Becker vs Gleim vs Surgent: which should you pick?

Becker is lecture-led and premium, Gleim has the largest question volume, and Surgent is adaptive and value-priced. Pick by learning style: lectures (Becker), volume practice (Gleim) or adaptive efficiency (Surgent).

Key takeaways

  • Lecture-led, with live online classes on higher tiers and a long track record.
  • Known for the largest bank of practice questions and a practice-first, no-frills approach.
  • Known for adaptive learning that targets weaker areas and for value pricing.
  • HiPrep adds step-by-step answer building for task-based simulations, explanations in several Indian languages and founder-led mentoring.
  • Lecture-led learners: Becker.
  • Lecture-led courses can feel slow for experienced candidates.

Becker

Lecture-led, with live online classes on higher tiers and a long track record. Usually the most expensive.

Gleim

Known for the largest bank of practice questions and a practice-first, no-frills approach.

Surgent

Known for adaptive learning that targets weaker areas and for value pricing.

Where HiPrep fits

HiPrep adds step-by-step answer building for task-based simulations, explanations in several Indian languages and founder-led mentoring. See HiPrep against each provider on its comparison page.

Side by side by learning style

Lecture-led learners: Becker. Practice-heavy learners: Gleim. Time-poor candidates with prior knowledge: Surgent. Learners who want explanations in their own language and a mentor: HiPrep.

What each is less suited to

Lecture-led courses can feel slow for experienced candidates. Practice-heavy courses can feel thin on teaching for beginners. Adaptive courses assume you know some material already. No course suits everyone.

How to decide in an afternoon

Pick two finalists by style. Run the same lesson and the same simulation in both free trials. Choose the one where you understand why the answer is right with the least effort.

Exam facts at a glance

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. Main topics: Conceptual framework, Financial statements, Revenue (ASC 606), Leases, debt & equity, Governmental & NFP accounting.

AUD, Auditing & Attestation: Planning, risk assessment, evidence and reporting. Main topics: Ethics & independence, Risk assessment, Internal control, Evidence & sampling, Audit reports.

REG, Taxation & Regulation: Federal taxation, business law and ethics for tax practitioners. Main topics: Ethics & procedures, Business law, Individual taxation, Entity taxation, Property transactions.

Plus one Discipline of your choice: BAR, ISC or TCP.

The path from eligibility to certification

CPA (US): 1. Check eligibility. Degree and accounting or business credit-hour rules differ by state board. 2. Choose a state board. Pick a jurisdiction that accepts international candidates and suits your credentials. 3. Evaluate your credentials. An approved agency reviews your international transcripts. 4. Apply and get your NTS. Apply to the board and receive your Notice to Schedule. 5. Book at Prometric. Schedule each section at a test centre near you. 6. Pass four sections. Within your state board’s rolling window. 7. Ethics exam and licence. Complete the AICPA ethics exam and experience requirements.

Who it suits: B.Com, M.Com, CA, CMA and MBA Finance graduates; Audit and accounting professionals targeting Big-4 and global roles; Finance teams in GCCs and MNCs; Anyone planning a career or move abroad. Careers it opens: Big-4 and US audit; GCC and MNC finance; US taxation; US GAAP reporting and controllership; IT audit and risk (ISC).

Key terms explained

CPA: Certified Public Accountant: the US licence for accounting, audit and tax professionals, issued by a state board of accountancy after you pass the CPA Exam and meet education and experience rules.

Task-based simulation: A hands-on question where you work through a realistic scenario by filling a table, researching authoritative literature or completing a calculation. Often shortened to TBS.

More questions candidates ask

Which should I pick: CPA, CMA or EA? CPA suits audit, reporting and global accounting careers. CMA suits management accounting, FP&A and finance leadership. EA suits US tax and IRS representation, and is the quickest to complete. Our counsellors will map one to your background and goals for free.

Can I take these exams from outside the US? Yes. The CPA, CMA and EA exams are available at Prometric test centres in many countries, including India, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific. Eligibility and registration run through the relevant body: a US state board for CPA, IMA for CMA and the IRS for EA.

Do I need a commerce degree? It depends on the exam. CPA requires a degree plus accounting and business credit hours, which vary by state. CMA requires a bachelor’s degree plus experience. EA has no degree requirement. Book a free eligibility check and we will tell you exactly where you stand.

What are the passing scores? CPA: 75 on a 0–99 scale. CMA: 360 on a 0–500 scale. EA: 105 on a 40–130 scale. All are scaled scores, not percentages.

How HiPrep can help

HiPrep is an exam-prep provider for the CPA (US), CMA (US) and Enrolled Agent exams. Every answer is built step by step, cell by cell, so you see how a result is reached and not only what it is. Explanations are available in English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada, and a mentor is behind the platform for doubts.

You get a Prometric-style simulator with tutor and exam modes, full-length mock exams with a scaled-score estimate and topic breakdown, layered books, one-page revision notes built from your mistakes, flashcards, an AI tutor that hints before it tells, and a study plan that adapts to your exam date and weekly hours.

Start with the free diagnostic: 45 minutes and a topic-by-topic report that shows where you stand before you spend anything.

Frequently asked questions

Which is best for CPA FAR?

FAR rewards heavy practice and clear explanations. Trial the FAR content in two providers and pick the one whose explanations you understand fastest.

Do all three cover the same exam content?

They all aim at the AICPA blueprint, so the topics are similar. The difference is in teaching style, practice volume, tools and support.

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.

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