CPA retake fees can cost between $50 and $200 per attempt, but this doesn’t include the additional expenses such as travel costs, lost wages, and the emotional toll associated with having to retake the exam.
Needless to say, everyone wants to pass on their first try. Gleim and Surgent are two of the most popular CPA providers out there, but which is more likely to help you succeed, no retakes required?
I’m a professional course reviewer, and I passed the CPA exams myself. Now, I pride myself on diving deep into the top prep courses to help aspiring financial professionals make the best choice—and investment—for their future. I spent extensive up-close-and-personal hours with both Gleim and Surgent’s CPA review courses. Here are the key insights, pros, cons, and facts you need to know (that you won’t find on the sales pages).
Making the Right Choice Between Gleim and Surgent
- Pick Gleim if you want to go deep. Gleim is best for students who wish to truly master the material with 13,000+ questions and detailed explanations.
- Pick Gleim if you need extra support. With personal counselors, expert Q&A, and private study groups, Gleim is ideal if you don’t want to study alone.
- Pick Gleim if you thrive on structure. The organized dashboard and step-by-step subunits make it easy to follow a clear, logical study path.
- Pick Surgent if you want to pass fast. Surgent’s adaptive tech helps you cut study time in half by zeroing in on weak spots.
- Pick Surgent if you’re on a budget. With prices starting under $1,000 and a money-back guarantee on every plan, Surgent is perfect for cost-conscious learners.
Company Overviews: Surgent vs. Gleim
Gleim CPA Review
With both multiple-choice questions and task-based simulations combined, Gleim offers a total of over 13,000 practice questions. For a lot of students, that’s enough said—sign them up. However, there’s more to Gleim than just a big test bank, and the extra details are worth seriously considering before you make your final choice.
For example, Gleim is one of the only CPA providers out there (alongside Becker) to offer an AI chatbot designed explicitly for certified public accountant candidates: Prep Pal™. It’s a bit like if ChatGPT were programmed only with accounting and test prep info. Further, their adaptive learning technology helped me to identify areas where I wasn’t as strong, so I could study harder and build a more solid foundation, instead of wasting time studying my strengths to boost my ego (we’ve all done it!).
Further, Gleim offers a strong support system, including resources such as personal counselors for crafting sustainable study plans, accounting experts for Q&A on the subjects you’re stuck on, and even private study groups to help you stay accountable and socialize (extroverts rejoice). All in all, Gleim is a well-balanced option for most students, with a plethora of high-quality practice tools, data-driven technology, and comprehensive support.
Review Highlight
“I’ve passed three out of four so far with Gleim, my lowest score so far being an 86. Granted, I’ve averaged study time of about 5 months between tests because I was so anxious about not passing that I probably overstudied. 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.”
u/Comprehensive-End139
Packages
- Traditional: SmartAdapt™ technology, digital textbooks (available for print on demand), rapid and final review, audio lessons, 11,500+ MCQs, 1,600+ TBSs, unlimited practice exams, four mock exams, phone and email support, personalized study schedule, student-only Facebook study groups, personal counselors
- Premium: Everything in Traditional PLUS the ability to change discipline sections once, 100+ hours of video lectures, eight mock exams (four more than the Traditional Package offers), digital flashcards, accounting expert aid
- Premium Pro: Everything in Traditional and Premium PLUS unlimited discipline changes, Prep Pal™ exam review AI chatbot, office hours webinar recordings, one year’s access to Gleim CPE, unlimited accounting expert access
Enjoy $1,050 Off Gleim CPA Premium Pro Course
Pros
- Has the largest test bank of any CPA exam prep provider
- Includes adaptive learning technology and an AI study partner for increased efficiency
- Support for study strategy, topic understanding, community, and accountability
- Includes a 100% money-back pass guarantee and Access Until You Pass® Guarantee
- Offers innovative bonus tools like audio lectures and an interactive study planner
Cons
- Significantly more expensive than Surgent, sometimes by $1,000 or more
- The money-back guarantee is limited to the Premium Pro package (Surgent covers all packages)
Check out my full analysis in this review of Gleim CPA courses.
Gleim CPA Review
Surgent CPA Review
Where Gleim offers a veritable library of practice questions and has a “dig deep and go slow” approach, Surgent’s priority is efficiency. If you’re the kind of person who doesn’t need to study as much to pass a difficult exam—particularly if you have a busy schedule and you’re not much of a video person—Surgent could be a better match for your needs.
Surgent reports that their CPA students spend 50% less study time to pass due to their tech tools, which includes proprietary predictive AI to help you spend more time strengthening your weaknesses and ReadySCORE™, which shows you when you’re ready to take the exam (and, if you’re not ready yet, how far you still have to go).
And while I did like those tech tools and see how they speed up the study process, I don’t think that level of speed will work for everyone. Further, though there are over 700 videos, usually in the 5 to 10 minute range, the more traditional “reading off the slide” style won’t be a match for learners who struggle to lock in and focus. Nevertheless, Surgent’s efficient tech and generous guarantees make it a great prep resource worth considering.
Review Highlight
“I have used surgent, ninja, and roger. In terms of questions surgent is by far the best.”
u/TheNotoriousMIT
Packages
- Essentials Pass: 9,000+ multiple-choice questions, 500+ task-based simulations, adaptive learning technology, ReadySCORE™ performance tracking, 700+ mini video lectures, digital textbooks, downloadable class notes, access to all six sections, money-back pass guarantee, unlimited access
- Premier Pass: Everything in the Essentials Pass PLUS physical reference books, printed flashcards, 1-on-1 study strategy coaching meetings, audio lessons
- Ultimate Pass: Everything in the Essentials and Premier Passes PLUS 1,000 additional practice questions, one-day support timeframe, one year of access to Surgent CPE
Save $629 Surgent CPA Ultimate Pass
Pros
- The most affordable of the top CPA prep providers
- Focused on speed and efficiency, Surgent reports halving study time for students
- ReadySCORE™ predicts your performance on the actual exam (for peace of mind)
- Includes unlimited access and money-back pass guarantee for all three course bundles
Cons
- Video lectures are much drier than Gleim’s, which might reduce retention
- Includes ~4,000 fewer practice questions than Gleim
Learn more about Surgent CPA prep courses in this detailed review.
Surgent CPA Review
Surgent vs Gleim CPA Feature Comparisons
| Provider |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Price Range | $2,499 – $3,499 | $799 – $1,699 |
| Financing | $226 – $316 (Monthly) |  (Amount Varies) |
| Discounts | Save 40% | Save $629 |
| Video Lectures | 100+ Hours | 700+ Videos |
| Practice Questions | 13,100+ MCQs/TBSs | 9,500+ MCQs/TBSs |
| Tech Tools | Prep Pal™SmartAdapt™ | Adaptive TechnologyReadySCORE™ |
| Support | Personal CounselorsAccounting ExpertsPrivate Study Groups | 1:1 Study Strategy CoachingSupport in 1 Business Day |
| Guarantees | Access Until You Pass® GuaranteeMoney-Back Pass Guarantee | Access Until You Pass Money-Back Pass Guarantee |
| Refund Policy | 30 Days (See Terms) | 10 Days (See Terms) |
| Get Started | LEARN MORE | LEARN MORE |
Course Highlights: Best Student Matches for Gleim and Surgent
If you’re a TL;DR kind of person, this section is for you. I’m just going to quickly highlight the kind of students who would benefit the most from each course to make your decision easier.
Best Students for Gleim:
- You like to get “into the weeds” of topics to fully understand them
- You’re an extrovert who craves community over isolation
- You’re not the kind of person who can speed through a topic and pass
- You want the highest number of practice questions out there
Best Students for Surgent:
- You didn’t have to study much, if at all, to ace tests in school
- You don’t struggle to pay attention to dry lectures; you can lock in and focus easily
- You value the idea of passing faster more than getting an impressive score
- You want a course with a lower price and a money-back guarantee
Features-Based Versus Sections
There’s your brief overview of the two providers, but now, I want to describe what it was like to use both courses from a firsthand perspective. My hope is that CPA candidates will get to experience a sort of “test drive” by studying vicariously through my own session screenshots and explanations to help you get a better feel for what’s in store.
Course Layout
Gleim CPA has one of the most aesthetically pleasing dashboards out there, second only to their premium competitor, Becker. It’s clean and simple while remaining professional, which made it easy for me to stay focused on the content, even with a million things going on in my brain (and around me in my WFH office). The study units are divided into subunits, the areas where you’ll be spending the majority of your time:
Each subunit consists of a short video lecture or two (usually between 5 and 10 minutes long), two multiple-choice question walkthrough videos that walk you through test-taking strategies, a brief outline summarizing the material, and a handful of focus questions to gauge your comprehension of that subunit. It’s very clearly outlined, easy to move from one activity to the next, and I was grateful for the quick loading speeds.
As for Surgent, there’s definitely an older vibe. It feels like the designers were chasing a more modern feel, but in my opinion, that attempt may have backfired. Further, compared to Gleim, the menus aren’t quite as clean and easy to understand or navigate, which made the experience a little more stressful at times. However, there’s a lot to love about Surgent, too. In particular, I really liked The Daily Surge, which is featured prominently at the top of the dashboard and assigns you daily study tasks. That element of gamification was compelling and made studying less of a chore for me.
🏅 Winner: Gleim (More logical, modern, and aesthetically pleasing)
Practice Exams and Questions
Though I think it’s inarguable that quality is the most important factor when it comes to practice questions and exams, it’d be absurd to ignore the value in quantity. Surgent offers 9,000+ multiple-choice questions and 500+ task-based simulations, which is undoubtedly impressive. However, Gleim’s claim to fame is their massive test bank, featuring over 11,500 MCQs and 1,600 task-based simulations. In total, that’s a difference of over 3,500 questions in Gleim’s favor. But let’s dig deeper into the specific experiences and quality levels.
Gleim’s 13,100+ questions are a massive value add, but they also include unlimited practice exams and up to eight full-length mock exams (all modeled after the real CPA exam). Plus, Gleim’s practice exams include detailed answer explanations for both the right and wrong answers, which made it much easier for me to know where I went wrong and how to fix it for my next attempt. Plus, the final review sessions were a huge hit; I can see how they’d help you earn potentially lost points in the “last-minute” stretch leading up to exam day. Finally, having the ability to truly customize my exams, toggling adaptive learning technology on and off as I liked, choosing the topics I wanted to cover, and choosing how many questions I wanted to shoot for ensured I could make the most of every study session.
However, Surgent has a lot to offer in this department as well, even if they can’t compete with Gleim’s question quantity. In particular, while Gleim offers outstanding answer explanations, Surgent takes it a notch higher with links to relevant content in the course that covers the material of the question, like videos, terms, references, and authoritative passages. I loved knowing that if there was a question I got wrong, I could find exactly where to study that subject at length until I nailed it.
Further, some of the explanations themselves are extremely detailed:
However, Gleim offers detailed explanations as well, though Surgent meets them in the “unlimited practice exams” department. So, there’s a lot to think about, but I still think there’s a clear winner between the two.
🏅 Winner: Gleim (3,500+ additional practice questions and highly customizable practice exams)
Video Lectures
Though Gleim delivers over 100 hours of video and Surgent includes over 700 videos, by my calculations, I think the amount of content is roughly the same. So the real question is: which video lectures are more effective in helping students prep for and pass the CPA exam?
I prefer Gleim’s video lessons from some of their other prep courses, like their enrolled agent course, where the instructor seems a little more animated. However, I still think their CPA videos get the job done, and I particularly appreciate the interface. The ability to read the outline and take notes in the same tab while you’re watching the video is so helpful, especially if you benefit from “following along” while someone explains things to you.
Surgent, meanwhile, has very different formatting. While you can take notes, you’ll have to zoom out from the video to see them, and they’re placed at the bottom instead of the side, so you’ll have to scroll as well. Further, where Gleim has clean, minimal slides, where it’s easier to write everything down, Surgent can get pretty wordy, so get ready to type quickly. Further, it can be challenging to move through Surgent’s videos effectively; the layout is pretty outdated, and having a massive list of videos makes it more difficult to easily remember where you left off and what you have to watch next:
Specifically for their CPA videos, I don’t think there’s a big difference in audio or presenter quality; however, there’s a noticeable gap when it comes to the interface and user experience.
🏅 Winner: Gleim (Better video interface, simpler slides for note takers)
Value
First things first: Surgent’s CPA Exam Review is significantly more affordable than Gleim’s, sometimes by $1,000 or more (depending on the package). However, Surgent lacks some of the features that give Gleim that major price tag, such as:
- 3,500+ additional practice questions
- Private, student-only study groups and accounting Q&A with professionals
- An AI study assistant for more efficient sessions
- More engaging, memorable video lectures
To boil it down, you’re paying more for a more enjoyable study experience that includes more practice materials and support. Is that price increase worth it? Well, it’s really up to you. Maybe you already know you need highly engaging videos to learn, and something that’s just “good” won’t catch your attention. Or, perhaps you’re a kinesthetic learner, and you need as many practice questions as possible to succeed. If you know yourself, you already know which course is the better fit.
🏅 Winner: Surgent (More budget-friendly)
See where Gleim and Surgent rank overall in this comparison of my top CPA prep courses.
Course Discounts
Enjoy $1,050 Off Gleim CPA Premium Pro Course
Save $629 Surgent CPA Ultimate Pass
Final Verdict
So, should you choose one of Surgent’s “Passes” or a Gleim Review System? If I’m being honest, it’s tough to go wrong with either exam review course. While I slightly favor Gleim for that outstanding question bank, Surgent is still a fantastic choice if you’re looking for high-quality prep on a budget.
Regardless of which course you choose, the best time to start was yesterday, but the second-best time to start is right now. Get started with a Gleim CPA course, or learn more about Surgent CPA packages.
Good luck!
FAQs
It depends on your learning style. Gleim is ideal for deep learners who want maximum support and content, while Surgent is great for fast, focused prep.
Yes. Gleim offers extensive study tools, thousands of practice questions, mock exams, and detailed explanations to fully prepare you for test day.
There’s no publicly verified data, but Gleim and Surgent both report high success rates. Gleim is known for its thoroughness, while Surgent focuses on efficiency.
Gleim has a more user-friendly video interface and cleaner slides, which make it a better choice for visual learners compared to Surgent’s wordier format.
Surgent is significantly more affordable, sometimes by $1,000 or more. It’s a solid option for students on a tighter budget.
