Airworthy PrepPrivate Pilot written test prep costs anywhere from free to about $300, as listed on each seller’s own page on October 28, 2026. Full video ground schools sit at $159.95 to $299 and usually include the instructor endorsement you need to take the test. Question banks cost $29 to $64.99 one-off, or $14.99 a month, and some free question banks exist too. The table below puts nine options side by side, including ours, so you can choose on facts.
We sell one of the options in this table (Airworthy Prep). We call the other sellers Competitor A to H rather than naming them, and we describe every product, ours included, only by what its own sales page says. Prices change often, so check the seller’s page before you buy.
The comparison table
All facts are from each seller’s own public page, checked October 28, 2026. “Not stated” means we could not find it on that page, not that the product lacks it.
| Product | Price (USD) | Payment | Access | Practice questions | Video lessons | Pass guarantee | Endorsement included |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Competitor A (video ground school) | $299 | One-off | Not stated (“free updates for life”) | 1,000+ | Yes | Yes: refund if you do not pass all three tests (knowledge, oral, flight) | Yes, after the course and practice exams |
| Competitor B (video ground school) | $299 | One-off | Lifetime | Not stated (unlimited practice exams) | Yes, about 15 hours | Yes: money back if you fail within 1 year of buying, plus a 30-day return | Yes, after the course and three practice exams at 70%+ |
| Competitor C (video ground school) | $249 | One-off | Lifetime | 800+ | Yes, 35 hours | Yes: full refund plus $175 if you fail the written on the first try (their terms apply) | Yes, after 100% of the course and 80%+ on two timed practice exams |
| Competitor D (online ground school, or book) | $159.95 (ground school); $199.95 with test prep; $29.95 book | One-off | 12 months | Not stated | Yes | Yes: refund if you complete the course and test within 30 days of finishing (direct purchases only) | Yes, on completing the ground school |
| Competitor E (question bank software) | $59.95 | One-off | 24 months online | Not stated | No | Not stated | Not stated |
| Competitor F (question bank software) | $64.99 per test bank ($59.99 also shown) | One-off | Unlimited use | Not stated | No | Not stated | Not stated |
| Competitor G (question bank) | $14.99 a month (first month discounted) | Monthly | While subscribed | 560+ | No | 30-day money-back | Not stated |
| Competitor H (question bank) | From $30 | One-off | 1 year | Not stated | No | Not stated | Yes, after two practice exams at 85%+ |
| Airworthy Prep, Private Pilot | $29 | One-off | 12 months | 612 | No | Yes: full refund if you complete 90% of the question bank and still fail (terms) | No |
Notes on the table:
- Free options. Competitor A also runs a free online test bank of over 1,000 questions, and one well-known test-prep seller does not sell a Private Pilot product at all and points people to free tools instead. The FAA’s own sample questions are free too (see below).
- $175 in guarantees. Competitor C’s guarantee adds $175, which matches the fee testing centers list for FAA knowledge tests (see how much the Private Pilot written test costs).
- Guarantee conditions differ a lot. Some need you to finish the whole course, some need practice exam scores, some need you to test within a set time. Read the terms before you rely on one.
- Question counts are the sellers’ own figures. “Not stated” means the page did not give a number.
The endorsement matters more than the price
You cannot take the PAR test without authorization: a graduation certificate from an FAA-certificated pilot school, or a written statement or logbook endorsement from an authorized ground or flight instructor saying you completed a ground training or home-study course and are prepared (FAA Airman Knowledge Testing Matrix, September 25, 2026, p. 13).
- Training with a flight instructor already? Your instructor can endorse you after reviewing your home study, so a cheaper question bank may be all you need.
- Studying alone, no instructor yet? A ground school that includes the endorsement (Competitors A, B, C and D, and Competitor H’s question bank) saves you finding someone to sign you off.
What we are, and what we are not
To be plain about our own product:
- No video lessons, and no endorsement. If you need either, one of the ground schools above suits you better. Your instructor signs your endorsement, not us.
- What you get: 612 original practice questions (as of October 28, 2026), an explanation after every answer that cites the FAA page it comes from, full 60-question, 2-hour mock tests weighted across the 11 test areas like the real test, and chart questions from the FAA testing supplement and current FAA sectional charts.
- Access is 12 months, not lifetime.
- Original questions only. We do not claim to have real FAA test questions, and you should be wary of anyone who does.
- Not affiliated with the FAA. Nobody in this table is the FAA.
How to choose
- New to flying and like video: a full ground school (Competitors A to D) teaches the material from scratch and usually includes the endorsement.
- Already training with an instructor: a question bank with explanations (Competitors E to H, or ours) is cheaper and focuses on the test.
- You want a guarantee: compare the conditions, not the headline.
- Budget is tight: the FAA materials and the free question banks cost nothing. Most people pass: the FAA recorded an 89.56% pass rate across 44,657 PAR tests in calendar year 2025 (FAA CY2025 Airman Knowledge Test statistics).
Whatever you use, make sure it covers chart reading well. The FAA’s September 2026 advisory lists the Private Pilot test among those that already include questions with embedded images (FAA Airman Testing Community Advisory, September 2026 Special Edition, p. 5).
The free FAA materials
You can prepare for the written without paying anyone but the testing center:
- Private Pilot Airplane ACS, FAA-S-ACS-6C: what can be tested.
- Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge and Airplane Flying Handbook.
- FAA PAR sample questions.
- Testing supplement FAA-CT-8080-2H, the figures book used on test day.
Before you pay for anything, try a free 10-question Private Pilot mock to see where you stand. Our Private Pilot written test guide explains the format and the 11 test areas.
Common questions
What is the best private pilot written test prep?
It depends on what you need. If you have no instructor yet, a ground school with an endorsement included. If you are already training, a question bank with explanations is cheaper and focuses on the test.
Is free private pilot test prep enough?
For many people, yes. The FAA handbooks, ACS and sample questions are free, and free question banks exist. Paid prep mostly buys structure, explanations, video and an endorsement.
Do practice tests give you the endorsement?
Some do, after you hit their score targets (see the table). Many question banks do not, ours included. Your instructor can sign it instead.
How much does private pilot test prep cost?
From free up to $299 for the products in the table, as listed on October 28, 2026. The test itself is a separate fee paid to PSI.