Updated September 30, 2026 · AcademyCue Editorial Team
Allied Schools vs Surgent
Allied Schools
Higher score in this comparison
Surgent
What sets them apart
| Compare | Allied SchoolsReviewVisitVisit | SurgentReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $68Lower | $1,999 |
| 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: $1999 |
| 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. | Full refund if fail all sections with ReadySCORE 75 and practice exam 75 within 18 months |
| Money-back period | 30 daysHigher | 10 days |
| Access period | Not confirmed | 18 months |
| Practice questions | Not confirmed | 9,000 |
| Full-length practice tests | Not confirmed | 2 |
| Free trial | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Tutoring add-on | Not confirmed | Yes |
| State approvals | CA | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Live classes (Yes), Score guarantee (Money back).
We earn a commission when you sign up through links on this site. Partner status can affect where a brand appears in our rankings.
Key differences
- Allied Schools scores higher overall: 9.2 vs 8.6.
- Price from is lower at Allied Schools: $68 vs $1,999.
- Money-back period is higher at Allied Schools: 30 days vs 10 days.
- Support channels: only Allied Schools offers Email.
- Exams: only Allied Schools offers Real estate.
- Exams: only Surgent 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.
Surgent
Surgent suits CPA candidates who want a long access window, live classes and a question bank to drill, and who are comfortable paying a premium fee. Access runs 18 months with 9,000 practice questions behind it, and a money-back guarantee gives cover if the score does not land.
Score breakdown
| Area | Allied Schools | Surgent |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.8HigherEntry at $68 for the individual course, above $19.99 and £25, and paid up front. | 8.1The CPA plan runs at $1,999, the highest starting price in the set, ranking 62 of 65. |
| Offer | 9.2HigherPackaged tiers in English and Spanish with completion certificates and CA approval, with no free tier to widen the funnel. | 9.1Live classes, 9,000 practice questions and 18 months of access cover everything from drills to exam day. |
| Trust | 9.7Allied Schools, LLC has traded since 1992 from US and publishes its guarantee terms in writing. | Not confirmed |
How they place
| Ranking | Allied Schools | Surgent |
|---|---|---|
| CPA, CFA, PMP and nursing exam prep | 2 of 47 | 38 of 47 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Allied Schools | Surgent |
|---|---|---|
| Exams | Real estate | CPA |
| Legal entity | Allied Schools, LLC | Not confirmed |
| Headquarters | United States | United States |
| Founded | 1992 | Not confirmed |
| Support channels | Email, Chat, Phone, Help centreCovers more | Chat, Phone, Help centre |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Allied Schools | Surgent | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price from | $68below the median | $1,999highest quarter | $69 |
| Access period | Not confirmed | 18 monthshighest quarter | 6 months |
| Practice questions | Not confirmed | 9,000highest quarter | 2,950 |
| Full-length practice tests | Not confirmed | 2lowest quarter | 8 |
| Money-back period | 30 daysat the median | 10 daysbelow the median | 30 days |
Median across 51 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.
Surgent
Pros
- Access of 18 months ranks 1 out of 24 brands compared, the longest window in the set.
- A free trial lets you look at the platform, the material and the live classes before any payment.
- Support runs on chat, phone and help centre, and a tutoring add-on is available for individual help when a topic will not stick.
Cons
- The priciest option in the set, against Allied Schools at $68 and DRCertifications at $19.99, so the fee rests on window length and question count alone.
- Only 2 full-length tests, which places it 22 out of 27 brands compared on that measure.
- Refunds are limited to 10 days, against a site median of 14 days.
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.
Surgent
Who it suits
- CPA candidates with a long runway who want a fixed schedule of live classes to follow.
- Part-time candidates who study in bursts and need the access window to stay open.
- Learners who treat a money-back guarantee as the main protection on a large upfront fee.
Who should look elsewhere
- Shoppers on a tight budget, since DRCertifications lists courses at $19.99.
- Anyone who wants a long window without paying a premium, since Allied Schools lists a course at $68.
- Candidates who want a cheap first step before committing, since Testprep Training lists its course at $12.99.
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.
Surgent
How much does the Surgent CPA plan cost?+
Surgent lists the CPA plan at $1,999, with the exam-by-exam pricing given as cpa: $1999. That figure covers 18 months of access, so the monthly cost lands far above the €18.59 median across the site. Treat it as a full-term purchase rather than an opening payment.
How long do I keep access to the course?+
Access runs 18 months from the start of the plan, and that window is the stand-out number: it ranks 1 out of 24 brands compared on access length. A long window helps part-time candidates who study in bursts and want room for another attempt inside the same term.
Other options to compare
Allied Schools
Surgent