T.K
What you must remember is that the more time you spent in the simulator before your interview/sim ride, the greater chance you have of being successful. Equally important is the device you learn on. If you aspire to say Ryanair then clearly a B737-800 training device is the obvious choice. If however you set your sights on a turbo-prop, then the choice of device is not critical.
APS in essence means that the JOC element which historically was and remains unregulated, has now been approved and is part of the MCC course, now renamed APS.
The reputable provider offered a MCC/JOC course. With some minor modifications that is now an APS course.
Depending where you go, a current MCC/JOC course may well be the same standard and quality as the APS course.
I suspect the issue with Ryanair was that they had a number of candidates who simply had got overwhelmed on the sim ride, wasting both their time and that of the assessors. Hence their preference for those who have reached a certain defined standards prior to assessment.
Expensive it may be, but money well spent if you are successful. The cheaper the option, then potentially a greater risk of failure, and 'money down the drain'.
Training is an investment. There are no quick fixes. Think QUALITY every time.