If you’re ready to complete your state’s required pre-licensing hours and kickstart your real estate career, you’ve come to the right place.
Together, Colibri and AceableAgent have served nearly one million students: over 520,000 and 300,000, respectively. But which is the best real estate school for you?
I’ll outline everything you need to know about these online education providers for aspiring realtors, from pricing to packages, availability to access, and video lessons to value.
By the end of this article, you’ll have a clear understanding of how Colibri Real Estate and AceableAgent compare, helping you decide which one best fits your learning style and career goals.
Which Course Should You Choose? Colibri or AceableAgent
- Choose Colibri if you want extensive live Q&A sessions and interactive Exam Crammer webinars.
- Choose Colibri if you prefer traditional learning formats like narrated written materials and printed study guides.
- Choose Colibri if you value career-boosting tools like the Career Booster Pack and Buffini & Company resources.
- Choose Colibri if you need broader state coverage, including partnerships in select states.
- Choose AceableAgent if you want an AI-powered virtual instructor to provide instant feedback while studying.
- Choose AceableAgent if you prefer fun, tech-driven learning with games, mastery tracking, and a top-rated mobile app.
Colibri Real Estate: A Lasting Legacy
Colibri Real Estate has been through a long series of evolutions. In 1998, Colibri (then McKissock Learning) released its first online course in the property appraisal space. In 2013, McKissock acquired Real Estate Express. In late 2022, Real Estate Express upleveled into Colibri Real Estate, a more modern brand that inspired trust in aspiring real estate professionals.
Since its inception, Colibri has helped over 520,000 students complete pre-licensing courses. They offer a 100% money-back guarantee, over 132 local instructors, and an “ARELLO® award-winning, next-generation student dashboard.”
They’ve also partnered with Buffini & Company to offer their students outstanding tools and materials to help them transition into real estate after passing their licensing exam.
“Passed my test on the first try!! I highly, highly recommend this program. And at your own pace just follow everything and Q&A/crammer classes to the finish line. Thank you Colibri!”
Sammie Comp
AceableAgent: The Modern Marvel
AceableAgent offers a tech-driven learning approach. Here are a few ways AceableAgent stands out: the company was built by learning science experts, offers a 100% money-back guarantee, helped over 300,000 real estate students, boasts a 91% pass rate, and possesses a phenomenal 4.8-star average rating on Trustpilot.
They feature a library of bite-sized video lessons, interactive learning opportunities through activities and games, audio lessons for studying on the go, and mastery tracking to measure your exam-day readiness.
AceableAgent incorporates interactive elements such as quizzes and mastery tracking to reinforce key concepts, helping students retain information more effectively. After all, what’s the point of spending money on a course when you forget everything you learned immediately after the exam? Aceable wants you to keep that newfound knowledge locked in your brain, where it belongs.
“I have been a Realtor in Idaho, California, and Florida for 19 years. Aceable was the best, least expensive, easy to use anywhere, best test questions and quizzes. Passed first try every time. Used them for Pre and Post Licensing in Florida.”
Rob Harrison
Colibri Real Estate vs AceableAgent Course Comparison
| Company |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Price Range | $203-$941 | $149-$1,119 |
| Discount | Save 50% | Save 20% |
| Financing |  | |
| Access Length | Six Months | Six Months to Unlimited |
| Pass Guarantee | 100% Money Back | 100% Money Back |
| Live Sessions | | |
| Get Started | Start Now | Start Now |
State Availability
Have you ever heard a tour announcement from your favorite artist, rushed to the website and realized they’re actually not coming to a stop near you? That’s exactly why this section matters.
Colibri Real Estate
Colibri Real Estate’s pre-licensing courses are available for most U.S. states. However, they do not serve Connecticut, Delaware, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, or West Virginia. There are a few additional states Colibri doesn’t serve directly, but they do serve through partnerships. Those states and partners include Arizona (ASREB), North Carolina (Superior School of Real Estate), and Ohio (Hondros College).
AceableAgent
Meanwhile, AceableAgent’s biggest negative is its lack of state coverage. Whereas it’s easier to list the states Colibri doesn’t cover, it’s easier to list the states AceableAgent does. At the time of writing this review, AceableAgent currently serves fewer states than Colibri Real Estate, covering only 14 states compared to Colibri’s 40+., with parentheses showing partners when applicable:
| Arizona | California | Colorado (KAPRE) | Florida | Georgia |
| Illinois (REI) | Michigan | New York | North Carolina | Pennsylvania |
| South Carolina | Texas | Tennessee | Virginia | Washington |
I wanted to get this out of the way first for your benefit; if you see your state named somewhere, then that’s actually a good thing—you can stop stressing over choosing the perfect course. If you haven’t gotten to make your decision based on this section, don’t worry. The passages ahead will make your next steps crystal clear.
What’s in the Courses?
Colibri and AceableAgent both offer stellar pre-licensing courses, but the way you take and learn from each course will be wildly different.
Colibri’s Course Content
Colibri Real Estate takes the traditional route. Whether you’re after on-demand video lectures, live support through interactive webinars, or narrated written materials, Colibri’s got your back. You’ll also benefit from supplemental materials like study guides, simulated practice exams, flashcards, and audio review guides. So, no matter your learning style, you’ll find something to love with Colibri’s prep.
Like in most cases, you get some of the best course materials when you purchase the premium package. Namely, you’ll unlock printed materials and 1 year of access to the Career Booster Pack. In the Pack, you’ll find over 20 real estate “how-to” lessons that you’ll use on the job, aids for new agents, property and process checklists for buyers and sellers, and action plan templates you can personalize to achieve your goals.
Check out my Colibri Real Estate review for more details.
“The curriculum was thorough and engaging, covering all the essential aspects needed to not just pass the exam, but to excel at it. The instructors were knowledgeable and approachable, always ready to answer questions and provide clear explanations. The online platform was user-friendly and flexible, allowing me to study at my own pace and on my schedule. If you’re seeking a reliable and effective way to prepare for your real estate exam, look no further than Colibri.”
Fred Reeves
AceableAgent’s Course Content
Meanwhile, AceableAgent goes a different route entirely. Many of Aceable’s reviewers are pleasantly surprised by how much they enjoyed their robot instructor. Yes, you read that correctly: robot instructor. Your new virtual partner doesn’t have to sleep, which means you can get clarity on key concepts, ask unlimited questions as often as you’d like, and get immediate feedback. Obviously, AI isn’t always accurate; for the most part, your virtual guide is a great help.
Aceable also features the latest and greatest features in learning tech, like engaging content through practice activities, bite-sized videos with a sense of humor, and even games to boost your real estate knowledge. You’ll also receive mobile app access, a mastery tracking system, and audio narration. At higher tiers, you can study smarter with customized practice tests, an 80-page guide to passing your licensing exam, one hour of private tutoring, and live webinars with Q&A.
If you want more course details, read my AceableAgent review.
“Aceable’s learning program is designed to ensure key points are memorable. It offers a good variety of teaching and testing techniques along with resources. I’ve used the mobile app while on the go which is incredibly convenient and easy. Most appreciated is the humor employed to add some fun.”
Tasya Williamson
Technology
Colibri’s Real Estate
Colibri doesn’t necessarily offer any revolutionary technology. What they do offer is a better mousetrap: their ARELLO® award-winning home base for online students. If you’re tired of losing pics of your dog in the endless void of file folders sprawled across your home screen, you’re going to love Colibri’s highly organized and intuitive user interface.
The student dashboard keeps all of your study materials in the same place. Within the dashboard, you can access your courses, recommended resources, task tracker, goal tracker, and your personal motivation statement.
Click on any of your courses to open the learning launcher, which features your lecture schedule and link to join lectures, completion progress, certification progress, class-specific recommended resources, course and instructor details, regulatory requirements, and your notes.
AceableAgent Real Estate
Meanwhile, AceableAgent’s “Ace in the hole,” if you will, is their technology. One of their most noteworthy examples is the virtual instructor, fondly named “Ace.” Ace is a little like a ChatGPT chatbot but with the added value of being trained explicitly with course materials and real estate knowledge. So, if you have any questions that pop up as you’re studying, answers are a few key taps away.
Aceable goes even further with their custom practice exam generator, where you can create a niche, category-specific mini-exam or a comprehensive full-length exam with every topic in the mix. Aceable’s interactive features reinforce your knowledge with pop-up games and quizzes, like MCQs, fill-in-the-blanks, clickable images, term matching, and more. Their mastery tracking system uses adaptive technology to discover your weaknesses and suggest areas to focus your study.
Finally, their mobile app sports some of the best ratings you’ll find in the education world. Their iOS app has a 4.9-star average rating with over 11,000 reviews. On Android, the average lowers to 4.3 stars and around 700 reviews, which is still wildly impressive. And, unlike most apps from prep providers, you can access all of your main content in the app. So, wherever you go, you can fit in a quick study session.
“I’m brand new to Real Estate. This self-paced app is super informative and it does such a great job preparing you while being very engaging!! They found a way to make Real Estate semi-fun, interactive, and matter-of-fact.”
Lovely Leisha
Support
Both companies offer support through call, chat, and email. And, both companies feature live support and instructor interaction during streamed webinars and classes.
Colibri Real Estate presents some seriously worthwhile support on top of those features. For example, Colibri students gain access to 40 hours of live Q&A sessions with expert instructors every single month. Plus, their live Exam Crammer webinar series is a must-watch for your exam prep. Six 1-hour sessions walk you through top tips for acing your real estate exam.
Meanwhile, AceableAgent offers a single hour of tutoring, but it’s only in their most expensive package, which may not be worth the additional expense to some students.
“Words can not fully express how grateful I am to have had Mara Maj as my Exam Cram instructor, as well as my tutor. I found her to be extremely passionate, detailed, down to earth and very knowledgeable. She made me feel very confident going in to sit for my exam, which I passed on my first attempt.”
Franzo King
Value
Both course options are priced roughly the same, with some variation from state to state. Both offer a 100% money-back guarantee, though this isn’t available for every state due to laws for some jurisdictions. Finally, both companies offer roughly the same number of study materials. The only places where they diverge are through their learning formats and career resources.
As a result, I’d say that as far as value goes, it’s an even race.
Colibri Real Estate Course Discounts
Check out our exclusive Colibri Real Estate promos.
AceableAgent Real Estate Course Discounts
Save with these AceableAgent discounts.
Bottom Line
Ultimately, you really can’t go wrong with either Colibri or AceableAgent. Colibri’s additional support, awards-winning study platform, and career-boosting resources push it over the top.
However, if you prefer a more tech-savvy learning experience equipped with mobile apps, an AI instructor, and interactive quizzes and games, AceableAgent is worth noting as well.
I sincerely believe you can succeed with whichever course you choose. Colibri Real Estate is my overall pick as the best fit for most students.
FAQs
Colibri excels with live Q&A sessions, Exam Crammer webinars, and career resources, while AceableAgent shines with engaging tech features like AI instructors and mastery tracking.
Yes, online real estate courses from providers like Colibri and AceableAgent meet state requirements and are approved by regulatory bodies.
AceableAgent courses can be completed in as little as 2-3 weeks, depending on state requirements and your study pace. On the higher end, you may be looking at a timeline closer to 6 months.
Both Colibri Real Estate and AceableAgent are DRE-approved for the states they serve, ensuring compliance with state-specific licensing regulations.
A real estate pre-licensing course from either provider will cost roughly the same, between $150 and $1,100, depending on the state exam you plan to take.
