Sporty's vs King Schools vs Gleim for the private pilot written
For the FAA private pilot written, King Schools ($299) and Pilot Institute ($249) are video courses that end with the endorsement to take the test. Sporty's sells a $299 video course, but its Study Buddy question bank is free. Gleim is a $79.95 question bank with 12 months of access, built around its book. If your instructor will endorse you, a free or low-cost question bank is enough; pay for a course when you want the lessons or the endorsement.
We built this comparison and sell Rotate, so its row is marked. Every other row links to the vendor's own page, where the price was read.
Private pilot written prep: prices and what you get
| Product | Price | What you get | Endorsement to test | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sporty'sLearn to Fly Course: Private Pilot Ground SchoolSource | $299one-time; the course page says it never expires | Video ground school plus test prep; the free Study Buddy bank has over 1,000 questionsOnline, app and TVFree: Study Buddy online: the full question database and unlimited timed 60-question tests, free | Not stated on the product page | Visual learners who want video lessons from the same company that runs the free Study BuddyWatch out: The free Study Buddy already covers the question practice; the $299 buys the video course. |
| King SchoolsPrivate Pilot Online Ground School & Test PrepSource | $299one-time, lifetime access; the Complete Private Pilot course with checkride prep is $349 | About 15 hours of video, FAA-style questions with explanations, unlimited practice examsOnline, plus free ground school and test prep apps | Yes, after you finish the course | Students who want a structured video course that ends with the endorsement to take the testWatch out: The most expensive option here for the written alone. |
| GleimFAA Test Prep Online: Private PilotSource | $79.9512 months of access | Over 760 multiple-choice questions, aligned with the Gleim Private Pilot Knowledge Test bookOnline | Not stated on the product page | Reading-first learners who want a question bank tied to a printed bookWatch out: Access ends after 12 months; the book is sold separately. |
| Pilot InstitutePrivate Pilot Ground SchoolSource | $249one-time, lifetime access | Video course with over 800 practice questionsOnline | Yes, after you finish the course | Video learners who want the endorsement for less than King or Sporty'sWatch out: You must finish 100% of the course and score 80%+ on two timed exams to get the endorsement. |
| ASAPrepware Private Pilot (iOS app)Source | $9.99one-time App Store purchase | Questions, answers and explanations by subject, plus a true-to-form practice testiOS | No | The cheapest paid app: a phone question bank to drill between lessonsWatch out: No lessons; App Store rating 3.9 from 137 reviews. |
| AeroappsPrivate Pilot Test Prep - FAA (app)Source | Freein-app upgrades: Test Prep $49.99, Ground School $149.99 | Over 900 FAA questions with explanations in the free version, practice examsiOSFree: The free tier includes the question bank and practice exams | Not stated on the product page | Trying a well-rated phone app before paying anything (4.9 from 1.5K App Store ratings)Watch out: The ground school and full test-prep features are paid upgrades. |
| Sporty'sPrivate Pilot Test Prep (Study Buddy app)Source | $14.99one-time App Store purchase | Learning mode, flashcards and 60-question simulated tests with explanationsiOSFree: The same Study Buddy bank is free on Sporty's website | No | Offline phone practice with Sporty's question bankWatch out: The web version is free, so the app mostly buys offline convenience. Rating 4.3 from 115 reviews. |
| DauntlessGroundSchool Private Pilot test bankSource | $59.99-$64.99one-time per platform (Windows price shown; Mac, iOS and Android sold in their stores) | FAA written test question bank with explanationsWindows, Mac, iOS, Android | No | Pilots who want a one-time desktop question bank with no subscriptionWatch out: Each platform is a separate purchase. |
| Rotate PilotRotate Premium (or the Private Pilot Pass)Source | $7.49 first monththen $14.99/mo, cancel anytime; or $69 once for the Private Pilot Pass | 560+ PPL questions with explanations, timed 60-question PAR simulations, flashcards, AI tutorWeb app (phone, tablet or computer browser); no native exam-prep appFree: 5-question score check at /free-test and 60 FAA-published PAR questions with answers at /faa-questions/ppl | No | Question-bank drilling on a budget when your instructor will give you the endorsementWatch out: No video ground school and no endorsement to take the test: you still need your CFI's. |
Prices read on each vendor's page on October 5, 2026; they change, so confirm before buying. The FAA knowledge test fee is separate from every option: $175 plus tax per attempt at PSI (PSI).
Which one should you pick?
You want video lessons and the endorsement in one purchase
King Schools ($299) or Pilot Institute ($249)
Both publish that you get the endorsement to take the test after finishing the course.
You learn from video but want to try before paying
Sporty's
Start with the free Study Buddy bank and its timed 60-question tests; the $299 course adds the video lessons.
You learn by reading and drilling questions
Gleim ($79.95 / 12 months)
A question bank built around the Gleim book; no video.
Your CFI will endorse you and you want to drill on a budget
Free resources first, then Rotate ($7.49 first month)
Question bank, timed PAR simulations and an AI tutor; no lessons, no endorsement.
Do you need to pay for the private pilot written at all?
Often not. Sheppard Air does not sell Private Pilot written prep. Its own page says the free courses are enough for the Private Pilot test and points students to AOPA's free resources and Sporty's free Study Buddy. Source. The test is 60 scored questions in 2 hours with 70% to pass, and 89.56% of 44,657 attempts passed in 2025 (FAA CY2025 report).
- Sporty's Study Buddy (free): the full Sporty's question database and unlimited timed 60-question tests (sportys.com).
- 60 FAA-published PAR questions with answers (free): the FAA's own sample questions, each answer explained with its 14 CFR, AIM or PHAK source.
- A 5-question score check (free, no signup): Rotate's free private pilot practice test.
- Which apps are worth it: best apps and study materials for the private pilot written.
Part 107 (drone) test prep prices
| Option | Price | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Sporty's Remote Pilot Test Prep | $19.99 | Question-bank app: study questions, flashcards, practice tests |
| Gleim FAA Test Prep Online: Remote Pilot | $79.95 for 12 months | Online question bank with study outlines; printed book sold separately |
| King Schools | $129 | Online Part 107 test prep course |
| Pilot Institute | $159 | Video course |
| Drone Pilot Ground School | $299 | Online course with weekly live Zoom sessions |
| Rotate Part 107 Pass | $69 once · lifetime access · no subscription, nothing renews | Question bank, timed 60-question exams, flashcards and the drone business kit |
Part 107 prices checked in September 2026. Full side-by-sides: vs Pilot Institute, vs Gleim, vs Sporty's.
Instrument, Commercial, ATP and EASA
We have not re-checked competitor prices for these exams, so none are listed here. Pilots on forums often recommend Sheppard Air for the instrument and commercial writtens; compare on each vendor's site. For the instrument written, start with the 60 FAA-published instrument rating questions with answers.
FAQ
Is Sporty's, King Schools or Gleim better for the private pilot written?
They solve different problems. King Schools ($299) and Pilot Institute ($249) are video ground schools that give you the endorsement to take the test when you finish. Sporty's Learn to Fly course is $299, and its Study Buddy question bank and 60-question practice tests are free online. Gleim's FAA Test Prep Online is $79.95 for 12 months of question practice. Prices checked October 5, 2026.
Do I need an endorsement to take the private pilot written test?
Yes. To sit the Private Pilot Airplane (PAR) test you need an instructor endorsement or a pilot-school graduation certificate (14 CFR 61.35, 61.71). Your flight instructor can give it, or a course that publishes it (King Schools and Pilot Institute say they do, after you finish). Rotate does not give endorsements.
What is the cheapest way to pass the private pilot written?
Free: Sporty's Study Buddy online, the FAA's own sample questions (60 of them, with answers explained, at rotatepilot.com/faa-questions/ppl) and the FAA handbooks. Sheppard Air does not even sell Private Pilot prep and sends students to those free resources. The cheapest paid options are apps: ASA Prepware at $9.99 and Sporty's app at $14.99. The test itself costs $175 plus tax at PSI on top of any prep.
What does the FAA private pilot written test look like?
60 scored questions (plus 5 unscored), 2 hours, 70% to pass, three answer choices each. In 2025, 89.56% of 44,657 attempts passed, with an average score of 81.64% (FAA test statistics).
How much is Rotate for the private pilot written?
Rotate Premium is $7.49 first month, then $14.99/mo, cancel anytime; or $69 once for the Private Pilot Pass. It is a web question bank (560+ PPL questions with explanations, timed 60-question PAR simulations, flashcards, AI tutor) with no video ground school and no endorsement.
How was this comparison checked?
Every price for the private pilot written was read on the vendor's own product page or App Store listing on October 5, 2026; each row links to it. Part 107 prices were checked in September 2026. Prices change, so confirm on the vendor's site. We built this page and sell Rotate, which is why its row is marked; the other rows say what each product does better. Spot an error? Email hello@rotatepilot.com.
Try Rotate before you commit
Pick the test you're taking and try the free practice test first. If it doesn't click, the other options above are honest alternatives.