill videos to enhance learning and test knowledge.

**Highlights:** Exam Prep with 1,271 validated questions, Audiobook with offline access, Interactive learning modules, Flashcards for key terms, Tool and equipment identification, Skill videos for hands-on preparation

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock all Exam Prep Chapters | $19.99 | one-time |
| Unlock all Interactive | $25.00 | one-time |
| Unlock all Audiobook Chapters | $34.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Firefighting I/II Exam Prep free?

Firefighting I/II Exam Prep costs $11.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is IFSTA Essentials 8 free?

IFSTA Essentials 8 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Firefighting I/II Exam Prep or IFSTA Essentials 8?

Firefighting I/II Exam Prep is rated higher. Firefighting I/II Exam Prep averages 4.6 out of 5 from 129 ratings, while IFSTA Essentials 8 averages 2.7 from 27 ratings.

### Do Firefighting I/II Exam Prep or IFSTA Essentials 8 have ads?

Neither Firefighting I/II Exam Prep nor IFSTA Essentials 8 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Firefighting I/II Exam Prep or IFSTA Essentials 8?

Firefighting I/II Exam Prep ships an update every 4 months, and IFSTA Essentials 8 every 6 weeks. Most recently, Firefighting I/II Exam Prep was updated on October 23, 2026 and IFSTA Essentials 8 on October 24, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*