Top online CPR and first aid courses compared

About Top online CPR and first aid courses compared

This ranking covers 15 providers of online CPR and first aid certification, and the entry price is only the start of the decision. Entry fees here run €8.77 to €86.82, with a median of €21.92, yet the certificate comes back on the same clock at every brand, renewing after 2 years, so the next purchase is as real a cost as this one. The main trade-off is study time against money and support. The shortest courses in the list run 0.5 to 1 hour while the longest ask for 1 to 8 hours, and that spread shows up in the entry price, the support channels and the length of the refund window. The exam fee sits inside the course price at every brand listed, so nothing is added at the end. Most of these courses run online, a small group also offers in person and hybrid routes, and the content follows AHA guidelines, which matters when an employer or a licensing body names that standard. Read the plan, the renewal cycle and the support channels together, because the cheapest entry price here does not stay the cheapest overall.

How we picked

Each provider here is scored on signals chosen for this category rather than for general course shopping. Cost carries 40%, offer carries 40% and trust carries 20%, so a low entry price sitting on a thin course does not outrank a slightly dearer option that includes more. Cost reads the published entry price, the certificate type, whether the exam fee sits inside that price, the length of the course, the renewal cycle, the money back window and the support channels listed. Offer covers delivery format, accreditation against AHA guidelines, whether a practicum forms part of the route, tutor support and course length. Trust adds the legal entity behind the brand, its headquarters country and the markets it serves. Prices, course length, renewal cycle, accreditation, delivery and the exam fee come from each provider's own course and policy pages, while the guarantee, the entity and the support details come from its refund, terms and contact pages. Partners are listed first, and the rest follow in score order.

Our top picks

1. AH1. American Health Care Academy

   American Health Care Academy takes the slot after Advanced Medical Certification in this ranking by returning to the low price band and naming its standard. Its CPR course costs $14.95, runs 1 to 2 hours online, includes the exam fee and follows AHA guidelines, which matters for employers who specify that standard. It serves US, renewal comes every 2 years, and a tutor is on hand. LearnTastic Solutions, the brand ranked after it, charges $10 for a longer 4 hour course and adds email and a help centre. The con here is contact, since support runs on chat and phone only, and the route carries no practicum.

   • Certification type: Cpr
   • Price from: $14.95
   • Course hours: 1 to 2 hours

   Pros

   • Fees run $14.95, which sits below the €130.67 yearly floor typical of career certification listings, so the entry bill is small.
   • Course length is 1 to 2 hours, shorter than the 4 hours and 3 hours of the named alternatives.
   • The exam fee is included, which matches the pattern across CPR and first aid listings and avoids a separate assessment charge.
   • Support runs on chat and phone and tutor support is included, so a learner stuck on the material can reach someone while studying.
   • The certificate follows aha guidelines and runs in the US market, giving a clear standard to check against a local card requirement.

   Cons

   • Practicum is not included, so anyone whose workplace or licence requires supervised compressions and breaths has to source that practice elsewhere.
   • Study time is 1 to 2 hours, which can feel thin beside the 3 hours offered by American BLS and the 4 hours at ACLS Now.
   • Certification is valid for 2 years, so the same fee recurs on a fixed cycle rather than once.
   • The course runs in the US market only, which limits its use for readers who need a certificate valid outside the United States.

2. 2. National CPR Foundation: best for top pick

   National CPR Foundation opens this ranking because it pairs a low entry price with a short course and a full money back window. Its CPR certification is priced at $12.95, runs online for 0.5 to 1 hours, includes the exam fee and renews every 2 years, so the first payment is small and the certificate does not come round quickly. The 30 day guarantee leaves room to finish and decide. The trade-off sits with support, which runs on email and help centre only, so no phone line sits in that list. ACLS Now, the brand ranked next, is priced at $14.95 and answers through chat, phone and a tutor across a longer 4 hour course.

   • Certification type: Cpr
   • Price from: $12.95
   • Course hours: 0.5 to 1 hour

   Pros

   • The $12.95 entry price sits below $14.95 at ACLS Now, $14.95 at American BLS and $14.95 at American CPR Care Association.
   • The exam fee is included, so the $12.95 entry price covers the assessment as well as the course material.
   • Study time of 0.5 to 1 hours suits a refresher, and the course is delivered online for people who cannot attend classes.
   • It ranks at position 2 of 87 on entry price across the brands compared, so the low cost holds up in context.
   • Only 20% of providers in this category offer in-person delivery, so an online course is the norm rather than a compromise.

   Cons

   • The course carries no practicum, so compressions and breaths are never demonstrated to an assessor.
   • Support runs on email and help centre only, with no phone line or live chat for urgent questions.
   • Study time of 0.5 to 1 hours is well under the 4 hour median for this category, so it suits refreshers rather than deep study.

3. AN3. ACLS Now

   ACLS Now takes the slot behind National CPR Foundation in this ranking by offering more contact for a similar outlay. Its CPR certification costs $14.95 and is delivered online over 4 hours, with the exam fee inside the price and renewal every 2 years. Support is the reason it edges past the brand ranked after it: email, chat and phone reach a tutor as well as the account team, and American BLS, at the same $14.95, matches that tutor support but shortens the course to 3 hours. The con for anyone who needs supervised practice is that the route carries no practicum. Pay a little more than the cheapest brand and you get a longer course and a live answer when the material stops making sense.

   • Certification type: Cpr
   • Price from: $14.95
   • Course hours: 4 hours

   Pros

   • Entry price of $14.95 puts the brand at 4 of 87 on price from across the category
   • The exam fee is included, so the course price covers the assessment as well as the material
   • Access lasts 2 months from purchase, giving a clear window to finish the work and sit the test
   • Tutor support is offered, and support runs on email, chat and phone
   • A free tier is offered, so the format can be sampled before any payment

   Cons

   • There is no practicum, so the course carries no supervised hands on skills session
   • Course length is 4 hours, shorter than the 3 hours run by American BLS online
   • A certificate costs $9.95 to $238 depending on the option chosen, on top of the course price
   • Delivery is online, so there is no in person option for anyone who needs supervised practice

4. 4. American BLS

   American BLS sits in this ranking because it holds the same entry price as ACLS Now while shortening the course and adding a help centre. Its BLS certification costs $14.95, runs online for 3 hours with the exam fee included, renews every 2 years and carries a 30 day guarantee. Support spans phone, email and help centre with tutor support on hand. Against American CPR Care Association, the next brand in line, the choice is delivery: this route is limited to online, while that brand adds in person and hybrid study for the same $14.95. Neither carries a practicum, so supervised practice has to be arranged elsewhere.

   • Certification type: Cpr
   • Price from: $14.95
   • Course hours: 3 hours

   Pros

   • The BLS certification course starts at $14.95, and the exam fee is part of that price rather than a charge added at the end.
   • Tutor support is included, which matters in a course of 3 hours because there is little room to get stuck on a protocol detail.
   • Support runs on phone, email and help centre, so a stuck learner has several routes to a person.
   • A money back window of 30 days covers a buyer who finds the course is not for them, and renewal comes round every 2 years.

   Cons

   • There is no practicum, so anyone who needs supervised compressions or a witnessed skills check should look at a provider that includes one.
   • 3 hours is shorter than the 4 hours at ACLS Now and the 4 hours at American CPR Care Association, so there is less course length to show an employer.
   • Entry sits above National CPR Foundation, which lists $12.95 against the $14.95 asked for the BLS certification course here.
   • Renewal comes due every 2 years, so the BLS certification course price of $14.95 has to be budgeted again each cycle.

5. 5. American CPR Care Association

   American CPR Care Association earns its place in this ranking as the flexible option inside the low price group. Its CPR course costs $14.95, runs 4 hours with the exam fee included, and delivery runs online, in person and hybrid, so the same certificate can be studied online, in a room or in a mix. Support reaches email, phone and chat and a tutor, with a 30 day guarantee and renewal every 2 years. The brand ranked after it, Advanced Medical Certification, charges $59 for a comparable CPR course and answers with a much longer money back window instead of extra formats. The con is that the route carries no practicum.

   • Certification type: Cpr
   • Price from: $14.95
   • Course hours: 4 hours

   Pros

   • Entry fees of $14.95 with the exam fee included in the course price
   • Course length of 4 hours suits a tight schedule
   • Delivery runs online, in person and hybrid, so teams can pick the format
   • Tutor support is available, and renewal falls every 2 years
   • A money back window of 30 days sits above the group median of 30 days

   Cons

   • No practicum, so the course stays study based rather than hands on
   • Course hours of 4 hours trail American BLS at 3 hours
   • Entry fees of $14.95 sit above National CPR Foundation at $12.95
   • The provider is based in US, so it sits outside non US requirements

6. 6. Advanced Medical Certification

   Advanced Medical Certification sits in the middle of this ranking because it sells certainty rather than the lowest ticket. Its CPR course is online, priced at $59, with the exam fee included, tutor support and a 180 day money back window, the longest here, and renewal every 2 years. Against American Health Care Academy, the brand ranked next, entry runs $14.95 against $59, and the extra spend buys refund room rather than more contact hours. The route carries no practicum, which keeps the study online but leaves supervised practice to the learner. Pick it when the guarantee matters more than the starting price.

   • Certification type: Cpr
   • Price from: $59
   • Teaching practicum: No

   Pros

   • The exam fee is included, so Advanced Medical Certification's $59 covers the assessment as well as the course itself.
   • A 180 day money-back window runs well past the 30 day median for this category.
   • Tutor support comes with the course, and help runs on email, chat and phone, while only 46.7% of providers in this ranking offer chat.
   • Specialist focus: the provider is built around cpr training, the single focus for 100% of the brands in this ranking.

   Cons

   • Practicum is not included, so the practical side of CPR has to be arranged and paid for elsewhere.
   • Entry fees of $59 sit above National CPR Foundation at $12.95 and ACLS Now at $14.95.
   • Certification is recertified every 2 years, so a long working life means paying again on a short cycle.
   • Study is online only, so anyone who wants supervised classroom hours should look at a provider that runs in-person sessions.

7. LS7. LearnTastic Solutions

   LearnTastic Solutions appears in this ranking because it is one of the cheapest ways into a CPR certificate and still names a standard. Its healthcare provider CPR training costs $10, runs 4 hours online with the exam fee included, follows AHA guidelines and renews every 2 years. Support is broad, email, chat and phone, and the entity behind the brand is LearnTastic LLC in the US. What weighs against it is the refund window and the route: the money back window is 10 days where ProCPR, the brand ranked next, offers 30 days, and the course carries no practicum. ProCPR also runs online, in person and hybrid at $39.95, so the extra spend there buys schedule flexibility and supervised practice.

   • Price from: $10
   • Price per year: $159
   • Free tier: Yes

   Pros

   • Entry plans start at $10, under DRCertifications at $19.99 and Academy for Health and Fitness at £25.
   • A free tier is offered, so looking over 1,200 courses costs nothing before you pay.
   • The annual LearnTastic plan runs $159 for 12 months of access, and assessments are included.
   • Support runs on email, chat and phone, and a team plan is offered for group buyers.

   Cons

   • The money back window is 10 days, under the 14 day median for platforms on this site.
   • The CPR course runs 4 hours and carries no practicum, so anyone needing supervised skills practice has to source it elsewhere.
   • Subjects are limited to business and it, so coding and data learners take little from this catalogue.

8. 8. ProCPR

   ProCPR is the practical choice in this ranking and the only brand here whose route includes supervised practice. Its CPR course costs $39.95, runs 1 to 8 hours with the exam fee included, follows AHA guidelines and is delivered online, in person and hybrid. The company behind it is ProTrainings LLC, working since 2003, support reaches email, chat and phone, the guarantee runs 30 days and renewal comes every 2 years. National CPR Association, the brand ranked after it, costs $29.95, runs online only and carries no practicum, so ProCPR earns the higher slot for anyone who needs a room and a manikin. The trade-off is price, and the money goes on access rather than content.

   • Certification type: Cpr
   • Price from: $39.95
   • Course hours: 1 to 8 hours

   Pros

   • A practicum is part of the course, so the card carries practical skills work rather than reading alone.
   • The exam fee is included, so the assessment adds no charge after the course is finished.
   • Course hours run 1 to 8 hours, holding a short refresher and a longer programme in the same catalogue.
   • The 30 day money back window matches the 30-day median for listings in this category.
   • Study formats cover online, in person and hybrid, so the same card works for someone who needs in-person practice and someone on a tight schedule.

   Cons

   • Entry price of $39.95 sits above National CPR Foundation at $12.95 and ACLS Now at $14.95.
   • Renewal returns every 2 years, so the same card is a repeating cost and not a purchase made once.
   • Course hours run 1 to 8 hours, so no single set duration applies and an employer checking a required length has to check each listing.
   • Only aha guidelines is listed as accreditation, so an employer asking for a different certifying body is not served by this card.

9. 9. National CPR Association

   National CPR Association holds a place in this ranking on a balance of price and reach rather than one standout feature. Its CPR certification costs $29.95, runs online with the exam fee included, follows AHA guidelines and renews every 2 years, serving US. Support covers email, phone and help centre and includes tutor support. Simple CPR, the brand ranked after it, is cheaper at $19.95 with a shorter 0.5 to 1 hour course, but its money back window is 14 days and support runs on phone and help centre. The con is the outlay, which sits above the cheapest brands here, and the route carries no practicum.

   • Certification type: Cpr
   • Price from: $29.95
   • Teaching practicum: No

   Pros

   • The exam fee is bundled into the course, so $29.95 is the whole cost of the certificate rather than a starting figure with a charge to pay at the end.
   • Tutor support comes with the course, the same as 85.7% of the courses in this ranking.
   • Study is online throughout, so buying the $29.95 course means no travel, no timetable and no booked classroom.
   • The listed accreditation is aha guidelines, the most common basis in this CPR ranking, which makes the card straightforward to compare with the alternatives.
   • Support is easy to reach on email, phone and help centre at a provider ranked 16 of 87 on entry price.

   Cons

   • The $29.95 entry price is above the National CPR Foundation course at $12.95 and the ACLS Now course at $14.95.
   • The practicum is not part of the course, so anyone who needs supervised in-person assessment has to look at a provider running sessions in person.
   • The listed market is US, so the card sits outside the reach of employers who ask for certification issued in their own country.
   • Renewal falls due every 2 years, which turns the $29.95 entry price into a repeating line item for as long as the work continues.

10. SC10. Simple CPR

    Simple CPR closes this ranking as a compact option for anyone who wants the certificate without a long block of study. Its CPR AED certification costs $19.95, runs 0.5 to 1 hours online with the exam fee included, follows AHA guidelines and renews every 2 years. The company behind it is Simple Training, Inc., working since 2004, and delivery is online. Where it gives ground is after the purchase: support runs on phone and help centre only, and the money back window is 14 days against a median of 30 days in this category. The route also carries no practicum. National CPR Association, ranked above it, costs more but adds tutor support and a wider channel list.

    • Certification type: Cpr
    • Price from: $19.95
    • Course hours: 0.5 to 1 hour

    Pros

    • The Adult CPR and AED course is priced from $19.95 with the exam fee included, so there is no second bill for the assessment.
    • It is quick: 0.5 to 1 hours of study, short enough to finish in a single sitting.
    • Its accreditation is the latest AHA guidelines (aha guidelines) and the certificate lasts 2 years.
    • A 14 day money back window makes an online purchase low risk, and support runs on phone and help centre if a question comes up.

    Cons

    • The course has no practicum, so compression depth and AED pad placement are demonstrated on screen rather than practised under supervision.
    • The entry price is higher than the field, with National CPR Foundation starting at $12.95 and American BLS at $14.95.
    • At 0.5 to 1 hours the course sits well below the category median of 4 hours, so it reads as a refresher rather than a first course.
    • The certificate lasts 2 years, so you are back on the books sooner than with a longer validity card, and the same course price applies each cycle.

What to look for

Entry price and what it covers

The entry fee here has a median of €21.92 and runs from €8.77 to €86.82. Every brand includes the exam fee, with 100% across the ranking, so the advertised price is the whole first payment rather than a deposit.

The renewal clock and the refund window

A CPR certificate is a repeat purchase, not a one off, so the brand chosen now is the brand renewed later. The refund window shows how much room there is around each payment, and the median in this ranking is 30 days.

Course length against price

Course length here sits at a median of 4 hours, with the shortest at 3 hours and the longest at 4 hours. Shorter routes sit at the low end of the price range and longer ones higher, so the hours you commit to should match the practice you actually want.

The standard the content follows

The content across this ranking follows AHA guidelines, with 100% stated. That name is what employers, licensing bodies and insurers ask for, so check the provider states it before paying rather than assuming a CPR card carries it.

Supervised practice

A practicum forms part of the route at 13.3% of the brands here, with the rest written study plus an online exam. If your work needs supervised practice on a manikin, this line narrows the shortlist before price does.

Support you can actually reach

Phone and email are the norm, with help centres also common: phone reaches 73.3% and help centres 80% of the brands listed. Tutor support comes from 85.7%, which is the real difference for anyone who wants questions answered while studying.

Frequently asked questions

Top online CPR and first aid courses compared by country

• Canada
• United States

The data behind this ranking

All data and the CSV