Head-to-Head Comparison
ASA Prepware vs Dauntless GroundSchool
ASA and Dauntless have split the A&P test-prep market for years: the books-and-desktop institution versus the lifetime-purchase question bank. The honest head-to-head, and where the modern third option outclasses both on mobile.
The Bottom Line
Choose ASA if you want the classic package: printed Test Guides, desktop software for Mac and PC with the actual FAA testing-supplement figures, and cheap entry points, knowing its online access expires after 24 months and its own mobile apps are officially "supplementary." Choose Dauntless for lifetime economics: one-time purchase, lifetime content updates, and an actual-FAA-questions pedigree, knowing its iOS story is fragmented (no General app for iPhone; 2018-era binaries). C3RT’s A&P app is what neither built: all three tests in one actively maintained native app with 3,438 published questions, at $29.99/year or $59 lifetime.
ASA Prepware vs Dauntless vs C3RT: At a Glance
| Detail | ASA Prepware | Dauntless | C3RT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Model | Books + desktop software + web + supplementary apps | One-time purchase per test per platform, lifetime updates | One subscription (or $59 lifetime), all three tests |
| Question bank | Not published | Not published (claims 2–4× FAA public sets) | 3,438 published across 27 subjects |
| Pricing | $149.95 bundle; $49.95/test; $9.99 iOS app | $159.99 PC bundle; $69.99–$99.99 per app per platform | $9.99/month, $29.99/year, or $59 lifetime |
| Apple coverage | Mac desktop app; iOS app labeled supplementary | No General app on iPhone; iOS apps last updated 2018 | All three tests, native iPhone, iPad, and Mac |
| Access | Online portion expires after 24 months | Lifetime, per platform, non-transferable | Subscription or one-time lifetime |
Competitor details from publicly available information as of July 2026, verify current offerings with each provider.
Strengths of Each
Where ASA Prepware wins
- FAA testing-supplement figures and charts included
- Printed Test Guides for book studiers
- The default name instructors recommend
Where Dauntless wins
- Lifetime free updates, no subscription ever
- Actual/realistic FAA question pedigree
- True native Mac App Store apps
Where C3RT fits
The gap both leave open is mobile-first prep: ASA tells you its apps are not primary preparation, and Dauntless has no iPhone app for the General test at all. C3RT’s $59 lifetime option covers all three tests natively on iPhone, iPad, and Mac with adaptive AI and PSI-style mocks, cheaper than either rival’s bundle, on the devices mechanics actually study with.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ASA or Dauntless better for the A&P written tests?
ASA for books, desktop software, and the FAA figures; Dauntless for lifetime-purchase economics on Windows or Android. On Apple mobile devices, honestly neither: ASA’s app is supplementary by its own description and Dauntless’s iOS coverage is incomplete and dated, which is exactly the gap C3RT fills at $59 lifetime.
Do any of these use real FAA questions?
The FAA no longer releases its full banks. Dauntless states its questions come from FAA lists and samples plus editorial reconstruction; ASA writes to the ACS with explanations; C3RT writes handbook-cited questions across all 27 subjects. No provider has the live bank, practice volume and explanations matter more than the "actual questions" claim.
The Third Option
A&P Cert Prep: FAA Mechanic
Prep for all three FAA A&P written tests in one app
C3RT publishes this comparison and makes the C3RT apps. We are not affiliated with ASA Prepware or Dauntless; all product names and trademarks belong to their respective owners, and details reflect publicly available information as of July 2026. Verify pricing and features with each provider before purchasing. Read how we compare →