Best CPA Prep Courses of 2023

Becker CPA Review is our pick for the best CPA prep course

Updated April 18, 2023

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A Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license is a highly sought-after credential in the accounting industry, but less than 50% of the 1.4 million U.S. accountants have one. Why? Because the biggest hurdle in obtaining a CPA license is taking the CPA Exam. According to the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA), the cumulative pass rate of 2022 for each of the four sections of the CPA Exam ranged from 41% to about 60%.

What's so hard about it? Each section of the CPA Exam focuses on a specific area of accounting and requires candidates to display a deep understanding of that subject area. The sections are Auditing and Attestation (AUD), Business Environment and Concepts (BEC), Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR), and Regulation (REG). Candidates are given only an 18-month window to pass all four sections.

With such a time crunch and an overwhelming amount of content to digest, it's worth signing up for a CPA Exam prep course. These prep courses make studying less daunting by helping candidates map out an exam schedule with target dates and breaking the material down into bite-size pieces. They also offer a variety of modalities to accommodate various learning styles (online tutoring, chat, in-person lectures, etc.).

We assessed 10 companies before choosing our top five recommendations, taking into consideration cost, content delivery methods, the number of multiple-choice questions offered, the availability of graded practice exams, and the ability to demo the product before purchasing.

The 5 Best CPA Prep Courses of 2023

Best Overall: Becker CPA Review
Runner-Up, Best Overall: UWorld Roger CPA Review
Best Artificial Intelligence Tools: Surgent CPA Review
Best Value: Gleim CPA Review
Best Price: Ninja CPA Review

Best Overall : Becker CPA Review

Why We Chose It

Historically, Becker has been the most popular and trusted CPA exam prep course on the market. Becker provides students with peace of mind knowing that the largest CPA firms in the world trust Becker to prepare their employees for the CPA exam.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Strong reputation
Simulated practice exams that mimic the actual exam
Smartphone app and video game
Live class option

Cons

Lectures can be long and boring
Relatively expensive
No audio classes

Overview

With roots dating back to 1957, Becker CPA Review was one of the first CPA review courses. All Big Four accounting firms use Becker, which has a reputation for being the CPA Exam prep world leader. It offers four tiers of courses: Advantage ($2,499), Premium ($3,199), Pro ($3,899), and Concierge ($5,999). However, deals and discounts are frequently offered on its website, and the company also offers financing options.

Courses are self-paced. Students can either watch recorded videos or tune in for live online lectures; no audio-only lectures are available. There are 7,400 multiple-choice questions, 500 task-based simulations, and 275 hours of video lectures. There are also 400-plus SkillMaster videos that walk students through practice problem solutions.

If you're stuck on a problem, real-person support is available in person through online tutoring and the online chat feature. Additionally, a smartphone app (4.8 stars on Google Play and 4.8 stars on iTunes) and video game, Becker Accounting for Empires, make learning fun and available anywhere.

Becker CPA Review offers a 14-day free trial with unlimited access to course materials. The company offers a money-back guarantee.

Based on self-reporting of its exam prep students, Becker claims a 94% pass rate in 2020, and it boasts that more than 90% of all Watts Sells Award winners from the Accounting Institute for Success are Becker students. This national award recognizes the highest performing students who pass the exam.

Runner-Up, Best Overall : UWorld Roger CPA Review

Why We Chose It

Even though Roger CPA Review doesn't have as large of a question bank as some of the other courses on this list, the engaging lectures will give you fun ways to remember challenging topics. Roger CPA Review is great for students who typically have trouble focusing during lectures and are also looking for a more affordable option.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Engaging and funny lectures
More affordable than the competition
Audio lectures
SmartPath technology predicts learning needs

Cons

UWorld app used for data-driven learning is not user friendly
Multiple-choice question test bank is smaller than others
Lectures cover high-level topics and are less detailed

Overview

Roger Philipp created Roger CPA Review in 2003 with the goal of making studying for the CPA Exam more enjoyable. It offers three four-part CPA review courses: Premier ($3,299), Elite-Unlimited ($3,699), and Elite Unlimited + ($3,899). However, deals and discounts are frequently offered on its website. It also offers an Individual Review ($599 each) for unlimited access and ($499 each) for six month access for students who want to purchase courses one exam at a time. Financing options are available.

The courses are self-paced, with recorded video and audio lectures available to suit learning styles. Roger CPA Review offers no live courses. There are more than 6,000 multiple-choice questions along with more than 100 hours of video lectures. Real-person support is available through its chat software.

In the past, the UWorld Roger app earned significantly lower review scores (less than four stars from both Google Play and App Store) than its competitors' apps due to cumbersome functionality and various limitations especially concerning video. However, the app received a series of updates in 2020 to fix these bugs, and user reviews now rave about its easy navigation and user-friendly features (4.3 stars on Google Play and 4.4 stars on iTunes).

Roger CPA Review has a 91% CPA exam pass rate, thanks to SmartPath technology that uses artificial intelligence to predict learning needs. With the Elite package, access to course materials is unlimited until you pass (18-month access with Premier), and they offer a money-back guarantee.

Best Artificial Intelligence Tools : Surgent CPA Review

Why We Chose It

Surgent CPA Review provides students with AI software to determine exactly what topics need to be covered. This ensures the shortest study time. Its advanced online technological tools set it apart from the others.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Focuses on short lectures for efficient studying
ReadySCORE technology provides exam score predictions and identifies weak testing areas
Audio course available to listen on the go with the Ultimate Pass
CPA Exam success coach sessions

Cons

Recorded lectures only—no live classes
Requires a lengthy initial diagnostic quiz

Overview

While Surgent Professional Education has been around since 1985, Surgent CPA Review is a relatively new program founded in 2013. It offers three four-part CPA review courses: Essentials ($999), Premier ($1,599), and Ultimate ($1,999). Financing options are available for all plans, and Surgent offers discounts regularly.

The courses are self-paced. Recorded video lectures are offered, but there are no live courses, though there are live webinars to attend in preparation for the exam. The library has more than 8,200 multiple-choice questions, 450 simulations, and 350 video lectures. Support is available via live chat, email, and phone.

Surgent CPA Review has an 92% CPA Exam pass rate. Much of this is credited to its proprietary technology, ReadySCORE—an artificial intelligence tool that targets weak study areas, so students effectively focus their study time. Access to course materials is unlimited, and the company offers a money-back guarantee with a 15-day free trial.

Best Value : Gleim CPA Review

Why We Chose It

Gleim wins for best value because it offers over 3,000 more test questions for the same price compared to the next most affordable option ($1,599).

Pros and Cons

Pros

Affordable
Support from a personal counselor for tailored learning
Large library of questions and task-based simulations
Optional test question bank add-on purchase

Cons

No offline lecture option
Video lectures could be more engaging
Overly detailed studying tools can be overwhelming

Overview

Dr. Irvin Gleim published his first CPA Review book in 1974. His goal was to offer an inclusive self-study option for those who couldn’t afford a live review course. Gleim offers two four-part CPA review courses: Traditional ($1,599) and Premium ($1,999). It also offers a Mega Test Bank ($999) for students who only want to purchase practice questions and simulations. Financing options are available for its programs.

The courses are self-paced. Recorded video and audio lectures are offered, but no live sessions. Gleim has more than 10,000 multiple-choice questions, 1,300 task-based simulations, and 350 simulations with exhibits.

Gleim claims a pass rate of 91% and a customer satisfaction rate of 99%. Real-person support is available through personal coaching as well as accounting expert support. Access to course materials is unlimited, and it offers a money-back guarantee.

Best Price : Ninja CPA Review

Why We Chose It

Ninja CPA Review works nicely as an inexpensive supplement to an online course. This is an efficient studying tool that can be used as your main course but serves best as an auxiliary study aid with an excellent online support community.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Blueprint study notes are bite-sized
Affordable monthly subscription
Comprehensive Ninja Blitz Cram Course for practice exam prep
Access to private study forums and social network

Cons

No video lecture options
Less support and resources than the competition
Not as well established as the competition
Requires more self-discipline than others

Overview

Ninja CPA Review was created by Jeff Elliott, who first started a CPA Exam blog in 2008 called Another 71, and then launched his CPA Exam prep review program in 2012. He added a library of multiple-choice questions in 2014. The program is a $67 per month subscription with no time commitment or upfront costs. You can also cancel anytime with no obligation for another payment.

The monthly subscription includes a test question bank, Ninja Notes (with space to add your own notes), a flashcard app (available through Brainscape), audio lectures, a review book, and a cram course called Ninja Blitz. This program includes more than 6,000 multiple-choice questions and dozens of task-based simulations. Ninja has claimed a pass rate of 85% to 90%.

Online support is available through the company's private study forums and via phone or email.

Final Verdict

The CPA exam is by no means an easy exam to take, so it's important you prepare accordingly. The right CPA prep course for you depends largely on your preferred learning style and budget. Some people learn better in person, some do fine with virtual tutoring, and some are indifferent. So when deciding which prep course is right for you, look for one that caters to your preferences.

For CPA prep courses, we recommend Becker CPA Review. With Becker, you know the course has been vetted for quality, as some of the biggest CPA firms use it to prep their employees. Students can also move at their own pace, and there's no shortage of material, with thousands of multiple-choice questions, task-based simulations, and hundreds of hours of video lectures.

How Is the CPA Exam Structured?

There are four sections to the exam, each taken at a different time, with exam sections broken up into five parts. You must complete two multiple-choice question sections and three task-based simulation sections within four hours (including extensive research, writing, formulas, and calculations—all while the clock is ticking). The exam can be taken in any order, and candidates are given an 18-month window after passing their first exam to pass all four sections.

How Is the CPA Prep Course Structured?

CPA prep courses typically provide candidates with a textbook for each exam section, flashcards, online recorded (or live) lectures, multiple-choice questions, longer simulation practice problems, and mock practice exams. When you begin the course, you will start by creating your study timeline based on your exam date and take a pre-test to determine your strengths and weaknesses on the subject matter. From there, most prep courses offer self-paced online recorded lectures that follow the chapters in the textbook, and after each chapter, there are practice problems with detailed answer explanations to help students absorb the material.

What Happens in the 18-Month Window?

The 18-month clock to pass all four sections starts after you pass your first exam, so if you pass one section of the CPA exam, the next step will be to move onto another section as soon as possible. If you aren’t able to pass all four sections in the 18-month window, you will have to start over and retake the exams that you previously passed. CPA Exam prep courses allow you to access the online course materials until you pass all four exams. Some companies also offer a money-back guarantee if you aren’t able to pass the exams using their program.

What Happens After the CPA Exam?

Once all four exams have been passed, candidates’ scores are automatically sent to their state’s Board of Accountancy. To officially grant your CPA license, each state’s Board of Accountancy requires a specific number of documented work experience hours, college credit hours, and a passing ethics exam score (if applicable), to be submitted with your application. Once you receive your CPA license, you will be required to earn continuing professional education (CPE) credits in specific areas of accounting to maintain an active CPA license.

Is the CPA Exam State-Specific?

While some states vary in the education and work experience requirements to obtain a CPA license, the CPA Exam is a national uniform exam that is the same in every state. However, some states require an additional state-specific ethics exam. To transfer a CPA license to another state, it may be necessary to take that state’s ethics exam, but the previously passed CPA Exam will be accepted in every state.

Methodology

We looked at 10 companies before choosing our top five recommendations. The main factors we considered were the ability to demo the product before purchasing, the price, the number of questions and scenarios in the test bank, the exam pass rate for students who have taken the course, and the credentials of the instructors teaching the course.

The ability to demo the product before purchasing is important because a CPA prep course can be a significant financial investment. Pass rates and quality of instructors were also of high importance because they provide candidates with a sense of security when making a decision that will impact their career.

Additionally, we considered real user reviews, many of which were provided via a forum called another71, founded in 2008 by Ninja CPA Review creator Jeff Elliott. The site's widely visited CPA Exam Forum connects CPA exam candidates from all over the country and provides a platform for support, discussion, questions, and advice.

Best CPA Prep Courses — Prapass Pulsub / Getty Images

Article Sources

Investopedia requires writers to use primary sources to support their work. These include white papers, government data, original reporting, and interviews with industry experts. We also reference original research from other reputable publishers where appropriate. You can learn more about the standards we follow in producing accurate, unbiased content in our editorial policy.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Occupational Outlook Handbook: Accountants and Auditors."
National Association of State Boards of Accountancy. "How many CPAs are there?"
American Institute of CPAs. "Learn More About CPA Exam Scoring and Pass Rates."
Surgent. "Conquer the CPA Exam."
Surgent. "Surgent CPA Exam Review."