47%.
That’s the percentage of CPA candidates who didn’t pass the CPA exam, on average, in 2024. It’s not a stretch to say that a better education could put you on the passing side, but with every course claiming they’re the best choice to lead you to success, it can be difficult (not to mention time-consuming) to sift through the claims and get to the truth.
I passed the CPA exams myself. Now, as a professional course reviewer, I help aspiring professionals like you make the right choice for your needs. I took a deep dive into both Becker CPA Review and Gleim CPA Review, and in this honest, fact-driven guide, I’ll help you make the right decision for your accounting future.
Which CPA Course to Choose: Becker or Gleim
- If you’re a visual learner, then Becker’s engaging video lectures and live class options will help you master complex topics.
- If you’re looking for the biggest question bank available, then Gleim’s 11,500+ practice questions give you an edge through repetition.
- If you want a mobile-friendly experience, then Becker’s highly rated apps on both Apple and Google are a big plus.
- If you desire extensive built-in support, then Becker’s coaching sessions and 1-on-1 tutoring provide high-touch help throughout your prep.
- If you want more flexibility across CPA Disciplines, then Gleim’s access to all three lets you explore before locking in your choice.
Provider Overview: Becker vs. Gleim
The CPA course you choose matters—and so do the providers who created and now sell those courses. Reputation, statistics, and unique selling propositions are crucial elements of selecting a CPA exam review course. Here are the fundamentals you need to know about today’s competitors before investing.
Becker: The Trusted Classic
Becker is a popular choice for CPA candidates, having recently crossed over 2 million students served. My research unearthed some impressive statistics:
- 94% student pass rate for “Exam Day Ready” CPA aspirants
- Over 90% of Elijah Watt Sells Award winners since 2007 used Becker
- In 2023, that number was 98% of students
- Work with every accounting firm in the top 100
- 4.6-star average rating on Trustpilot
That being said, it’s entirely fair to be skeptical of statistics when they come from a company with a vested interest in favorable numbers. So, I went even further, digging through sources like Reddit and Facebook groups to see what real people are actually saying about their experiences. Unsurprisingly, they were overwhelmingly favorable. One Redditor said the following:
“I tested them all out using free trials, and I found Becker to be the best. It was easiest to use and I found the most engaging. So far I have passed every test I took using just Becker. I think it is well worth it.”
I cross-referenced my own experience with these “in the wild” reviews, and with Becker’s top-rated mobile apps, AI study assistant, adaptive learning technology, live online and onsite classes, 900+ on-demand video lectures, and 8,000+ practice questions, I believe Becker is an effective choice for most students, regardless of your learning style.
Pros
- Statistics suggest top performers choose and study with Becker
- Offers invaluable tech tools like an AI study assistant, adaptive tech, and mobile apps
- One of the only top prep providers to feature live online and in-person classes
- 900+ engaging, high-quality video lectures for self-paced learners
- 3 of the 4 packages provide unlimited course access until you pass your exams
Cons
- Becker’s question bank has several thousand fewer questions than Gleim’s
Check out my full in-depth review of Becker CPA and its course offerings here.
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Gleim: The Practice Powerhouse
Becker is often regarded as one of the top prep providers on the market. However, Gleim is a formidable competitor in their own right, having helped over 1 million students pass the CPA exam. From my research, it appears that the primary reason students choose Gleim over other courses is their massive question bank, which features over 11,500 multiple-choice practice questions and more than 1,600 task-based simulations. Take this review from a Redditor who passed with Gleim:
“Pros: HUGE test bank. I was able to answer 2k-3k questions per test and have different questions all the time. 97% of answer explanations were well laid out (although sometimes wordy,especially REG). I felt for some topics I learned more reading the explanations than the book.”
However, there’s substantially more to Gleim than practice questions alone. Like Becker, they’re one of the only providers to have an AI study assistant. They’re also support-heavy, with resources including private study groups, personal counselors, and accounting experts to answer your questions. Ultimately, Gleim may be the best choice for students who learn best through hands-on experience and repetition.
Pros
- The largest CPA question bank available, with 11,500+ MCQs and detailed explanations
- 2 of the 3 packages include the Access Until You Pass® Guarantee
- Students get ample support through accounting experts, personal counseling, and study groups
- Excellent tech tools include adaptive learning technology and Prep Pal AI study assistant
- 100+ hours of high-quality CPA review video lectures
Cons
- Unlike Becker, Gleim lacks live online or in-person classes
- Doesn’t include a study companion app; Becker has a highly-rated app
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CPA Exam Prep Course Feature Comparison
 |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Package Reviewed | Becker CPA Pro | Premium Pro CPA Review Systemwith SmartAdapt™ |
| Additional Packages | Becker CPA ConciergeBecker CPA PremiumBecker CPA Advantage | Premium CPA Review SystemTraditional CPA Review System |
| Access | Access Until You Pass | Access Until You Pass |
| Price | $3,799 | $3,499 |
| Financing | Starts at $205/mo | Starts at $316/mo |
| Discounts | Save $1,346 | Save 40% |
| Discipline Sections | 1 | 3 |
| MCQs | 8,000+ | 11,500+ |
| TBSs | 500+ | 1,600+ |
| Practice Exams | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Mock Exams | 8 Full, 12 Mini | 8 Full |
| Video Lectures | 900+ Videos | 100+ Hours |
| Live Classes |  and Onsite in Dallas |  |
| Support | Live Instruction5 Success Coaching Sessions5 1-on-1 Tutoring Sessions | Private Study GroupsPersonal CounselorsAccounting Experts |
| AI Study Assistant | Newt™ | Prep Pal |
| Guarantees | Up to $1,000 Back Back-on-Track Success Plan | Money-Back |
| Refund Policy | 10 Days | 30 Days |
| Get Started | LEARN MORE | LEARN MORE |
Note: Links have been provided for features with additional terms and conditions. Please read thoroughly before making a purchase.
Why Choose Becker or Gleim CPA Review?
Now that you have the facts, let’s talk about our feelings a bit. Yes, seriously; I’m going to keep sharing the facts with you, but when you’re studying for hundreds of hours, your experience—and the way it makes you feel—matters.
Now, from my personal experience in the courses and additional research (because my experience isn’t reflective of everyone’s perspective), here’s what to expect from each course as a prospective student.
User Experience, Course Structure, and Bonus Tools
First and foremost, the aesthetic nature of both courses is excellent. They featured clean, modern, minimalist interfaces with the occasional pop of color, which made them easy to look at for long periods of time. In this way, both created a relaxing effect that made studying feel more approachable for me. Admittedly, not everyone will be this affected by color and clean lines, but I can say with certainty that it impacted the way I felt.
As for structure, both “run” in essentially the same format:
- Read an outline or watch an overview video
- Watch a concept video for a broad overview
- Answer a handful of sample questions to reinforce the new concepts
- Dig deeper with the reference books
This cycle is repeated for each topic, all boiled down to bite-sized chunks. When you near your exam date, however, you’ll want to focus on practice and simulated exams as well as the review content. The main difference, though subtle, lies in emphasis: Becker nudges students toward efficiency and exam-readiness with timed assignments and mock exams that reflect its legacy in big-firm training. Further, their UI felt more intuitive. Gleim, while equally structured, offers thousands of additional practice questions compared to Becker. One student puts it simply:
“I’ve used Gleim and Becker, and I think Gleim had better and more challenging questions than Becker. I wish Gleim had better user experience though :(“
🏆 Winner: Generally speaking, Gleim has more and harder practice questions, whereas Becker has a better interface and user experience.
Video Lectures and Live Classes
Becker’s 900+ videos and live classes (available online or onsite in Dallas, TX) make for a visual and kinesthetic learner’s dream… in theory. I appreciated the wide variety of class times for the two-hour sessions, being able to mix and match morning, night, and weekend selections.
But were the classes and videos actually good?
In my opinion, the answer is a resounding yes. The expert instructors were engaging and humorous, and I can tell Becker put forth a lot of effort in choosing teachers who not only were masters of the field, but who could break down technical and complex information in an easily digestible way—all while holding student attention so you’re not falling asleep at your laptop. One of my favorite examples is Mike Potenza’s take on LLCs, describing them as a platypus: a hybrid of two seemingly disparate things (in this case, a corporation and a partnership). I actually watched this particular video for a different review I did months ago, and I still remember the core concept after watching it once, thanks to the humor and imagery.
Meanwhile, though Gleim lacks live classes, they boast a strong video library covering over 100 hours of content. I particularly liked the interface, as I could have the outline and note-taking app open while watching the video lectures. The videos weren’t as entertaining as Becker’s, but they still got the job done. At times, it did feel a little bit like the instructor was reading off a wordy slide, but I’d take that over a brick-sized textbook any day.
🏆 Winner: Becker’s engaging on-demand and live lessons were a treat, earning them the winner’s spot for this section.
Adaptive Tech, AI Assistants, and Mobile Apps
Normally, I’d talk a bit about adaptive learning technology, but both courses have extraordinarily high-quality instances of adaptive tech tools, making it difficult to compare them; they function practically the same. However, I can compare their AI assistants here and dig deeper into Becker’s mobile apps.
AI Assistants: Newt™ vs. Prep Pal
Both Becker and Gleim jumped on the AI train early, being some of the first CPA exam review courses to offer AI chatbot “study buddies.”
Both Newt™ and Prep Pal:
- Function like ChatGPT; type in a question, and the bot will answer accurately
- Do not replace human support systems, you’ll still get counseling/tutoring/coaching
- Feature unlimited queries, so you can ask as many questions as you’d like
- Work best when requesting summaries, deeper explanations, and question walkthroughs
Overall, I think both work well, with high accuracy rates. I cross-referenced answers from both against my own knowledge and expert primary sources, and at least in my time with them, I never received an inaccurate answer (unlike ChatGPT). However, I generally preferred Newt™. I liked the interface better, and it seemed to be more intuitive; it required fewer clarifying queries than Prep Pal, though both were effective.
Becker’s Mobile Apps
Becker offers a top-rated mobile app available on both the Android and iOS app stores:
As you can see, the app has impressive ratings. Based on my experience, I didn’t find these ratings surprising in the least. I was able to take practice exams, learn with video/audio lessons, drill through flashcards, and track my progress, all on my phone. Plus, it ran fantastically well—fast and glitch-free. If you’re frequently on the go and struggling to fit study time into your day, Becker could be the perfect match.
🏆 Winner: Though both courses have great AI assistants and adaptive learning technology, Becker’s mobile review app puts them over the top.
Support, Access, and Guarantees
While both courses have the perk of course access until you pass, they diverge when discussing support and guarantees.
Guarantees can be summarized pretty easily: Gleim offers a full refund if you fail the exam with the Premium Pro System, and has a 30-day return policy. Becker, on the other hand, only offers a partial refund and a 10-day return policy. Done and done, Gleim did it better.
However, support is a significant value indicator for any prep package, and both have a lot to offer:
| Becker’s Support | Gleim’s Support |
| Live Instruction/Q&A | Accounting Expert Messaging |
| Facebook Study Groups | Private Study Groups |
| (5) Success Coaching Sessions | Personal Counselor |
| (5) 1-on-1 Tutoring Sessions |
So, while Gleim has unlimited accounting expert messaging to get your questions answered, this feels a lot different than talking to an instructor or tutor in real time. Nevertheless, I found both teams eager and willing to help, but patient and compassionate if I was struggling—which, admittedly, I acted out as a ploy to get their response. Sorry, team. I believe both support teams have great aptitude for this work, and similar levels of knowledge and consistency. However, Becker simply had more, with more personal interactions.
🏆 Winner: Gleim offers more robust guarantees and return policies; however, Becker has better support options.
Value
Becker CPA review packages have a wider price range overall due to the more expensive, support-intensive Concierge package. However, upon reviewing their most popular packages, both Becker CPA Review and Gleim CPA Review cost roughly the same, with a difference of a few hundred dollars. So, when discussing value, we’re talking less about CPA review cost than about the features, and which is a better “deal” for their price tag.
Both include high-value bonuses, like one year of CPE, final review courses, unlimited practice exams, and AI study assistants. However, Becker’s live virtual classroom and mobile apps are significant value-adds that Gleim lacks. Becker also offers a total of 10 personalized support sessions: five each for success coaching and 1:1 tutoring. While Gleim’s support options are still valuable, they’re not as high-touch as Becker’s.
That said, Gleim has unique value to bring to the table as well. Naturally, the question bank adds points to Gleim’s case, as does the ability to access all three Discipline sections so you can dip your toes in before settling on one. Further, private study groups can be an invaluable tool for students who thrive with accountability and community. Overall, however, even though Becker’s most popular package can be a tad more expensive than Gleim’s, I believe Becker has the edge when it comes to value.
🏆 Winner: Becker’s live classes, mobile apps, and high-touch support options give them the win.
Bottom Line: Which Course Takes the Crown?
I sincerely believe that either course is a wise investment in your future, and I truly enjoyed “getting to know” both of them.
However, it’s Becker’s memorable videos, live classes, mobile apps, highly customizable support features, and proven history of producing top performers that make them the winner.
Nevertheless, Gleim’s immense practice question vault, streamlined structure, and robust pass guarantee make them a course worth considering regardless. Both offer demos and free trials, so the best way to decide is to take them for a spin and see which better fits your needs.
Whichever you choose, I wish you CPA exam success (and if you read this far, that’s dedication—I have no doubt you’re on the right path). Best of luck!
FAQs
Becker offers stronger video content, live classes, and support, while Gleim excels in question volume and self-study flexibility.
Yes, Gleim’s comprehensive content and massive question bank can absolutely prepare you to pass—if you stay disciplined.
Some students say Becker’s practice questions feel harder, which can help make the real exam feel more manageable.
Becker reports a 94% pass rate among “Exam Day Ready” students, one of the highest reported in the industry.
Becker claims students score an average of ~10 points higher on the CPA exam than their final mock exam scores.
