Prep Provider Comparison
C3RT vs ASA Prepware
ASA is the institution of FAA test prep, its Test Guides and Prepware software have prepped mechanics for decades across books, desktop software, web, and mobile apps. C3RT’s A&P Cert Prep app is the modern challenger: all three written tests in one native Apple app built around adaptive practice. Here is the honest comparison.
The Bottom Line
On published question counts, mobile-first design, adaptive practice, and cost, C3RT leads ASA Prepware. ASA’s strength is its ecosystem: printed Test Guides, Mac/PC desktop software with the actual FAA testing-supplement figures, a browser version, and a $9.99 iOS app covering all three tests, though ASA itself says the mobile apps are supplementary and "should not be used as primary preparation," and its online access expires after 24 months. C3RT’s A&P app is built to BE the primary mobile tool: 3,438 questions across General, Airframe, and Powerplant with handbook-based rationales for every answer, adaptive on-device AI, PSI-condition mock exams, and a spaced-repetition Mistake Bank, fully offline on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. If you want books plus the FAA figures on a desktop, ASA is the classic package. If your primary study device is an iPhone or Mac, C3RT is the tool actually designed for it.
C3RT vs ASA Prepware: At a Glance
| Detail | C3RT | ASA Prepware |
|---|---|---|
| Product type | Native app designed as primary prep: adaptive practice, mock exams, mistake bank | Ecosystem: printed Test Guides, desktop software (Mac/PC), Prepware Online (browser), and mobile apps ASA labels as supplementary |
| Coverage | General, Airframe, and Powerplant in one app, 1,018 / 1,210 / 1,210 questions | All three tests via the $149.95 bundle or $49.95 per test; $9.99 iOS app covers all three |
| Question bank | 3,438 published questions across 27 A&P subjects | Counts not published |
| Explanations | Handbook-based plain-language rationale on every question | Explanations for correct and incorrect answers, with study references |
| Published pricing | $9.99/month, $29.99/year, or $59 one-time lifetime (no subscription needed), everything included | Desktop bundle $149.95 (incl. 24-month online); per-test $49.95; iOS app $9.99; books $19.95–$49.95 (as of July 2026) |
| Access terms | Subscription runs as long as you need it; fully offline with iCloud sync | Software is one-time purchase but bundled online access expires after 24 months |
| FAA figures | Question-integrated content | Includes the FAA Airman Knowledge Testing Supplement legends, figures, and charts |
ASA Prepware details based on publicly available information as of July 2026 and may change, verify current offerings on their website.
An Honest Comparison
What ASA Prepware does well
- •The FAA testing-supplement figures and charts, the exact materials you are issued at the testing center, built into Prepware.
- •A full ecosystem: printed Test Guides for readers, desktop software for Mac and PC, browser access, and mobile apps.
- •Decades of trust, ASA is the default name in FAA knowledge-test prep.
- •Cheap entry points: $19.95 books and a $9.99 iOS app covering all three tests.
- •Free demo and a free email update service for FAA knowledge-test changes.
Where C3RT differs
- •Mobile-first by design: ASA itself states its mobile apps are supplementary and not primary preparation, C3RT’s app is the full product, with nothing held back for desktop.
- •Published question counts: 3,438 across 27 subjects (1,018 General, 1,210 Airframe, 1,210 Powerplant) versus ASA’s unpublished bank.
- •Adaptive on-device AI that tracks per-subject performance and mastery readiness rings across all 27 subjects.
- •Real timed mock exams simulating PSI test-day conditions.
- •Mistake Bank with automatic spaced-repetition review of every question you miss.
- •No 24-month expiry on your study data or content access.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is C3RT or ASA Prepware better for the A&P written tests?
ASA is the right choice if you want printed Test Guides, the FAA testing-supplement figures on a desktop, or browser access. C3RT is the right choice if your phone or Mac is your primary study tool: ASA describes its own mobile apps as supplementary, while C3RT’s app carries the complete 3,438-question bank with rationales, adaptive AI, and PSI-style mocks, fully offline. Many mechanics use an ASA book for reading and C3RT for all their question practice.
Isn’t ASA’s $9.99 app cheaper than C3RT?
Yes, and it is worth knowing what it is: ASA states the mobile apps lack desktop features and "should not be used as primary preparation." The complete ASA experience is the $149.95 desktop bundle (whose online access expires in 24 months). C3RT’s subscription buys the full product on iPhone, iPad, and Mac with everything included.
Does C3RT cover all three FAA mechanic tests?
Yes, General (1,018 questions), Airframe (1,210), and Powerplant (1,210) in one app, organized across the 27 A&P subject areas with handbook-based explanations, mock exams under PSI timing, and offline access with iCloud sync.
What is the best ASA Prepware alternative?
Candidates weighing alternatives to ASA Prepware should start with C3RT: 3,438 questions across all three FAA tests with adaptive AI and PSI-style mock exams, at $9.99/month, $29.99/year, or $59 lifetime. The free tier makes the comparison test-drivable in an afternoon.
Try the C3RT App
A&P Cert Prep: FAA Mechanic
Prep for all three FAA A&P written tests in one app
C3RT is not affiliated with ASA Prepware. All product names, logos, and brands are the property of their respective owners; comparisons are based on each provider's publicly available information as of July 2026. Pricing, question counts, and features change, always verify details with the provider before purchasing. Read how we compare → Exam names and trademarks belong to their respective certification bodies, which do not endorse either product.