PPL is Private Pilot License May fly for pleasure or personal business.
Private pilots cannot be paid, compensated to fly, or hired by any operator.
CPL is Commercial Pilot License Can be paid, compensated to fly, or hired by operators and are required to have higher training standards than private or sport pilots.
ATPL is Airline Transport Pilot License ATPs, as they are called, typically qualify to fly the major airliners.
ATPs must qualify with a range of experience and training to be considered for this certificate. — Wikipedia
aviation.stackexchange.com/users/14897/ymb1
Nobody has mentioned experience specifics.
You can get a PPL in about 35 flying hours.
It is really a licence to learn how to fly, but without being paid to do so.
You can get a CPL in about 250 flying hours.
This also is a licence to learn how to fly, but while being paid to do so.
This is also much more difficult to earn, involving much higher precision flying and a ton more knowledge.
You can get an ATPL in about 1,500 flying hours.
It is a licence that tells professional pilots you have now learned the basics of how to fly an airplane.
Having said that, a pilot never stops learning, every type they add requires extensive training, and MOST commercial pilots come close to killing themselves about five times during their career.
Commercial pilots also have to prove they still have their skills - and their health - every six months.
aviation.stackexchange.com/users/19459/Jim Lynch
PPL is a "Private Pilots License" and is a qualification which allows you to act as Pilot in Command in an aeroplane [PPL(A)] or Helicopter [PPL(H)] without remuneration.
It is the most common license held in general aviation, and is the first step to all the other licenses that you mentioned in your question.
CPL is a Commercial Pilots License, and allows you to act as Pilot in Command of a charter or corporate flight.
ATPL (or ATP Certificate) is an Airline Transport Pilots License and is the highest level of pilot certification.
aviation.stackexchange.com/users/100/Jamiec
PPL Private Pilot License.
You may fly your own plane or rent one to fly.
You can fly families and friends.
You can not be paid to fly.
CPL Commercial Pilot License.
You can be paid to fly, but usually in small planes only.
Typical activities include aerial photography, banner towing, dropping sky divers, etc.
ATPL Airline Transport Pilot License.
You can act as captain of a large airliner.
To give a rough perspective, PPLs usually fly small single-engine propeller planes ; CPLs fly slightly larger planes that carry maybe 20~50 people, ATPLs are the ones that fly Airbus and Boeings.
Note that the pilot license restricts which kind of aviation activity a pilot can fly, but does not restrict the size or speed of the aircraft.
Technically you can fly an A380 with a PPL if you fly it privately, but very few people (if any!)
do that.
In the simple sense, PPL must be acquired before CPL, and CPL before ATPL.
It is like driving licenses: you must get an ordinary driving license before you can drive a bus, and you better can drive a bus before you want to drive a semi-trailer.
The higher privilege licenses require better precision, better proficiency and handling more complex aircraft systems.
Obviously, pilot and driving licenses vary country by country, but I feel this answer address the OP's concerns.
aviation.stackexchange.com/users/3386/kevin
PPL - PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE
This is the lowest grade of pilot certificate which allows a user to operate an aircraft in all areas of the National Airspace System with limited provisions.
Along with a Third Class Medical Certificate, it allows the holder to act as PIC in all categories and classes of aircraft, or on type rated large or turbojet powered aircraft.
Use of a PPL along with a Basic Med is permissible as well, provided operations are restricted to the limitations in §61.113(i).
A PPL also allows the holder to tow gliders, conduct factory test flights, and demonstrate aircraft to prospective buyers under the limitations in Part 61.
It also has limited provisions available to serve as PIC for compensation or hire as detailed in §61.113. CPL - COMMERCIAL PILOT CERTIFICATE
This is the next grade of pilot certificate up from Private Pilot.
It allows all the privelages of a PPL plus, when combined with a valid Second Class or higher Medical Certificate, a CPL allows the holder to serve as PIC while carrying persons or property or to fly for compensation or hire under the areas listed in §119.1(e).
It does not permit the holder to fly in operations which involve holding out for common carriage such as a part 121 scheduled air carrier or a part 135 charter or commuter operation.
Along with an instrument rating for either airplane, helicopter, or powered lift, it is also a pre-requisite to apply for either an Airline Transport Pilot or Flight Instructor Certificates.
ATPL - AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT CERTIFICATE
This is the highest grade of pilot certificate issued in the United States.
They are only issued for the Airplane, Helicopter or Powered lift categories of aircraft as well as specific type ratings.
In addition to all the privileges of a CPL and, when combined with a First Class Medical Certificate, it allows the holder to exercise privileges of PIC and SIC in scheduled air carrier, charter and commuter services if either the holder or the holder’s employer also holds a valid Part 121 air carrier certificate or Part 135 charter or commuter certificates.
It also permits limited flight instruction within the holder or holder’s employer’s Part 121 or 135 certificates on an aircraft the holder is type rated on under the operation.
aviation.stackexchange.com/users/15637/Carlo Felicione
Uk & Europe minimum number of hours for a PPL is 45 with most people taking around 60 to pass plus 9 written exams.
Commercial PL is 200 hours which includes 150 pilot in command - most people now do the ATPL additional exams when qualifying for cpl and have them frozen.
aviation.stackexchange.com/users/27556/Dean Harding
What are hiding under these letters?What do they stand for?I have read many others, but I could never understand what they mean and the pilot's career on each of them.If possible, can anyone post a brief list and their tasks and responsibilities, please?
How do PPL, CPL, and ATPL compare?
aviation.stackexchange.com
<pilot-certification><career>
aviation.stackexchange.com/questions/35001
aviation.stackexchange.com/users/14354/eduardoguilherme
PPL is for flying for pleasure or personal business and may fly singe engine propeller planes. CPL allows you to fly slightly larger planes that carry 20-50 people. Finally, ATPL allows you to fly Airbus and Boeings. PPL stands for Private Pilot License, the holder of which may fly for personal matters in small, single engine propeller planes and can also tow gliders, perform factory tests and demonstrate aircraft for sale. CPL stands for Commercial Pilot License, the holder of which can be remunerated for flying and can be hired. They can act as pilot in command for charter/corporate flights of up to 20-50 people in slighly bigger  planes. ATPL stands for Airline Transport Pilot License, the holders of which can fly for major airlines; it is the highest level certificate.
PPL stands for Private Pilot License, the holder of which may fly for personal matters in small, single engine propeller planes and can also tow gliders, perform factory tests and demonstrate aircraft for sale. CPL stands for Commercial Pilot License, the holder of which can be remunerated for flying and can be hired. They can act as pilot in command for charter/corporate flights of up to 20-50 people in slighly bigger  planes. ATPL stands for Airline Transport Pilot License, the holders of which can fly for major airlines; it is the highest level certificate.