Best CPA Review Courses Of 2018
The best CPA review courses are essential to your success and could easily be the difference between passing and failing your CPA exams. There’s no one-size-fits-all course, so it’s extremely important that you choose the one that best fits your personal learning style and preferences. These CPA study materials will be your best friend and constant companion for the next 6 to 18 months, so your decision had better be on point.
Lucky for you, I’ve gotten access to and have personally tested each of the top Certified Public Accountant review courses below to save you the effort! The chart below shows what each of the top 7 courses provides (or doesn’t provide) and explains what I found most important in making this critical decision.
Top CPA Review Courses Comparison Chart & Discounts
| CPA Prep Courses | Roger CPA Review | Wiley CPAexcel | Surgent CPA Review | Yaeger CPA Review | Gleim CPA Review | Fast Forward Academy | Becker |
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| RANKINGS | #1 | #2 | #3 | #4 | #5 | #6 | #7 |
| OVERALL RATING |
★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ |
| PRICE | Show Coupon |
Show Coupon |
Show Coupon |
$1,749 | $3,393 | ||
| BEST FEATURE | Most Engaging Lectures | Bite-Sized Lessons | Best Adaptive Learning Technology | Great Value | Most Comprehensive Content | Adaptive Learning System | Endorsed by Big 4 Firms |
| AUDIENCE | Structured auditory learner who needs to keep motivated | Self-studier with busy schedule and little time to study | Students who want to study at their own pace | Visual learners who want step-by-step explanations | Dedicated self-studier | Self-studier who focuses on weaknesses | Dedicated self-studier who needs flexibility in schedules |
| COURSE FORMATS | Online or Offline USB | Online or Offline USB | Online Only | Online & Offline | Online Only | Online Only | Online Only |
| PRACTICE QUESTIONS | 5,800 | 12,000 | 6,840 | 5,000 | 9,200 | 5,000 | 7,200 |
| SIMULATIONS (TBS) | 400 | 600 | 295 | 164 | 1,000 | 230 | 400 |
| VIDEO LECTURE HOURS | 120 | 110 | 350 Video Lessons | 104 | 100 | 80+ | 100 |
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| UNLIMITED COURSE ACCESS | |
18 months | |
18 months | |
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| FLASHCARDS | |
$50 per Section | |
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| FINAL REVIEW INCLUDED | |
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$165 per Section |
| STUDENT SUPPORT | 24/7 Homework Help Center | Professor Mentoring – 24 Hour Response Time | Live Chat, Email & Phone Support | Instructor Hotline – Phone & Email Support | Personal Counselor – Phone & Email Support | Email Support & Online Community Forum | Phone & Email Support |
| PROS & CONS | Read Review | Read Review | Read Review | Read Review | Read Review | Read Review | Read Review |
| FREE TRIAL OR DEMO | START NOW | START NOW | START NOW | START NOW | START NOW | START NOW | START NOW |
Roger CPA Review Course
RATING:★★★★★
Why Roger? If you struggle to stay focused with boring accounting lectures, you need the easy-to-read and engaging style of Roger CPA Review.
Wiley CPAexcel Review Course
RATING:★★★★★
Why Wiley? Wiley is the perfect course for you if you are looking for small sized lessons to squeeze into your busy schedule.
Surgent CPA Review Course
RATING:★★★★★
Why Surgent? If you want to pass the CPA Exam quickly, Surgent and its impressive adaptive software makes it the best course for passing the CPA Exam as fast as possible.
Yaeger CPA Review Course
RATING:★★★★★
Why Yaeger? Yaeger is a good fit for you if you want a comprehensive course that gives you more than enough information to successfully pass the CPA Exam.
Gleim CPA Review Course
RATING:★★★★★
Why Gleim? If you’ve been out of school for a number of years and want access to a personal counselor throughout your studies, Gleim is the right fit for you.
Fast Forward Academy CPA Course
RATING:★★★★★
Why FFA? Fast Forward Academy is still a new course, so I would recommend this for you if you are on a strict budget.
Becker CPA Course
OVERALL RATING:★★★★★
Why Becker? Honestly, you should use Becker only if someone else is going to pay for it. Otherwise check out other review courses if you want better chances at passing the CPA Exam.
Best CPA Study Materials
While the CPA prep materials listed above are really good, sometimes the course that is right for you is missing a couple helpful features that can enhance your studies. Don’t stress. There are a variety of different supplemental study materials you can use to add on to your CPA exam prep course to make sure it has everything you need to pass. Some popular CPA exam supplementals are mobile apps, test banks, flashcards, and cram courses.
Let’s walk through all of these and look at why you may consider buying them. Remember that buying supplemental products from a different company besides your main CPA exam review course can be beneficial. It gives you a different study method and a variety of study materials.
Which CPA Test Banks Are Best?
Studying for the CPA exam is made easier thanks to numerous practice questions. The best source for these helpful study tools is supplemental CPA test banks. Below are some of the best options available to those who are getting ready to sit for the exam.
One of the most popular supplemental products in the CPA exam industry, the Wiley Test Bank includes 4,500+ CPA Exam practice questions with detailed answer rationales and 160 task-based simulations, including new Document Review Simulations (DRS).
With more than 10,000 exam-emulating multiple-choice questions and simulations of the largest test bank on the market, Gleim tests your knowledge and skills at the levels of the CPA Exam to ensure that you’re completely prepared.
The newly released Crush Test Bank features 4,127 multiple choice practice questions nested in a very sleek and modern looking dashboard. All questions are paired with detailed explanations recently written by a handful of expert CPAs in order to match the new CPA Exam Blueprints.
The most affordable and effective CPA test bank on the market offers 4,639 multiple choice questions and detailed answers, along with 73 task based simulations. All of this for less than 1/3 the cost of Wiley’s CPA Test Bank.
Which CPA Exam Cram Courses Are Best?
Whether you need to improve your CPA Exam score by 10 points or you simply want to solidify difficult concepts for final review, a solid Cram Course is the best study supplement to get you there. A CPA exam Cram Course is the best way to reinforce your understanding of the most heavily tested test topics in a short amount of time.
Roger CPA Cram Course
Roger’s Cram Course is offered in two convenient formats. The Online Cram gives you two months of access from start of activation, while the portable Flash Drive Cram provides a full eight months of access time and offers the convenience to study without an internet connection.
All practice questions covered during the lectures come with full, in-depth explanations. The course also includes Cram Textbooks that were written by expert CPAs alongside the infamous Roger Philip.
Gryfin CPA Cram Course
The Gryfin CPA Cram Course is both affordable and comprehensive, so now you can boost your scores without breaking the bank. Its adaptive learning technology helps you hone in on your weak areas and eliminate repetitive studying of concepts you already know.
The software creates a custom study plan catered to your specific needs and is backed by a 100% pass or refund guarantee.
Which CPA Exam Flashcards Are Best?
There’s a reason that a lot of the older study methods still exist: the way that humans learn hasn’t changed that much! CPA exam flashcards are a popular study tool because these help to reinforce key topics and are perfect for rote memorization. Check out these great CPA flashcards below:
Roger CPA Flashcards
Roger offers hundreds of print flashcards that come in one convenient spindle. Each card has two definitions on the front and detailed explanations on the backside.
Wiley CPA Flashcards
Wiley CPAexcel includes more than 250 printed flashcards for each section of the CPA exam with their Platinum course. You can also buy them a la carte to supplement your primary review course studies with which is a great way to boost your memorization skills.
Which CPA Exam Mobile Apps Are Best?
Studying on the go is incredibly important for students and those who are working full time. Studying on your phone during your subway commute or lunch hour is invaluable, as it can turn downtime into productive breaks. CPA exam mobile applications are the best way to squeeze in twenty or thirty minutes of studying, especially when the app is fully optimized!
Surgent is offering a completely free Flashcard app for iPhone and Android giving you the chance to study 2,200+ CPA exam terms and definitions on your smartphone. Every candidate should be taking advantage of this offer while it lasts!
Roger offers two iPhone apps to students. The first one is a multiple choice app with over 3,400+ questions and the second is a flashcard app.
Which CPA Review Course Has the Best Video Lectures?
CPA video lectures are ideal for those that prefer to learn by watching a teacher go over the important accounting concepts. Since many students prefer this style of learning, video lectures are one of the most important parts of any CPA review course.
Roger CPA Review has some of the best video materials in the industry with his engaging lectures. Another great course for video lectures would be Surgent CPA Review and its knowledgeable instructors.
| CPA Review Course | Video Lecture Hours |
| Surgent CPA Review | 350 |
| Wiley CPAexcel | 110 |
| Roger CPA Review | 120 |
| Yaeger CPA Review | 104 |
| Gleim CPA Review | 100 |
| Fast Forward Academy | 470 |
| Becker CPA Review | 100 |
Bottom Line: Since Roger is the most engaging instructor in the industry, Roger CPA Review is the best review course for video lectures.
Which CPA Course has the most Multiple Choice Questions ?
Multiple choice questions are the core of any CPA review course, as these mirror the exam content and are the best way to practice for the test. The number of MCQs isn’t always the most important metric for these questions. You must also note that some questions are harder and more like the actual exam than others. Wiley has plenty of great questions, but Surgent has multiple choice questions specific to your level of knowledge that will help you prepare for the test.
| CPA Review Course | Multiple Choice Questions |
| Surgent CPA Review | 6,840 |
| Wiley CPAexcel | 12,000 |
| Roger CPA Review | 5,800 |
| Yaeger CPA Review | 5,000 |
| Gleim CPA Review | 9,200 |
| Fast Forward Academy | 5,000 |
| Becker | 7,200 |
Bottom Line: Wiley CPAexcel provides more multiple choice questions than any course, so you’re not going to run out of practice questions.
Which CPA Course has the Best Task-Based Simulations (TBS)?
Task-based simulations are increasingly important because of the changes made to the CPA Exam in 2017. Because of this new test that places more importance of simulations, CPA review courses now place more emphasis on these questions, ensuring you can pass after practicing the TBS section. Surgent and Wiley are the best courses for TBSs that have included up to date TBS materials and have optimized these sections for the new CPA exam blueprints.
| CPA Review Course | Number of Task-Based Simulations |
| Surgent CPA Review | 390 |
| Wiley CPAexcel | 600 |
| Roger CPA Review | 400 |
| Yaeger CPA Review | 164 |
| Gleim CPA Review | 1,000 |
| Fast Forward Academy | 230 |
| Becker | 400 |
Bottom Line: While Surgent has extremely up-to-date materials, Gleim CPA Review has the most task based simulations for you to practice.
CPA Prep Course Discounts & Financing Options Compared
Why pay full price for a CPA review course when there are plenty of great CPA discount codes that are available! Take hundreds of dollars off of the Surgent CPA Review or Wiley CPAexcel with these great CPA promo codes. If you can’t pay for a pricey CPA review course, check out the financing options from Surgent and Roger CPA Review.
| CPA Review Course | Price with Discount | Financing Available? |
| Surgent CPA Review | $1,799 | Yes, 0% |
| Wiley CPAexcel | $1,950 | No |
| Roger CPA Review | $1,886 | Yes, 10-30% |
| Yaeger CPA Review | $1,079 | Yes |
| Gleim CPA Review | $1,599 | Yes |
| Fast Forward Academy | $1,749 | Yes |
| Becker | $3,393 | Yes |
Bottom Line: Surgent offers the best financing options, with 0% and a low monthly rate thanks to an affordable price point.
2018’s Top 7 Best CPA Exam Review Courses Compared
| CPA Review Course | Ideal For.. |
| Roger CPA Review | Structured auditory learner who needs to keep motivated |
| Surgent CPA Review | Students who want to study at their own pace |
| Wiley CPAexcel | Self-studier with busy schedule and little time to study |
| Yaeger CPA Review | Visual learners who want step-by-step explanations |
| Gleim CPA Review | Dedicated self-studier |
| Fast Forward Academy | Self-studier who focuses on weaknesses |
| Becker CPA Review | Dedicated self-studier who needs flexibility in schedules |
Additional Resources to Get You On the Right Track
Not sure which review course is right for you? Don’t worry, I’ve got your back! Check out my side by side comparison of Wiley CPAexcel vs. Becker. You can also learn more about other accounting certifications including EA Review Courses and CIA Study Materials. If you have any specific CPA questions, just drop a comment below and I’ll personally help find the right course for you!
Hey! Since there is a new version of the CPA exam starting in 2017, should I wait before purchasing the study materials, or should I just purchase study materials for the Exam I am taking first?
If you have time you should get started right away! I would say it’s better not to make too many assumptions.
I’m trying to pass the CPA exam before the 2017 changes can you recommend the best courses that will help me pass the CPA in 3 months?
A good course for the shorter time period is Roger CPA Review. Good Luck!
Hi Jess. I took the exam about 10 years ago and passed 2 parts using Bisk, but then I started law school and lost my credits. So, I’ve finally circled back to take the exam again and I was wondering which course would be best for me now. I have a self-directed study style and my company will pay for Becker. However, I remember going to the Becker live courses and hating them because they were so boring and did nothing to help me pass, hence the switch to Bisk. I really enjoyed the Bisk software, so Surgent intrigues me. With all that said, I have a few questions I’d like your opinion on:
1. Has today’s version of the Becker review and software really changed much, outside of the obvious content revisions?
2. Would it make sense to purchase the Surgent review and use the adaptive software to focus my studies on my weak areas? I’m currently a Tax Manager and Attorney, so I have a strong understanding of REG, AUD and some FAR concepts.
3. Based on your answer to Q1 above, would it make sense to get the company to purchase Becker and I purchase a supplement with strong software?
4. Should I just skip the Becker and purchase something altogether different since my past with Becker (albeit 10+ years ago) is not that great? Note that if I decide to take something other than Becker, I will get reimbursed up to $1,500.
Sorry for the LONG post, but my situation is atypical so I felt the background was necessary. 🙂 Thanks and I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Michelle,
I understand your frustration with finding a course that will fit your learning style, especially when Becker is being offered to you for free. But to answer your first question, Becker has not changed much and still is my lowest ranked course.
Since you do have real world experience in specific fields, I think Surgent would be an incredible option since it utilizes adaptive software. It will allow you to cut down your the amount of studying you have to accomplish as well as spending your study time only on subjects you need to improve on. Very efficient!
If you want to get Becker and choose a supplement course for financial reasons, I would suggest the Welker CPA Cram Course. It’s one of the only supplemental courses that uses adaptive software to optimize your study plan. If you do decide to just skip Becker, the Welker CPA Cram Course is great on its own! And you be able to afford other material with your $1,500 reimbursement since Welker’s Cram Course is only $175. I would also trial run Wiley and Surgent to see if those intensive courses fit your self-directed study style.
Good luck on your journey to becoming a CPA!