Are you curious about the Gleim CPA Review? You’re likely here to make sure you pass the CPA exam—whether it’s your first shot or not.
Good timing! NASBA encouraged states to extend the CPA testing window from 18 to 30 months, a change that might help boost the list count of licensed CPAs after years of decline.
But a longer window alone won’t get you certified—the CPA exam is tough! That’s where Gleim and other top CPA prep courses come in.
Ranked number two on my list of the best CPA exam prep courses, Gleim was one of my favorites to review. Below, I’ve recapped the top features, listed the pros and cons, and provided some comparisons with other CPA exam review options. I also added some direct experience info from those already committed to their program.
Key Takeaways
- Flexible Study Options: Offering three main course options (Premium Pro, Premium, and Traditional), Gleim caters to various budgets and study preferences, ensuring a suitable plan for every CPA candidate.
- Exceptional Value Across Plans: Gleim’s CPA review courses range from $999 to $3,499 with $2,499 for the Traditional plan to $3,499 for the Premium Pro, with a Mega Bank offer at $999 for extensive test bank access
- Largest Test Bank: Gleim boasts the largest test bank in the market, offering over 10,000 multiple-choice questions with detailed explanations. This makes it a goldmine for those aiming to thoroughly understand every topic.
- Realistic Exam Simulation: Gleim’s practice exams and simulations closely mirror the actual CPA exam environment, helping you to manage your time effectively and familiarize yourself with the exam format.
- Unmatched Support: With a 99% student satisfaction rate, Gleim’s personalized support system, including access to accounting experts and personal counselors, sets it apart, ensuring you have all the help you need.
Gleim CPA Review Overview
Gleim (rhymes with slime) has been in the accounting exam prep game for over 45 years. Like Becker, they have helped over a million CPA candidates be successful on exam day. Although their pass rate may be 1% lower than my top one and three recommendations, their student satisfaction rate is unmatched, coming in at 99%!
While not backed by the “Big Four” accounting firms, Gleim is the top choice for 300+, which says a lot about the quality of their program. Their review course options are raved about on Reddit, offer excellent customer support, and boast the biggest test bank on the market. As a person who needs to practice, practice, practice, this last point is something I really appreciate.
The fact that their testing environment mirrors the real thing is also a plus. If you’re like me and don’t like surprises, especially on test day, the Gleim CPA review should be a top contender in your prep course search.
Gleim CPA Review Courses and Features
Three Gleim course options are available for those studying for the CPA exam. They are:
- Premium Pro – $3,499
- Premium – $2,999
- Traditional – $2,499
They also have a Mega Bank offer that is $999, but I can summarize it quickly for you: it includes 18-month access to their question bank and some expertly-authored eBooks.
Not sure which is best?
I wasn’t either! But after doing a full audit of Gleim CPA review products, I can give you a quick rundown of what each one offers.
Premium Pro
Premium Pro provides digital and printed copies of Gleim CPA review books for all six CPA exam sections (Core + Discipline). Although this might seem like a basic component, many review course providers make students choose between BAR, ISC, and TCP.
With Gleim Premium Pro, you’ll get access to everything below:
- All new video (100+ hours), webinars, and audio lectures
- Two full-length mock exams for each section
- 10,000+ multiple-choice questions
- Guidance from personal counselors
- Help from accounting experts
- Private study group access
- A comprehensive final review
- Access Until You Pass Guarantee
- A free year of CPE
Although the Premium option I’ll cover below is also good, Premium Pro is the only Gleim CPA review course that gives access to their task-based simulations. Since these are a huge part of the actual CPA exam, it’s hard for me to fully recommend a version of a course that doesn’t offer detailed answer explanations for these kinds of questions.
Premium and Traditional Study Materials
The biggest change from Premium Pro to Premium is that you’re only given practice material for one Discipline Section. Although you’ll still be able to use the interactive study planner, watch video lessons, and take two mock exams with the Premium course, you won’t be able to study with flashcards or webinars. The Access Until You Pass guarantee still applies here, though.
Gleim’s Traditional review may be a better option than the Premium review if you have a lower budget and still want a solid exam content review. This basic plan comes with printed and digital books, access to multiple-choice questions, and many of Gleim’s other best features.
But fair warning, this Gleim course has no video lessons or digital flashcards, and you’ll only have access to one of the mock exams. You’ll also want to remember that this study plan is only good for 18 months.
Gleim CPA Coupon
Enjoy $1,050 Off Gleim CPA Premium Pro Course
Pros
- Detailed Answer Explanations: It’s no secret that Gleim has the largest test bank, but I’ve also found the quality of the questions to be next-level. Unlike some other courses, every question in Gleim’s test bank has explanations to help you understand the underlying concepts and reasoning behind each answer choice.
One user’s experience with Gleim CPA Review for FAR alongside Becker highlighted the solidity and challenge of the MCQs, noting that the explanations surpassed those of Becker. - A+ Support: When writing a past review for Gleim, I spoke with one of their reps about their CPA review program options and what Gleim offers that differs from other course providers, especially those with free CPA options. After all, you can find video lectures on YouTube and buy review course books on Amazon. Her answer: support. Now that I’ve done a full audit of this course, I can say 100% that she was correct. The level of support provided by Gleim is unmatched.
- Realistic Exam Environment: Part of passing the CPA exam is managing your time under pressure. One way to strengthen this skill is by completing mock exams in a similar testing environment. Gleim’s review system offers timed practice sessions and simulations of the exam interface, providing a realistic exam environment to enhance your preparation and time management skills. It also allows you to get hands-on experience with the same tools and features you’ll need to use to pass your CPA exam.
- Focused Final Review: My favorite aspect of the course is the comprehensive final review offered by Gleim. It’s designed to optimize the weeks leading up to the actual exam, ensuring that any remaining weak areas are targeted and addressed. This feature can help you maximize your CPA exam score by providing focused review materials tailored to exactly where you are in a way that traditional practice exams cannot. It is important to note that the final review only unlocks after you’ve taken the practice exam because it’s based on your performance.
Cons
- Price Surge: I used to always recommend Gleim CPA review to those looking for new material with unlimited access on a tight budget. However, over a short time span, their review products have seen a significant increase in their pricing. While investing in a premium CPA review course is crucial, affordability shouldn’t be ignored. That said, the Gleim CPA review is still the best value for the price, coming in a few hundred dollars cheaper than Becker for the Premium Pro study unit. For the other courses, the price tag is around the same.
- Audio Lecture Engagement: If you’re like me and learn best by listening, you’ll want to know about the audio lectures. Gleim’s got them, and they cover everything you need, but they might not keep you on the edge of your seat. Some folks online also mentioned they found them a bit on the snoozy side. Keeping things interesting is super important, especially with all the tricky CPA stuff. You definitely don’t want to doze off mid-study! Thankfully, Gleim makes up for this with other parts of their review system.
Gleim CPA Review
How Does Gleim CPA Review Stand Out?
Structure, Content, and Technology
I found Gleim a real game-changer, offering a blend of resources catering to my unique learning style. Their books are broken down into bite-sized lessons to help, but since I need more interactive options, I spent a lot of my time focusing on other parts of their study materials.
Still, lots of students swear by the printed resources. As one Gleim CPA review course student put it:
“Read the chapters and do the work from the learning modules, and you will pass with Gleim. It does a great job of preparing you. I have always gotten at least a 10 to 15 point score bump from the mock exams to the actual test.”
Using their SmartAdapt technology was like having a personal coach who knew exactly where I struggled and guided me through those rough patches.
During my free trial of Gleim Premium CPA, I encountered a particularly tricky section on auditing standards. The way Gleim broke down the information made it digestible, turning what I didn’t understand into something I could easily explain to others. The real testament to Gleim’s effectiveness came when I found myself applying these concepts to practice questions.
One final part of their interactive study planner that I loved was the calendar feature. Using it, you simply input the day you start studying and when you want to take the exam. You can black out days you won’t be studying and then add in any hours or days you can. It will calculate the study schedule you must pass and ensure you don’t fall behind.
Videos
You might be disappointed if you buy the Gleim product solely for its video lectures. The videos don’t provide a lot of new information. Instead, they just give you a visual overview of the book. A sweep of online reviews brought up the same thing that I feel about their video lessons: they’re a tad bit dry. One student put it this way:
“I used only Gleim and I have a 95 average across the sections I have gotten scores for. If you’re able to study from a book, it’s pretty great. The videos weren’t very useful to me, but I also learn better from a book than from videos. – Reddit Thread
With that being said, I wouldn’t let this steer you away from the program. Even though this area needs to be approved, this program as a whole will prepare you to pass the CPA exam on the first try, which is the ultimate goal.
Practice Questions and Exams
“Love it. Questions were a lot harder on Gleim vs. the real test, the wordings and formats were exactly the same, etc.”
Gleim CPA reviewer
“Gleim’s test bank is no joke. I used Roger to pass my other three exams, but picked up Gleim’s test bank for REG. The questions are so much harder and more in-depth than Roger.”
I included these quotes above because I wanted you to have a recent account of how closely the multiple-choice questions and task-based simulations provided by Gleim mimic the real exam. I passed my CPA exam years ago, so although I try to review the practice questions and mock exams thoroughly, I cannot know how close it is to the current exam day experience.
Keeping that in mind, here are my personal thoughts:
- Their 10,000 multiple-choice questions outshine the other provider options, hands down.
- Each question comes with an in-depth explanation, not just of the correct answers but also detailing why other options are incorrect, which is a huge plus.
- You can create practice tests tailored to specific topics, allowing for focused study sessions on areas where you need the most practice.
- It’s a real bonus to have access to accounting experts for clarification or extra help understanding complex topics or specific practice questions.
Value
“How much does Gleim CPA review cost?” is a common Google search for a reason. Pricing matters.
Although their pricing has increased over the years, they still boast a similar price tag (or a couple of hundred dollars less) than for all study unit options. This value is hard to match, especially since Gleim’s commitment to your success is underscored by their Access Until You Pass guarantee, ensuring you have continuous access to the study materials until you pass all sections of the CPA exam. This adds incredible value to your investment, especially when you save even more with a Gleim CPA promo code.
Support
Support was one of the pros I listed for the Gleim course because there really isn’t anything comparable out there.
In a review, one student highlighted Gleim’s exceptional customer service as a key factor in their positive experience. They specifically praised the Gleim rep for her outstanding support, noting her excellent follow-up and patience. Despite the user’s initial hesitation and delays in committing, the rep maintained contact, checking in periodically over months and even a year. This is dedication!
On top of stellar customer service support, certain Gleim course options also include a personal counselor. This isn’t just any support staff; it’s someone who’s dedicated to your success on the CPA exam. Your personal counselor is there to guide you from the moment you start studying until you cross the finish line. They’re not just a source of academic advice; they’re your coach, cheerleader, and troubleshooter all rolled into one.
They also have a feature that ensures that you have direct access to a team of experts for guidance whenever you encounter difficulties with any CPA exam topic. This isn’t just any team; it’s a diverse group of professionals, including CPAs, college professors, and industry experts, who have contributed to the course materials themselves.
Let’s say you’re working through the taxation section and come across a complex concept involving corporate tax strategies that you can’t quite grasp. Instead of spending hours searching for answers or feeling stuck, you can use the Gleim platform to ask a question about this topic. Your query is directed to a CPA with extensive experience in taxation, who also contributed to developing the taxation study materials.
Within a short period, you’ll receive a detailed explanation that clarifies your doubt and provides practical examples to illustrate the concept. This level of access to experts is a significant advantage of the Gleim CPA Review course. It transforms it from a mere study tool into a dynamic learning environment where expert guidance is just a question away.
CPA Course Comparisons
Gleim vs. Becker CPA
Choosing between Becker and Gleim for your CPA review comes down to identifying your top priority. Both courses deliver a wealth of practice questions. For those seeking a comprehensive course complete with coaching and tutoring, Becker is the way to go. However, if exceptional practice materials tops your list, Gleim should be your choice.
Gleim vs. Wiley CPA (Now UWorld)
Wiley has long been a familiar name in CPA prep, and its transition into UWorld has brought meaningful updates to the platform. When comparing Gleim and Wiley’s CPA review (now UWorld), the difference comes down to learning style rather than quality. Gleim offers a more traditional, content-dense approach with extensive practice and structure, while UWorld emphasizes clarity, analytics, and a more guided learning experience. Candidates who prefer depth and repetition may lean toward Gleim, while those who value streamlined explanations and insight-driven study may prefer UWorld.
Gleim vs. Surgent CPA
Choosing between Surgent and Gleim comes down to depth versus speed. Gleim offers more comprehensive content, a larger question bank, and stronger support, making it a better fit for candidates who want thorough coverage and repetition. Surgent focuses on efficiency through adaptive technology, but that streamlined approach can feel too limited for those who need more explanation or practice. For most CPA candidates, I say that Gleim is the more reliable and well-rounded choice.
Gleim vs Ninja CPA
When comparing Gleim to Ninja for CPA exam prep, it’s clear that Ninja might be useful for its video content, but Gleim offers a much more comprehensive package. Gleim provides an extensive range of practice questions, in-depth explanations, and adaptive learning technology that personalizes your study plan. Plus, their support team is always on hand to guide you through any stumbling blocks.
CPA Prep Course Discounts
If you’re not sure about Gleim, check out these CPA course coupons from other top prep providers.
Take $1,600 Off UWorld CPA Elite-Unlimited Course
Final Verdict
Gleim CPA Review stands out for its extensive test bank, exceptional personalized support, and highly accurate exam simulations, positioning it as a top choice for CPA candidates. With a track record of success reflected in a 99% student satisfaction rate and over 45 years in the field of CPA exam preparation, Gleim offers a comprehensive and effective study experience. Although recent price adjustments may require consideration, the depth of its resources, including over 10,000 multiple-choice questions, stellar support from personal counselors, and adaptive learning technology, underscores its value. I highly recommend Gleim CPA if you want to feel confident on exam day.
FAQ
Yes, you can pass any of the CPA exams (6 sections) using Gleim alone. The great thing about their Premium CPA review system is that no other supplemental material is needed. From their books to videos to practice exams and digital flashcards to audio lectures and the final review, Gleim offers unlimited access to everything you need to become a CPA.
While both Gleim and Becker offer highly specialized programs with an impressive range of courses, Becker is my number one pick. This is due to their long track record, comprehensive review system, and much more. But this doesn’t mean that Gleim isn’t great. Their value-packed Access Until You Pass guarantee and A1 practice question system is just what many users need in a study unit. If you’re on the fence, you could always do a Gleim free trial and decide for yourself.
Gleim takes pride in offering exceptional tech support to ensure a seamless study experience. Their platform is user-friendly, but if you ever run into technical issues or have questions about using their digital tools, their responsive support team is quick to assist. Users often highlight this level of tech support as a standout feature, making Gleim a reliable choice for those who appreciate swift and helpful assistance with their study tools.
Yes and no. Although you’ll need some accounting background to study for the CPA exam, Gleim’s CPA review system is designed to cater to a wide range of learners. Their materials start with the basics and gradually build up to more complex topics, ensuring a solid foundation. Plus, the detailed explanations and personalized support make it easier for beginners to grasp the essentials and progress confidently toward exam readiness.
No, but it is a budget-friendly option out there for CPA review and stands out for the value it delivers. Gleim’s package is packed with a vast array of practice questions, in-depth explanations, tailored support, and cutting-edge adaptive learning features. Gleim offers great bang for your buck when considering the quality and extent of support provided.
