The Securities Institute review
Updated September 30, 2026 · AcademyCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 30, 2026
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Our verdict
The Securities Institute suits people preparing for securities exams who want a low entry price, a refund window and one-to-one tutoring in the same place. The SIE exam video package opens at $85, and access runs 6 to 12 months from purchase.
Key facts
- Best for
- Budget-minded candidates for securities and business exams who want video study plus tutoring.
- Price from
- $85 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Free tier
- Yes (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Money-back period
- 7 days (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Platform type
- Curated (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Course languages
- English (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Access period
- 6 to 12 months (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Graded assessments
- Yes (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Team plan
- Yes (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Legal entity
- The Securities Institute of America, Inc. (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Headquarters
- United States (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Founded
- 1996 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Support channels
- Email, Chat, Phone, Help-centre, Community (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Subjects
- Business
- Official website
- securitiesce.com
Tutoring
- Subscription price
- $129 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Tutor vetting
- Screened (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Cancellation notice
- 72 hours (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Satisfaction guarantee
- GreenLight Guarantee: refund of purchase price if you do not pass after taking the GreenLight exam (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Legal entity
- The Securities Institute of America, Inc. (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Headquarters
- United States (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Founded
- 1996 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Support channels
- Email, Chat, Phone, Help-centre, Community (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Subjects
- Business
- Lesson format
- 1to1, Group, Mobile app
Apps and profiles
- Get the app
- Google Play
- Elsewhere
- LinkedInXfacebook.com
Pros and cons
Pros
- Entry packages start at $85, below the €45.38 monthly mark on the site
- Courses include assessments, matching what 98.9% of platforms offer
- Private tutoring covers one-to-one, group and app formats with screened tutors
- Support spans email, chat and phone, wider than the 71.9% share running help centres alone
Cons
- The refund window of 7 days is shorter than the 30-day top end seen across the site
- Access is capped at 6 to 12 months from purchase, so study has a deadline
- Course material is listed in English only
- A subscription of $129 buys tutoring, while the entry package starts at $85 with no tutoring attached
Who it suits
- Candidates sitting securities and business exams who want video prep plus tutoring in one place
- Learners who want a firm deadline on study rather than an open-ended subscription
- Budget buyers who will use the free tier before paying $85
Who should look elsewhere
- People wanting subjects beyond business, since business is the only area listed
- Buyers who need a long refund window, because 7 days is shorter than the 30-day top end on the site
What it does well
The Securities Institute builds its catalogue around one subject, business, and its exam preparation is practical rather than academic. Courses include assessments, so you can test yourself before sitting the real thing. Access lasts 6 to 12 months from purchase, which gives a clear finishing point rather than an open-ended subscription. There is a free tier for trying the material, and a team plan for people studying with colleagues or a firm. Beyond self study, private tutoring runs alongside the course content with one-to-one, group and app formats, and tutors are screened. Course material is delivered in English, so learners outside English-speaking markets should check that first.
Where it sits among rivals
Measured on price, this brand sits at 127 out of 220 listed platforms, which places entry pricing in the middle of the comparison group rather than at either extreme. On the refund period, it ranks 120 out of 159. Both positions come from the same set of comparison figures, so the read is straightforward: the price is competitive and the refund window is short relative to the field. Buyers who put weight on a longer cooling-off period should look further down the ranking before paying, since the stated 7 days sits under the 30-day top end seen across the site.
Free plan and trial
There is a free tier, and a team plan alongside it for groups studying together. Free material is the sensible first step, because the paid entry point is $85 and tutoring is a separate $129 subscription. On refunds, the stated period is 7 days, which is the number to weigh against the free tier: if the free content leaves you undecided, nothing has been spent, and if you pay, the refund window is the limit on how long you can think.
Who runs it
The provider is The Securities Institute of America, Inc., based in the United States and operating since 1996. That length of trading matters for exam prep, where course material has to track regulation changes rather than sell a fixed playlist. Support runs through email, chat and phone, covering both self-service and direct contact. For an exam candidate, the practical question is whether questions about content or tutoring can reach a human quickly, and the stated channels suggest both routes exist. The business focus is narrow: business is the only subject area listed, which concentrates the catalogue but limits options for mixed-interest learners.
How The Securities Institute compares
9.1 vs 9.0
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9.1 vs 9.1
9.1 vs 8.7
Frequently asked questions
What does the cheapest Securities Institute package cost?+
The SIE exam complete video package is listed at $85. That price covers the video course itself, not tutoring. Tutoring is sold separately as a subscription at $129, so learners who want both pay for two things.
How long do I get to study after buying a course?+
Access runs 6 to 12 months from purchase rather than lasting indefinitely. Plan your exam date before you buy so the study window lines up with your sitting. After the window closes, the deadline falls on you, not on the provider.
Is there a free tier?+
Yes, there is a free tier, and the site also lists a team plan for learners studying with colleagues. Free material is useful for weighing the format before paying for $85 or the $129 tutoring subscription. No paid trial length is stated for the paid plans.
What is the refund policy?+
The stated refund period is 7 days. That is shorter than the 30-day upper range of refund periods across the site, so decide early if you are unsure the exam is right for you.
Can I cancel my subscription?+
Cancellation requests are handled within 72 hours, according to the stated terms. Tutors are described as screened, so support staff can check the scheduling behind your plan before the next session.
Does tutoring come with the course?+
Tutoring is listed as a separate subscription at $129. Course content starts at $85 and includes assessments, so you can study on your own first and add tutoring later if the questions pile up.
Who is behind the brand?+
The provider is The Securities Institute of America, Inc., headquartered in the United States and founded in 1996. Support runs through email, chat and phone, so questions about exam content or tutoring hours can go to a person rather than a ticket queue.
What is the pass promise on tutoring?+
There is a satisfaction guarantee on the tutoring product: the GreenLight Guarantee returns the purchase price if you do not pass after taking the GreenLight exam. It applies to the tutoring package, so check whether the course you want carries the same cover.
Sources
- securitiesce.com checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Lesson format, Platform type, Subjects
“On-Demand Private Tutoring; Onsite FINRA Exam Prep Classes; FINRA Exam Prep Mobile Apps”
- securitiesce.com/about-us checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Founded, Legal entity
“In 1996, The Securities Institute of America is founded”
- securitiesce.com/contact-us checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Headquarters
“Monday-Friday: 9am to 6pm * Eastern Time”
- securitiesce.com/faqs checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Access period, Cancellation notice, Course languages, Money-back period, Support channels
“Single purchase products and single exam packages offer 6 months of unlimited access”
- securitiesce.com/free-stuff checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Free tier, Team plan
“Free 5-Part Securities Exam Prep Course”
- securitiesce.com/private-tutoring-for-securities-exams checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Tutor vetting
“All of our instructors are either current or former industry practitioners and have an average of 15 years experience”
- securitiesce.com/products/sie-exam/complete-video-package checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Graded assessments, Price from
“Take practice tests and randomized simulated final exams”
- securitiesce.com/products/tutoring/totalgenius checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Satisfaction guarantee, Subscription price
“Pass our GreenLight exam within 5 days of your actual exam, and if you do not pass we will refund your money.”
Compiled from 8 source pages, checked September 30, 2026. We did not open an account.
Related by the facts
The Securities Institute
Budget-minded candidates for securities and business exams who want video study plus tutoring.