Airworthy PrepFAA A&P mechanic test prep costs from about $20 for a test guide book to $595 for a full video course, as listed on each seller’s own page on October 25, 2026. For the three written tests on their own, most products cost $50 to $80 per test, or $150 to $180 for all three. Very few products cover the oral and practical test. This guide compares the main options, including ours, on facts from their own pages.
We sell one of the options here (Airworthy Prep). We call the other sellers Competitor A to D rather than naming them. We describe every product, ours included, only by what its own page says. Prices change, so check the seller’s page before you buy.
Written test prep: the comparison table
All facts are from each seller’s own public page, checked October 25, 2026. “Not stated” means we could not find it on that page. None of these sellers states the size of its question bank, except us.
| Product | Price per test (USD) | All three tests | Payment | Access | Explanations | Video lessons | Guarantee | Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Competitor A (apps) | $79 | $179 kit | One-off | Not stated | Yes, why each answer is right or wrong | No | 30-day money back | App (iOS, Android, web), works offline |
| Competitor B (online) | $69.95 | $179.95 | One-off | 24 months | Not stated | No | None shown on the test prep pages | Online |
| Competitor C (software) | $49.95 | $149.95 (download, all three) | One-off | 24 months online | Yes | No | Not stated | Web, app, Mac/PC software |
| Competitor C (book) | $19.95 | Not sold as a set | One-off | Book (5 online practice tests included) | Yes, with references | No | Not stated | Book |
| Competitor D (software) | $64.99 or $59.99 (both shown) | $159.99 | One-off, “Not a Subscription” | Lifetime, free updates | Yes, for every question | No | Not stated | PC, Mac, iPhone, iPad, Android, works offline |
| Airworthy Prep | $49 | $79 bundle | One-off | 12 months | Yes, with the FAA source for every answer | No | Full refund if you complete 90% of the bank and still fail (terms) | Web (phone or computer) |
Full courses with video cost more:
- Competitor A’s full course: $595, one-off, lifetime access, 68.5 hours of online video lessons, test prep included, 30-day money back.
- Competitor B’s online maintenance school: $89.95 per test or $229.95 for the set ($349.95 with test prep), 24 months, audiovisual lessons, and money back if you do not pass on your first attempt when bought direct (their terms apply).
The oral and practical: who covers it
After the written tests, you take an oral test and a practical test with a designated mechanic examiner (DME) for General and each rating you want (14 CFR 65.79). Most A&P prep stops at the written tests.
| Product | Oral and practical coverage | Price (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Competitor C, oral and practical book | Book of questions and answers with references for General, Airframe and Powerplant | $19.95 (print or eBook) |
| Competitor C’s test guide books | Include “an Oral & Practical Study Guide” (ACS codes per question) | Included with the $19.95 book |
| Competitor A | No oral prep found; the $595 course has a practical task log | Not applicable |
| Competitor B | No oral and practical product found | Not applicable |
| Competitor D | No A&P oral product found (its oral prep is for pilot checkrides) | Not applicable |
| Airworthy Prep Oral & Practical | 2,427 oral questions with model answers and FAA sources, a mock oral built from your written test codes, and 519 practical project guides, one per FAA skill task | $49 one-off, 12 months ($29 add-on with a written course) |
We also checked two sellers known for pilot test prep. As of October 25, 2026, neither sold a paid A&P product.
What we are, and what we are not
To be plain about our own product:
- No video lessons. If you want to be taught from the start on video, a full video course like Competitor A’s or B’s is a better fit.
- No offline app. Ours runs in your phone or computer browser. Competitors A and D offer apps that work offline.
- Access is 12 months, not lifetime.
- What you get: original practice questions (561 for General, 574 for Airframe and 382 for Powerplant as of October 25, 2026), an explanation after every answer citing the FAA handbook page, full timed mocks in the real format, and FAA testing supplement figures with the questions that need them.
- The pass guarantee covers the written tests only, not the oral and practical, because those depend on hands-on skill we cannot see.
- Not affiliated with the FAA. No seller in this guide is the FAA.
How to choose
- You are at a Part 147 school: your school teaches the material. A question bank (any of the table) is for test practice. Ask your instructor which one the school uses.
- You are on the experience route (18 or 30 months of work): you may have gaps in theory. A full course with video, or the free FAA handbooks plus a question bank, will help fill them.
- You want everything in one place: check whether the product covers the oral and practical, not just the writtens.
- You want to keep it for years: Competitor D and Competitor A’s full course say lifetime; Competitors B and C (software) say 24 months; ours is 12.
How hard are the written tests?
| 2025 | Tests taken | Pass rate | Average score |
|---|---|---|---|
| General (AMG) | 22,585 | 69.59% | 74.02% |
| Airframe (AMA) | 16,885 | 74.01% | 75.90% |
| Powerplant (AMP) | 17,572 | 63.04% | 72.58% |
Source: FAA 2025 Airman Knowledge Test statistics. That report covers knowledge tests only. We did not find FAA pass rates for the oral and practical tests, and the FAA does not publish pass rates by prep provider, so any provider pass rate you see is that provider’s own claim.
Powerplant had the lowest pass rate of the three. Our Powerplant pass rate guide looks at why it might be.
The free FAA materials
Everything on the tests comes from public FAA documents, free to download:
- Aviation Mechanic Airman Certification Standards, FAA-S-ACS-1, the list of what can be tested
- Companion Guide, FAA-G-ACS-1, how the tests work
- Handbooks: General, FAA-H-8083-30B, Airframe, FAA-H-8083-31B and Powerplant, FAA-H-8083-32B
- Airman Knowledge Testing Supplement, FAA-CT-8080-4G, the figures used in the tests
Try before you buy
You can take a free 10-question mock for General, Airframe or Powerplant with no sign-up, and see the explanations before you spend anything.
Common questions
What is the best A&P test prep?
It depends on your route and how you learn. School students mostly need test practice; experience-route applicants may want a full course. Compare price, access length, explanations and whether the oral and practical is covered.
How much does A&P test prep cost?
On October 25, 2026, written test prep ran from $19.95 (a book) to $79 per test (an app), or $79 to $179.95 for all three tests. Full video courses cost more, up to $595.
Is there prep for the A&P oral and practical?
Yes, but little. Competitor C sells an oral and practical book, and our oral and practical course has oral questions with model answers and practical project guides. The others we checked cover the written tests only.
Do I need to buy prep at all?
No. The FAA handbooks, ACS and testing supplement are free. Paid prep organizes that material and gives you practice in the test format.
Are these the real FAA questions?
The FAA does not publish its live test bank. Treat any claim of “real test questions” with caution. Our questions are original and cite the FAA source for each answer.