Top CPA, CFA, PMP and nursing exam prep compared

About Top CPA, CFA, PMP and nursing exam prep compared

Professional exam prep is a market where the sticker price is only part of the decision. The rest is what the plan hands you: practice questions, full length mocks, live classes, and how long access lasts after you pay. Renewal matters just as much, because a cheap first payment can sit on top of a subscription that keeps billing. This ranking covers 32 brands offering preparation for professional and licensing exams, including nursing, real estate, business school and other state licensing tests. The main trade-off is between entry price and what the fee actually buys. A brand can undercut everyone on the opening payment and still offer fewer questions or a shorter access window, and another can sit near the top of the price range while bundling more material. We looked at price at entry, the terms attached to it, the size of the question bank and mock exam count, the length of access, and how each guarantee is written. The ranking shows brands from €11.39 at the low end to €2,191.53 at the high end, against a median starting price of €86.82.

How we picked

Every brand in this ranking is scored on three weighted measures. Cost carries a weight of 40%, offer carries 40%, and trust carries 20%. Cost looks at what you pay to enter, weighted against how the fee is structured and what you keep afterwards. Offer weighs the substance of the package: practice questions, full length tests, live classes, tutoring addons and access length. Trust looks at the score guarantee, the money back window and the support channels a candidate can actually reach. Prices, question counts, access months and guarantee terms were taken from each provider's own pricing pages, guarantee pages, terms and contact pages, and free trial pages where those exist. Brands are listed on their score, and where a partner status applied it would be placed first; in this ranking no partner entries appear, so the order runs on score alone. Rankings never treat an unlisted fact as a weakness: if a brand does not publish a number we can check, that silence is simply not scored.

Our top picks

1. 1. DRCertifications: best for top-pick

   DRCertifications opens this ranking because it combines a low entry price with the broadest support reach of any brand here. Its all in one NCLEX-RN plan lists NCLEX-RN: 19.99 USD with a starting price of $19.99, and access runs 12 months. The question bank holds 2,816 items across 19 full length tests, and the provider offers a free trial plus a 30 day money back guarantee on full refund. Support covers email, chat and phone, the widest spread in the ranking, and live classes are listed. The comparison with Allied Schools next is the sharpest one in this ranking: Allied Schools adds state approved pre licensing course hours, while DRCertifications sticks to a single nursing exam at a lower starting price. Both refund within 30 days.

   • Price from: $19.99
   • Prices by exam: NCLEX-RN: 19.99 USD
   • Access period: 12 months

   Pros

   • Entry at $19.99 is cheaper than Archer Review at $59 for the same nursing exam.
   • The study guide ships 2,816 practice questions.
   • The same guide adds 19 full length tests, so timed mocks and question drilling sit in a single pack.
   • Access runs 12 months from purchase, and live classes are part of that window.
   • Every purchase sits under a 30 day money-back guarantee with a full refund and no questions asked.

   Cons

   • Coverage is limited to nclex, so candidates outside nursing have to look elsewhere.
   • The catalogue holds 50 courses, and all of them sit in the same field.
   • The award is the completion certificate listed in completion, not a professional or university credit.
   • The promise behind money back is a refund, so a weaker score does not trigger a pass or higher score commitment.

2. 2. Allied Schools

   Allied Schools earns its place on what a licensing candidate actually has to complete, not only on practice questions. Its California real estate salesperson packages run from $68 for a single online course up through bundled options listed at 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, and the provider is state approved in CA. Founded in 1992 and run by Allied Schools, LLC from the US, it pairs live classes with support on email, chat and phone. Its Pass or Don't Pay promise reimburses the original package cost after a first attempt failure, with a 30 day claim window. Compared with DRCertifications above, the difference is scope: this ranking rewards Allied Schools for covering required pre licensing hours, while DRCertifications concentrates on NCLEX-RN practice. Testprep Training below, by contrast, drops course hours altogether.

   • Price from: $68
   • Free tier: No
   • Money-back period: 30 days

   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.
   • Support runs on email, chat and phone, wider than a single inbox and useful for learners working to a state exam date.
   • Courses are available in English and Spanish, and the provider has operated since 1992 under Allied Schools, LLC.

   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.
   • Starting price of $68 is higher than the entry cost of cheaper brands such as DRCertifications at $19.99, so price is the weak side of the offer.

3. 3. Testprep Training: best for lowest-price-from

   Testprep Training holds the lowest starting price in this ranking, opening at $12.99 against a category median of €86.82. That entry point buys individual practice exams for GMAT, GRE and PMP rather than a course, and the GMAT comprehensive exam alone carries 105 questions with a free practice test alongside it. Course bundles sold on Pro plans are priced separately, so the introductory figure does not describe the larger packages. A free trial is listed and refunds are money back, but the window is 7 days, well short of the 30 median, and claims must be started within a short period of the result with proof of failure. Support runs on email only, and live classes are listed as no, which is the trade-off against Allied Schools above.

   • Price from: $12.99
   • Prices by exam: gmat: $12.99 (GMAT Comprehensive Exam Practice Exam, 105 questions); gmat: FREE (GMAT Free Practice Test, 44 questions); any course: 5 courses $49.95, 10 courses $89.95, 20 courses $149.99 (Pro Plans)
   • Live classes: No

   Pros

   • Entry price of $12.99 sits well below Zebra Education at $49 and LSAT Lab at $65.
   • A free tier and a free trial are both listed, so the material can be sampled before any spend.
   • Tutor support and a team plan are both offered, which is unusual this close to the $12.99 entry point.
   • Assessments are part of the offer and the catalogue covers coding, data and it tracks, so one account serves coding, data and business learners.
   • The guarantee is a money-back arrangement rather than a score promise, recorded as money back.

   Cons

   • Live classes are not part of the offer, so no scheduled teaching sits behind the practice material.
   • Support runs on email only, so a phone line or live chat is not in the package.
   • The exam fee is not included on the it course, so exam day costs sit on top of $12.99.
   • The listed practice exam carries 105 questions, a thin bank against the 3,000 median across the site.

4. 4. Archer Review: best for highest-full-length-tests

   Archer Review takes the top spot on mock exam volume, listing 30 full length tests, the largest count in this ranking, on a question bank of 3,100. Nursing is the focus, with NCLEX-RN at nclex RN: $79 nclex PN: $59 and a starting price of $59, and access runs 1 to 6 months. A free trial, live classes and a tutoring addon are all listed. The catch sits in the guarantee: eligibility is narrow, requiring a first time Q-Bank user who meets stated Q-Bank and live review thresholds and records high scores, and the money back window is 1 day. Support is email only. Against NURSING.com below, Archer Review wins on mocks and loses on both refund length and question bank size.

   • Price from: $59
   • Prices by exam: nclex RN: $79 nclex PN: $59
   • Access period: 1 to 6 months

   Pros

   • The money back promise is the shared setup in this group, at 66.7% of listings, and Archer Review meets it with a 1 day claim window.
   • Access is sold as a window of 1 to 6 months, so the entry outlay can be matched to the test date rather than renewing each month.
   • A free trial lets a candidate weigh the question bank before paying, with a tutoring add-on there for anyone who wants more than self study.
   • Entry at $59 sits under $68 and carries 3,100 practice questions, 30 full length tests and live classes.

   Cons

   • Support runs on email only, so phone and chat are absent from a service bought against a fixed exam date.
   • The money back claim window is 1 day, far short of the 30-day recorded across this group.
   • Coverage is limited to nclex, so anyone sitting a different professional exam is looking elsewhere.
   • Entry at $59 ranks 22 of 65 on price, and cheaper entry points sit at $12.99 and $19.99.

5. 5. NURSING.com

   NURSING.com ranks here on the largest question bank in the ranking, 6,500 practice questions for NCLEX, with access running 1 to 3 months. Pricing is listed at nclex: from $39/mo with a starting price of $39, and the provider offers a free trial, live classes and a private tutoring addon. Founded in 2012 and operated by TazKai LLC d.b.a. NRSNG, it is the rare brand in this ranking whose guarantee pays more than the purchase price: pass the practice exam then fail the real one first attempt and the claim, filed inside a stated window, returns a doubled amount up to a cap. The trade off against Archer Review above is coverage: bigger bank, more generous promise, but no full length test count and support on email only.

   • Price from: $39
   • Prices by exam: nclex: from $39/mo
   • Access period: 1 to 3 months

   Pros

   • A money back guarantee is attached to the plan, with terms that pay a percentage back on the fee after a practice test pass followed by a failed first attempt.
   • A free trial lets you see the question bank before paying anything.
   • 6,500 questions sit behind one subscription, well above the site median of 3,000 and the category median of 3,100.
   • Live classes and a private tutoring addon are both available, though they sit outside the base plan.
   • Entry pricing of $39 lands above the site median of €18.59 yet below $68, a state licensing course aimed at a different exam entirely.

   Cons

   • Support runs through email, so a question about a study plan waits for a written reply.
   • Access is capped at 1 to 3 months, shorter than a candidate whose test date keeps slipping.
   • The catalogue covers nclex only, so anyone sitting another licence exam has nothing here to use.
   • Entry at $39 is well above DR Certifications at $19.99, which is hard to justify for question bank practice alone.

6. 6. Superior

   Superior appears in this ranking for licensing candidates who need the pre licensing coursework as much as the practice tests. Its North Carolina broker pre licensing package and related real estate options are listed at real-estate (NC broker pre-licensing, 75-hour online self-paced): $529; real-estate (NC Professional package): $639; real-estate (NC Ultimate Learning package): $949; real-estate (NC online exam prep course): $109; real-estate (NC exam crammer, livestream): $199; real-estate (NC exam prep workbook): $40, with a starting price of $40 on a workbook, and access runs 6 months. State approval covers NC and SC, live classes are listed, and support runs on email, phone and help centre. Founded in 2005, it refunds the original exam prep price after a first attempt failure and allows a course retake within a year at reduced tuition, all inside a 30 day window. Compared with NURSING.com above, the packages cost more and cover required hours, while NURSING.com leans on a larger question bank. The Princeton Review below widens to many exams but leaves state approval out.

   • Price from: $40
   • Price per year: $199
   • Free tier: Yes

   Pros

   • Live classes and assessments are both part of the offering rather than an extra
   • The catalogue holds 27 courses with 6 months of access each
   • Courses are state approved in North Carolina and South Carolina, keeping licence education in step with the state
   • A team plan covers brokerages and study groups buying continuing education for several people
   • Support runs on email, phone and help centre, with phone and email routes alongside a help centre

   Cons

   • The exam subject list is real estate, so candidates in other fields find nothing to take
   • The money back score promise (money back) applies to the exam prep purchase, and a broker pre-licensing course is retaken at a reduced tuition fee instead
   • Course access runs 6 months, so a slower study pace can outlast the window
   • Entry at $40 is the smallest ticket in the range, and a full pre-licensing course sits well above it

7. TP7. The Princeton Review

   The Princeton Review is the broadest option in this ranking, listing preparation for sat, act and gre across business, nursing and other exams, so a candidate can stay with one provider across several papers. Its published plans start at $299 with sat: $299 (SAT Self-Paced); sat + act: $499 (SAT & ACT Self-Paced) for self paced options, and access runs 12 months. Practice volume is listed at 3,700 questions and 9 full length tests, with live classes and a tutoring addon available. Founded in 1981 and run by TPR Education, LLC d/b/a The Princeton Review, it operates in US and CA and offers one of the longer refund windows at 60 days, though the guarantee applies to U.S. and Canada customers only. Against Superior above, it covers more exams but no state approval.

   • Price from: $299
   • Prices by exam: sat: $299 (SAT Self-Paced); sat + act: $499 (SAT & ACT Self-Paced)
   • Access period: 12 months

   Pros

   • A money back guarantee on eligible test prep programs, with a 60 day window and a free repeat of the program for US and Canadian students.
   • Breadth under one roof: sat, act and gre all sit within the same provider, spanning school and professional exams.
   • Study depth of 3,700 practice questions and 9 full length tests, with live classes and 12 months of access.
   • Tutoring is available as an add on rather than a separate search, drawing on 3,000 screened tutors who are background checked, with a free trial lesson in math, english and science.
   • Support runs on phone and help centre for learners in US and CA.

   Cons

   • Entry price of $299 sits well above Testprep Training at $12.99 and Zebra Education at $49.
   • There is no free tier, so the 14 day free trial and the free trial lesson are the whole no-cost taste.
   • Offline download is not offered, so every practice session needs a live connection.
   • Tutoring lands as extra spend on top of $299, with $39.99 to $179.99 subscriptions and lessons priced at $29.

8. BP8. Blueprint Prep

   Blueprint Prep ranks here on a guarantee structure that differs from the rest of the field. Instead of refunding on a failed first attempt, it offers a free extension period or a full refund if the score does not increase, and its refund window is 3 days, the shortest in this ranking. Listings cover lsat, mcat and nclex with prices at lsat: from $99/month mcat: from $999 nclex: $0 and a starting price of $99, access running 3 to 18 months. Practice volume is listed at 3,900 questions and 16 full length tests, the longest access window here, and live classes, a free trial and a tutoring addon are all listed. Founded in 2005. Compared with The Princeton Review above, more test volume and a longer window, but a much narrower refund safety net.

   • Price from: $99
   • Prices by exam: lsat: from $99/month mcat: from $999 nclex: $0
   • Access period: 3 to 18 months

   Pros

   • Practice volume of 3,900 questions and 16 full-length tests places Blueprint Prep at 8 of 27 on our data.
   • Live classes are part of the offer, and a tutoring add-on is available on top for extra help.
   • The higher-score guarantee offers a free extension period or a full refund if your score does not rise.
   • Support covers email, chat and phone, and money-back cover runs to 3 days.
   • Access windows of 3 to 18 months let you buy a short block or a longer run, and a free trial is offered.

   Cons

   • Entry price of $99 is far above Zebra Education at $49 and Testprep Training at $12.99.
   • Money-back cover of 3 days is short of the 30-day median across this group.
   • Exam coverage stops at lsat, mcat and nclex, so anyone targeting another test finds no track here.
   • Practice questions place it at 15 of 38, so the question bank is a mid-table draw rather than the main draw.

9. 9. CompuCram

   CompuCram sits in this ranking as a state licensing specialist with a clear pass condition attached to its money back promise. Prices are listed at real-estate sales (national portion, AMP/PSI/Pearson VUE): $69.00 real-estate sales (Florida, national + state): $109.00 real-estate broker (national portion): $69.00 appraisal (Certified Residential / Licensed Residential): $149.00 covering real estate sales, broker and appraisal exams, with a starting price of $69 and access running 6 months. The guarantee requires simulated exams at a stated passing grade and a state licensing attempt inside a set window, and it does not apply in Florida, Michigan, New Jersey or Tennessee, nor for the SAFE test. Refunds must be claimed within 5 days, the shortest tied window here. Support is strong at email, phone and chat, live classes are listed as no, and it operates in US. Versus Blueprint Prep above, cheaper tests and better support, but no live teaching.

   • Price from: $69
   • Prices by exam: real-estate sales (national portion, AMP/PSI/Pearson VUE): $69.00 real-estate sales (Florida, national + state): $109.00 real-estate broker (national portion): $69.00 appraisal (Certified Residential / Licensed Residential): $149.00
   • Access period: 6 months

   Pros

   • Entry pricing of $69 for 6 months of access, with practice questions at 3,100 against a site median of 3,000
   • The score guarantee is money back, a promise only 54% of the wider field makes
   • A free trial, so a free practice exam can be worked before any plan is bought
   • Support runs on email, phone and chat, covering phone and chat as well as email

   Cons

   • Access runs 6 months, shorter than rivals in a group where the median is 6 full length tests or more
   • Live classes: no, and the refund window of 5 days is well under the group median of 14 days
   • Coverage is limited to real estate licences, so anyone chasing another exam has to buy elsewhere
   • Price starts well above drcertifications at $19.99 and testpreptraining at $12.99

10. 10. Hurst Review

    Hurst Review closes this ranking on the strength of its refund window and a long operating history, not on being the cheapest option. Its NCLEX plans are listed at nclex: $159 - $399 with a starting price of $159, access running 1 to 4 months, and a free trial plus live classes. Founded in 1988, it operates in US and CA and lists 2,000 practice questions with 4 full length tests. Support runs on phone and help centre. The guarantee requires completing the review in full and testing within a set period of graduation, with notification inside a short window of a failure, which makes it stricter than a simple first attempt refund. Against CompuCram above, the money back terms are more generous on time but conditioned on finishing the programme.

    • Price from: $159
    • Prices by exam: nclex: $159 - $399
    • Access period: 1 to 4 months

    Pros

    • A score guarantee of money back covers the NCLEX, and the terms ask for the full review plus a test within a set window of graduation and notice within a short period after a fail.
    • Live classes are part of the package rather than an add on, a feature shared by 89.7% of the brands in this group.
    • A free trial lets you work through the material and the class schedule before paying, which 85.7% of brands here also offer.
    • The catalogue is deliberately narrow, with nclex as the sole exam, so all 2,000 practice questions target the same test instead of being spread across subjects.

    Cons

    • Practice questions sit at 2,000, under the 3,100 typical in this group, and 4 full length tests trail the 6 median.
    • Entry fees for Hurst Now RN All at $159 sit well above DRCertifications at $19.99 and Testprep Training at $12.99, with the brand placed at 39 of 65 on entry price.
    • Support runs on phone and help centre only, so candidates who prefer live chat will have to look elsewhere.
    • The catalogue is limited to nclex, so anyone preparing for a different exam needs a second provider.

What to look for

Check what the first payment covers

Entry price is the clearest number on any exam prep page, but it is only comparable if the plan behind it is the same. Compare the starting price against the median starting price across this ranking of €86.82 and the lower quartile of €35.08, and treat anything far under the €437.60 upper quartile as a signal to read the renewal terms closely.

Read the refund window, not just the refund promise

A guarantee means little without a deadline attached. The typical money back window in this category runs 5.5 days at the low end to 30 days at the high, with a median of 30 days. Check whether the claim must be filed inside that window and whether the guarantee attaches to first attempts only.

Count questions and full length mocks

Volume matters most when you are timing practice against a real exam day. Providers in this ranking sit at a median of 3,100 practice questions, between 1,600 and 5,500, and full length tests run from 3 to 12.5 around a median of 6.

Ask how long access lasts

Access length decides whether a single payment covers one exam sitting or a second attempt. Access periods in this field run to 3 to 18 months at the top of the recorded range, with subscription style access commonly running on a monthly or term basis rather than open ended.

Confirm the exam is actually covered

A provider can look broad and still concentrate on one test. NCLEX prep appears in 28.1% of the brands here, real estate in 34.4%, PMP in 21.9%, GMAT in 18.8% and CFA in 12.5%. Check the named exam, and any state or module limits, before paying.

Look for live teaching and a trial

Most candidates here run live classes, at 89.7% against 10.3% without, and offer a free trial at 85.7%. Live sessions plus a trial give you a chance to judge teaching before the fee, which matters most for the harder professional papers.

Frequently asked questions

Top CPA, CFA, PMP and nursing exam prep compared by country

• Canada
• United States

The data behind this ranking

All data and the CSV