HiPrep vs Gleim

By Haresh Ratnagrahi, CPA, FCA, CMA (US), CISA, CRISC. Founder, HiPrep. About the author

Gleim is a long-standing provider known for a very large bank of practice questions across CPA, CMA and EA.

What Gleim is known for

  • A very large question bank
  • Textbook-style outlines and practice-heavy study
  • A utilitarian, no-frills interface
  • Courses across CPA, CMA and EA, often at a mid-range price

Choose Gleim if

  • You are self-driven and learn by doing many questions
  • You have a strong accounting or tax background
  • You value volume of practice over polish

Where HiPrep takes a different approach

  • Explanations that teach the reasoning, with a hint ladder before the answer
  • A modern simulator with gamified task-based simulations
  • Layered books and short notes for faster revision
  • Language support for regional-language learners

How Gleim teaches

Gleim is practice-first: outlines and textbook-style materials feed a very large bank of questions. It rewards self-directed learners who learn by doing and reading explanations.

Practice and simulator

The question bank is among the largest available, which gives plenty of volume across topics. The interface is functional rather than flashy.

Support and community

Support is available through the provider’s channels, but the model assumes you drive your own study. Check whether live help or mentoring is included.

Pricing approach

Gleim is generally mid-range with several packages, and also sells separate bundles for CMA and EA. Compare bundles carefully.

Who might look beyond Gleim

If you are new to US GAAP and need concepts taught slowly, or want a guided, mentor-led path, add or choose something with more teaching.

How HiPrep approaches the same exams

HiPrep is built around understanding. Every answer is built step by step, cell by cell, so you see where each number comes from. A hint ladder gives you a nudge before the answer, so you do the thinking. Wrong answers are explained as carefully as right ones, and the notes you revise from are built from your own mistakes.

Concepts can be explained in English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu or Kannada, and a mentor is available for doubts. You practise in a Prometric-style simulator and take full-length mocks with a scaled-score estimate and a topic breakdown, then follow a study plan that adapts to your exam date and weekly hours.

The exams Gleim covers

CPA (US) (Certified Public Accountant), overseen by AICPA · NASBA · State boards. 4: Exams: 3 Core + 1 Discipline. 4 hrs: Per section. 75: Passing score (0–99 scale). Prometric: Test centres worldwide.

FAR, Financial Accounting & Reporting: US GAAP for businesses, not-for-profits and governments.

AUD, Auditing & Attestation: Planning, risk assessment, evidence and reporting.

REG, Taxation & Regulation: Federal taxation, business law and ethics for tax practitioners.

CMA (US) (Certified Management Accountant), overseen by IMA. 2: Exam parts. 4 hrs: Per part: 100 MCQs + 2 essays. 360: Passing score (0–500 scale). 3 yrs: To complete both parts from your first.

Part 1, Financial Planning, Performance and Analytics: Budgeting, performance management, cost management and controls.

Part 2, Strategic Financial Management: Corporate finance, investment decisions, risk and ethics.

Enrolled Agent (EA) (US Enrolled Agent), overseen by IRS · Special Enrollment Examination. 3: Exam parts (SEE). 3.5 hrs: Per part: 100 MCQs. 105: Passing score (40–130 scale). 2 yrs: To pass all three parts.

Part 1, Individuals: Individual tax returns, income, deductions and credits.

Part 2, Businesses: Business entities, financial information and business returns.

Part 3, Representation, Practices and Procedures: Practising before the IRS, ethics and procedures.

How to test both in one week

Day 1: open a free trial or demo of each. Day 2: study the same topic lesson in both. Day 3: do 40 multiple-choice questions in each. Day 4: do one task-based simulation in each. Day 5: read the explanation for every question you missed. Day 6: try to re-explain the topic from memory using each platform’s notes. Day 7: choose the one where you understood the most with the least friction.

Our view

Gleim and HiPrep suit different learners. Choose Gleim if its style matches how you learn, and choose HiPrep if you want answers built step by step, your own language and a mentor. Both are legitimate; the right answer is the one you will actually keep studying with.

What HiPrep includes

  • Exams covered: CPA (US), CMA (US), Enrolled Agent
  • How answers are taught: Built step by step, cell by cell; hint ladder before the answer
  • Explanation languages: English plus Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada
  • Simulator: Prometric-style, tutor and exam modes, MCQ + simulations + CMA essays
  • Mock exams: Full-length with scaled-score estimate and topic breakdown
  • Books and notes: Layered books; one-page notes built from your mistakes
  • AI help: AI tutor for doubts that hints before it tells
  • Human support: Founder-led mentoring and counsellors

Frequently asked questions

Is Gleim good for the CPA exam?

Gleim is popular with candidates who like heavy question practice. If you need more concept teaching or a more guided path, compare it with video-led or mentor-led options.

Gleim vs HiPrep: which is better?

It depends on how you study. Gleim leans on volume of questions. HiPrep leans on understanding how each answer is built, with languages and mentoring. Try a demo of each.

Sources and official references

About the author

Haresh Ratnagrahi, Founder, HiPrep (CPA, FCA, CMA (US), CISA, CRISC). Haresh has spent 30+ years in corporate finance, M&A and teaching, including as a professor at Sydenham College of Commerce and as founder of the Finance & Accounts Learning Academy at EXL, where he trained more than 6,000 employees. He founded HiPrep to give CPA, CMA and EA candidates clear teaching, a real exam simulator and mentoring.

Based on publicly available information and how each provider describes itself. Features, pricing and packages change often, so check the provider’s site before you buy. HiPrep is not affiliated with any provider named here; all trademarks belong to their owners.

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