Updated September 30, 2026 · AcademyCue Editorial Team
Allied Schools vs Gleim
Where Allied Schools and Gleim differ
| Compare |  Allied Schools |  Gleim |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $68Lower | $2,499 |
| Prices by exam | California real estate salesperson exam: $165 Essentials self-paced 135-hour package; $299 Professional; $429 Ultimate Learning; $499 livestream package; $68 per individual 45-hour online course; $14.95 per printed textbook | cpa: $2,499 (Traditional), $2,999 (Premium), $3,499 (Premium Pro) |
| Live classes | YesHas it | No |
| Score guarantee | Money back | Pass |
| Guarantee terms | Pass or Don't Pay: after completing our prep program, we guarantee a first-time pass on your state exam. If not, send us your state's failure notice and we'll reimburse the original cost of either your full pre-licensing or exam prep package you purchased. Complete at least three simulated exams with a passing grade of 80% or higher, sit for the exam within 30 days of completing the exam prep curriculum, and request the refund within 30 days of the failed exam attempt. | Access Until You Pass guarantee on Premium courses: follow our program and do the work and you will pass; the Gleim CPA Review Replacement Guarantee keeps all components current for at least 18 months from purchase |
| Access period | Not confirmed | 18 months |
| Practice questions | Not confirmed | 12,000 |
| Free trial | Not confirmed | Yes |
| State approvals | CA | Not confirmed |
| Markets | Not confirmed | US |
Same on both: Money-back period (30 days).
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Key differences
- Allied Schools scores higher overall: 9.2 vs 8.9.
- Price from is lower at Allied Schools: $68 vs $2,499.
- Live classes: only Allied Schools.
- Support channels: only Allied Schools offers Chat.
- Support channels: only Gleim offers Community.
- Founded is lower at Gleim: 1974 vs 1992.
- Exams: only Allied Schools offers Real estate.
- Exams: only Gleim offers CPA.
Our verdict on each
Allied Schools
Allied Schools suits anyone preparing for a California real estate licence who wants an exam-focused package with a money-back promise behind it. Entry starts at $68 for the individual online course, and the Pass or Don't Pay terms refund the package cost after a first-time pass promise fails.
Gleim
Gleim suits CPA candidates who can pay up front for access that runs until they pass, with 18 months of access and 12,000 practice questions behind it. The entry price of $2,499 sits far above budget rivals, and the CPA exam is the only exam it covers.
Score breakdown
| Area | Allied Schools | Gleim |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.8HigherEntry at $68 for the individual course, above $19.99 and £25, and paid up front. | 8.0Entry price of $2,499 is high, but 30 days money back and a pass guarantee sit above the 14-day refund window. |
| Offer | 9.2Packaged tiers in English and Spanish with completion certificates and CA approval, with no free tier to widen the funnel. | 9.4Higher12,000 practice questions with 18 months of access, though live classes are not part of the package. |
| Trust | 9.7HigherAllied Schools, LLC has traded since 1992 from US and publishes its guarantee terms in writing. | 9.530 days money back, a pass guarantee on Premium courses, and nasba cpe credit from a publisher founded in 1974. |
How they place
| Ranking | Allied Schools | Gleim |
|---|---|---|
| CPA, CFA, PMP and nursing exam prep | 2 of 33 | 14 of 33 |
How the counts compare
| Fact | Allied Schools | Gleim |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $68 | $2,499 |
| Money-back period | 30 days | 30 days |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Allied Schools | Gleim |
|---|---|---|
| Exams | Real estate | CPA |
| Continuing education credit | Not confirmed | Nasba cpe |
| Legal entity | Allied Schools, LLC | Gleim Publications, Inc. |
| Headquarters | United States | United States |
| Founded | 1992 | 1974Lower |
| Support channels | Email, Chat, Phone, Help centre | Email, Phone, Help centre, Community |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Allied Schools | Gleim | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price from | $68below the median | $2,499highest quarter | $69 |
| Access period | Not confirmed | 18 monthshighest quarter | 9 months |
| Practice questions | Not confirmed | 12,000highest quarter | 3,000 |
| Money-back period | 30 daysat the median | 30 daysat the median | 30 days |
Median across 50 listed providers.
Pros and cons
Allied Schools
Pros
- A pass-linked refund: the score guarantee type is money back, and the Pass or Don't Pay terms reimburse the original package cost when a first-time state exam pass falls short.
- Assessments and offline download are both included, so progress is checked as the course runs and the material works away from a connection.
- Live classes sit alongside self-paced material, giving a choice of scheduled instruction or quiet revision.
Cons
- There is no free tier, so the 30 days money-back period is the only low-risk way to test the course.
- Coverage is business subject and real estate exams, with approval listed for CA, so it does not serve other fields or states.
- A professional certificate is not among its certificate types (completion), which leaves a completion record rather than a qualification for a CV that asks for one.
Gleim
Pros
- Access runs 18 months, so a slow study pace or a delayed exam date does not cut the material short.
- The bank holds 12,000 practice questions, the same count as the highest figure in this category.
- Premium courses carry a pass guarantee, and the replacement promise keeps components current after purchase.
Cons
- The entry price of $2,499 is far above Testprep Training at $12.99 and Allied Schools at $68.
- Live classes are not part of the offer, so study is self paced around 12,000 questions with no scheduled instructor.
- The catalogue covers CPA only, so anyone taking a different professional exam has to look elsewhere.
Who each suits
Allied Schools
Who it suits
- California candidates preparing for the real estate salesperson exam who want packages that bundle prep with live classes.
- Learners who prefer a bundle to a subscription, since the essentials, professional, ultimate and livestream options are sold as packages with a per-course route for piecemeal study.
- Anyone who values a refund window and phone support more than a free sample, given 30 days and email, chat and phone.
Who should look elsewhere
- Learners who want to browse at no cost: Hotmart lists a starting price of $0, so Allied Schools' $68 entry is not the cheapest door in.
- Health and fitness candidates: Academy for Health and Fitness is aimed at that field, while Allied Schools covers real estate prep under CA approval.
- Nursing and IT certificate buyers: DRCertifications starts at $19.99 in a different field, so neither brand covers the other's subject.
Gleim
Who it suits
- CPA candidates in US who prefer to pay the entry price of $2,499 and keep the material until they sit the exam.
- Learners who want drilling volume, with 12,000 questions and 18 months to work through them.
- Anyone who wants phone support, since support runs on email, phone and help centre.
Who should look elsewhere
- Testprep Training, if the budget decides it: entry there starts at $12.99.
- DRCertifications, whose entry price of $19.99 suits a small first purchase in a different format.
- Allied Schools, with an entry price of $68, for candidates who want state exam prep on a smaller ticket.
Country by country
| Country | Allied Schools | Gleim |
|---|---|---|
| United States | No | Yes |
Questions about each
Allied Schools
What does the cheapest Allied Schools course cost?+
Entry sits at $68 for the individual online course in California. Packages are sold in tiers, from a self-paced route to professional, ultimate and livestream options, with a printed textbook available separately. On starting price that places Allied Schools at 122 of 220 brands, so the door price is mid-market rather than the cheapest on the page.
Is there a free tier or anything to sample first?+
Allied Schools does not run a free tier, so nothing can be sampled before paying. The nearest thing to a low-risk start is the money-back period of 30 days, which gives buyers a window to decide whether the package earns its place. Budget for the refund rather than a free taster when weighing providers that lead with a free tier.
Gleim
What does Gleim CPA Review cost at entry?+
Gleim's CPA Review is sold in tiers named Traditional, Premium and Premium Pro, and the entry price of that range is $2,499. The higher tiers sit above it, and the Premium tier is where the pass guarantee applies. Cheaper routes into the same exam include Testprep Training at $12.99.
Is there a free trial before I buy?+
Yes, a free trial is offered on the CPA Review, so the material can be sampled before paying. The trial is worth using on the higher tiers, where the entry price of $2,499 and the Premium Pro tier are the largest commitments on offer. If the trial is not enough, refunds run for 30 days.