The CPA exam is downright brutal—but that isn’t a secret. The AICPA regularly posts pass rates for all six exam sections, with some as low as 38% and 39% cumulatively in 2024.
Needless to say, you should do your research to pick the best CPA exam prep course for you. Two of the most popular options are Surgent and Becker, and in this article, my goal is to answer the question:
Which is the better choice for CPA candidates, Surgent or Becker?
I spent dozens of hours poring through Surgent’s and Becker’s CPA review courses, taking practice exams, paging through textbooks, guessing terms with sets of digital flashcards, watching video lectures, and analyzing bonus study materials. Today, I’m sharing everything I learned to help you make the best investment for your accounting career.
Surgent vs. Becker CPA: Which is Better for You?
- If you’re a visual learner, then Becker’s short, engaging video lectures make mastering complex topics much easier.
- If you want live classes and real-time instructor interaction, Becker’s LiveOnline Virtual Classroom is a better fit.
- If you’re looking for a mobile-friendly experience, then Becker’s highly rated app is perfect for studying on the go.
- If you want built-in structure and personal support, Becker’s coaching and tutoring sessions offer valuable guidance.
- If you’re on a tight budget, Surgent’s more affordable pricing makes it a smart choice without sacrificing core content.
- If you’re an independent learner who prefers flexibility, Surgent’s self-paced format is well-suited to your study style.
Course Overviews
We’ll get into the details later, but for my big-picture people, here’s a broad overview of what you need to know about Becker and Surgent CPA review courses.
Becker CPA: Structured Support for Serious Candidates
Due to their impressive stats, Becker CPA review courses are generally considered the best of the best when it comes to prep courses. Becker boasts a 94% pass rate—currently, that’s the highest in the industry, matched only with UWorld. Some of their biggest perks include a 100% and partial money-back guarantee, 12 mini exams and 8 full-length mock exams, unlimited practice exams driven by Becker’s Adapt2U Technology, and live online classes.
Another selling point? Becker’s methodology. Some courses want you to pass as quickly as possible, while others want to load on the material and have you cover every topic, subtopic, and subtopic of that subtopic. Becker is the latter, which led to their track record with the Elijah Watt Sells Award, an honor given to students who pass every section of the CPA exam on their first try with a cumulative average score of 95.50 or higher. Becker has produced 90% of EWS winners since 2007. So, whether smart people choose Becker, Becker churns out outstanding students, or both, it’s inarguable that Becker works well for ambitious students who thrive in a structured environment.
“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.”
Becker CPA
Surgent CPA: Smarter Study Through AI-Driven Learning
Meanwhile, Surgent CPA review courses are almost the opposite of Becker. Where Becker overprepares you with tons of study hours, Surgent tries to get you to pass in as few study hours as possible. Where Becker offers the most expensive course of the top providers, Surgent offers the most budget-friendly options (with their highest-price course still almost $1,000 more affordable than Becker’s cheapest).
Surgent is best known for their ReadySCORE™ exam-readiness indicator, which measures your performance on practice exams and predicts your score on the actual CPA exam with 98% accuracy. Plus, uniquely to Surgent, every single one of their prep courses features a 100% money-back pass guarantee and unlimited access until you pass your exams. Surgent’s an excellent choice for budget-conscious students looking for helpful tech tools, particularly if Becker is out of your price range.
“Used Surgent for both CPA and CIA. I’m happy with it, passed all parts on first attempt while working full time with a family. CPA took about 6 months and CIA 6 weeks.”
Surgent CPA
Feature Comparisons
| Provider |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2,499 – $6,349 | $799 – $1,699 |
| Discounts | Save $1,346 | Save $629 |
| Financing |  Starts at $104/mo | |
| Access | 24 Months to Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Guarantees | Partial or 100% Money-Back | 100% Money-Back |
| Pass Rate | 94% | 88% |
| Practice Questions | 8,000+ | 9,000+(1,000+ Extra in Ultimate Pass) |
| Practice TBSs | 500+ | 500+ |
| Live Classes | |  |
| Mobile App | 🍎 ⭐ 4.8 Stars🤖 ⭐ 4.8 Stars | 🍎 ⭐ 2.0 Stars🤖 ⭐ 2.5 Stars |
| Learn More | Learn More | Learn More |
Becker vs. Surgent CPA: The Details
Course Content and Structure
Becker’s structure centers around printed and digital textbooks, 900+ bite-sized video lectures, and 8,500+ practice questions. However, one of Becker’s biggest draws for CPA aspirants is their LiveOnline Virtual Classroom, where students can access 2-hour-long classes taught in real-time. This enabled me to interact with my instructors, testing their willingness to help by asking questions on the subject material.
It can vary by instructor, but for the most part, the teachers were patient, personable, and engaging, offering a lot of metaphors, analogies, and mnemonics to help students stay engaged and remember what we learned that day. Plus, I appreciated the wide variety of times offered, allowing me to join as early as 10 AM or as late as 7 PM.
Meanwhile, Surgent is more focused on reading textbooks and grinding through their 9,500+ practice questions, with another 1,000+ MCQs available in the Ultimate Pass’s integrated test bank. They do have video lectures, but from my experience, they aren’t very good. More on that later.
The point is, Surgent’s self-paced, on-demand structure is a better fit for reading-driven learners who prefer the freedom of a more flexible approach, particularly if they prefer grinding through a large number of practice questions.
⭐ Winner: Becker
Mobile Apps
Becker’s study companion app is, in my opinion, one of the strongest features of their CPA prep courses. On both Android and Apple app stores, the study app boasts a 4.8-star average review across over 13,000 total reviews.
And honestly, I really loved the app. It was smooth, easy to use, and quick to load. Where some study apps don’t give you much to work with, Becker gives you 250+ hours of video/audio lectures, 7,400+ practice questions, 1,250+ digital flashcards, practice exams, and an interactive study planner. It’s perfect for learning on the go, because while a mobile-optimized website is nice, there’s nothing like having your resources in a more efficient, interactive format.
Meanwhile, Surgent also features mobile apps, but students have criticized them for not being as comprehensive as they were hoping. Plus, students have reported bugs like videos crashing and the inability to log in. So, while it’s nice they have an app, I wouldn’t consider it a selling point of the course—though other features certainly are, this isn’t one of them. I had a similarly frustrating experience, and the randomness of the videos and the app’s overall technological instability made it more effort than it was worth.
One review of Surgent Study Companion reads:
“It only offers you the ability to see flash cards, lectures, and definitions and doesn’t let you work MCQs or see any detail on progress at a section level, only at the overall exam level.”
⭐ Winner: Becker
Video Lectures
Becker is the king of video lectures. They’re short, usually fewer than 10 minutes long, and surprisingly enjoyable. You’re getting GIFs, graphs, images, metaphors, analogies, and ways to remember what you’ve learned, all taught by instructors with energy and a sense of humor. I really enjoyed watching them, and never felt like I needed a break because it was getting too tedious and boring.
Meanwhile, Surgent’s videos are not good. They’re relatively dry, and in many videos, the slides have a smaller window in the corner while the talking head video is the bigger background video. It just doesn’t make sense, especially for avid note-takers like myself. I feel awful saying it, because to be clear, they do a LOT right, and it seems like I’m ripping on them.
However, you have to remember that you pay for what you get. Surgent is the most affordable CPA provider of the “top dog” prep companies, and you’re getting stellar practice questions, great written materials, unlimited access until you pass, and a pass guarantee. But, at least at this point in time, you’re not getting good videos.
⭐ Winner: Becker
Guarantees, Access, and Value
Becker offers a 100% money-back guarantee, but it’s only for the Concierge package. In their Pro package, they provide up to $250 per exam failed, for a possible total of $1,000 max. Further, they feature unlimited access for three of their four courses, and 24 months for their cheapest course.
On the other hand, Surgent offers a 100% money-back guarantee and unlimited course access until you pass for all three of their courses. I don’t know any other provider who does this, and it’s incredible. Seriously, if you want value, Surgent has your back.
⭐ Winner: Surgent
Student Support
Becker offers unmatched support in their Concierge package, with up to 25 success coaching sessions, 25 1:1 tutoring sessions, and live online or in-person Dallas-based classes. However, even the Pro package, which is frequently on sale for just under $2,500, offers 5 coaching sessions and 5 tutoring sessions while still offering both live and in-person class options. That’s an outstanding price for that much comprehensive support, and I’ve found the customer service team to be quick and eager to help.
Meanwhile, Surgent offers some great support options, too, which is rare in a budget-friendly option. The Ultimate and Premier Passes feature 1-on-1 coaching sessions with a CPA study strategist, and your 48-hour customer service window goes down to just 24 hours with the Ultimate Pass. From my experience, Surgent’s customer service team is really that fast, and, like Becker, they really want to help.
⭐ Winner: Becker
Course Discounts
Becker CPA Promo Code
The Becker CPA review course packages offer live instruction, adaptive study plans, and comprehensive exam coverage across four CPA course tiers. Save $1,346 on its packages and access premium tools designed to support every learning style.
Surgent CPA Promo Code
Surgent’s AI-driven platform, ReadySCORE™ analytics, and streamlined study paths help cut down prep time. Save $629 on its CPA courses and take advantage of personalized learning designed for faster results.
Save $629 Surgent CPA Ultimate Pass
Final Verdict
Both courses are phenomenal choices in their own way. Naturally, Becker won nearly all of the head-to-heads, but the added quality, extra materials, and structured support come at a cost. Nevertheless, ambitious students who want a guided approach should seriously consider Becker.
Meanwhile, Surgent is first in value. Even at a more affordable price, all of their courses feature a pass guarantee and unlimited access until you pass. Plus, you can still grab personalized coaching and over 10,000 practice questions.
So, which one is right for you? Choose your own adventure below and grab a discount on your course!
FAQs
Becker offers more structure, support, and higher production value, while Surgent is better for flexible, budget-conscious learners.
Becker reports a 94% pass rate; Surgent reports 88%.
Becker is widely considered the gold standard for CPA prep, especially for students who want structure and support.
Becker and UWorld both report industry-leading pass rates of 94%.
Some students find Becker’s material slightly tougher, which can help with over-preparation and real exam confidence.
