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An Extensive Gleim CPA Review 2022

The CPA exam is a challenging 4-part test that requires preparation. Gleim CPA Review has helped over a million people pass.

But with so many CPA review courses available, how do you decide if it’s the right program for you? It helps to consider your schedule, budget, and learning style.

Affiliate Note: We have an affiliate relationship with all products reviewed on this page. If you make a purchase through one of our links we will be paid a commission. This is done at no additional cost to you – in fact, we work hard to get you the best discounts possible for each course. See our full affiliate disclosure here.

With Gleim test prep, you will get access to practice questions, task-based simulations, and multimedia study aids that teach you how to study for the CPA exam effectively. This article covers the course format in more detail, and everything else you need to know about the course.

(To see how it compares with other CPA courses, check out our CPA Course Comparison page.)

Now, let’s get into Gleim’s pros and cons, pricing options, and what CPA candidates say about the course.

Gleim CPA Course Pros and Cons

Is Gleim CPA Review good?

There are pros and cons to any CPA review course. Like any test prep, it will be great for some students and not ideal for others.

Gleim publishes customer reviews, which provide info on the benefits students have received. Many people like the shorter video clips, high number of practice questions, and simulations.

Here is an overview of the pros and cons of the Gleim CPA Review:

Gleim CPA Pros

  • 14-Day Free trial
  • Biggest test bank
  • Personal touch
  • Phone and email support
  • Unlimited access
  • Relatively affordable

Gleim CPA Cons

  • Too much information
  • No Gleim mobile app
  • No offline options

Gleim CPA Review Pros

14-Day Free trial

Gleim offers a “try before you buy” CPA exam review demo. This allows students to preview the SmartAdapt™ technology, content, videos, and audio lectures.

When you test it out, you can also preview the acclaimed multiple-choice question bank. These will be the primary features you will use, so testing it is a good idea.


Biggest test bank

Of all of the CPA review courses, Gleim has the biggest bank of practice questions. You can buy it separately or as part of a larger package, with all of the digital content. This test bank is the best-selling feature for the program, as it provides over 2,000 multiple-choice questions for each section you need to practice.


Personal touch

One great feature of the Gleim CPA exam review is personal coaching. Personal coaches provide one-on-one guidance using a review system.

They help users create a study plan and goals. Having an expert to help you through this process can be an immensely helpful source of encouragement and contribute to your success.


Phone and email support

Gleim offers good support for users. You can reach out in many ways. It is easy to get in touch with support staff. They offer a call back service, message boards, email, and direct phone numbers. You can leave messages with the online chat, fill out online forms, and get support when you need it.


Unlimited access

With the Gleim CPA premium review system purchase, you receive an Access Until You PassⓇ guarantee. This gives you ongoing access to automatically renewing material until you have successfully completed the CPA exam.

For up to 18 months after purchase, all of the course contents are guaranteed to reflect the current CPA exam.


Relatively affordable

Gleim offers a handy provider review on its website. There you can see how it stacks up to other CPA exam review services. In that review, the Gleim premium package is listed at a significantly cheaper price than immediate competitors.

This affordability makes it an attractive choice for budget-conscious consumers who still want a good quality program.

Gleim CPA Review Cons

Too much information

Some users love that Gleim has a large test bank and a vast quantity of materials. Others, however, feel that its enormous amount of content detracts from the user experience.

Information overload can be confusing and unhelpful. There are personal counselors to help guide users, but some still feel this is a con for the system.


No Gleim mobile app

With many users on mobile devices, it may be a con that Gleim currently has no mobile integration.

Without an app, Gleim is best accessed from a desktop or laptop computer. This may limit some users who are trying to take advantage of the shorter videos or digestible content in quick study sessions.


No offline options

Gleim has typical system requirements that include an active internet connection. Because of the nature of the software, it is not possible to do many lessons or features offline.

Some of the course materials are downloadable, but of course this will require an active internet connection to accomplish. Some see this as a con for Gleim.

Gleim Premium CPA Review System Format

Gleim CPA has an easy-to-use course format that can accommodate any user. One of their claims to fame is their SmartAdaptⓇ Guided Review process. This includes simulations with exhibits, all of their test bank questions, and more.

The adaptive element comes into play utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) technology. This “smart” feature interprets a student’s performance and interests, expertly guiding them to the right content to improve their learning. This optimizes efficiency and effectiveness.

There are many other ways the Gleim CPA course format is helpful for users.

Gleim CPA Course Package Comparison

There are three Gleim CPA Review packages available for purchase. The most popular version has everything you could ever need, including new additions like digital flashcards.

With the higher priced program, you also get ongoing access until you pass the course, ensuring that you can revisit the material if needed.

For a more limited offering, you may choose to simply purchase the CPA test bank. All three choices have study materials to get you ready for exam day.

Header

Premium Review System

Traditional Review System

Mega Test Bank System

Price 

$2,999

$2,499

$999

Largest Test Bank

10,000+ Multiple Choice Questions

Digital and Printed Books

1,300+ Task-based Simulations

350+ SIMS Including Exhibits

Audio Lectures

Exam Rehearsal and Final Review Settings

Smartadapt™ Adaptive Course

Personal Counselors

Access Until You Pass

New Digital Flashcards

Video Lectures

Expert Accounting Coaches

Cell

Affiliate Note: We have an affiliate relationship with all products reviewed on this page. If you make a purchase through one of our links we will be paid a commission. This is done at no additional cost to you – in fact, we work hard to get you the best discounts possible for each course. See our full affiliate disclosure here.

Gleim CPA Review Discounts


There are a few different ways to receive Gleim discounts. Gleim student discounts are available for college students. They can receive up to 25% off certain Gleim exam review systems.

A Gleim CPA discount can also be found on their website or by calling or emailing their team. For some of their programs, they offer employer discounts and review system discounts.

Gleim Help Me Pass

Gleim also offers a specialty program called Help Me Pass. It’s for people who have either failed a section of the exam or have already tried a different program.

Eligible candidates can quickly transition into this program to receive all of the benefits of the Gleim CPA Review course. Help Me Pass buyers get a $750 discount on the Gleim Premium CPA Review.

Is Gleim CPA Review Good?

Gleim CPA has an easy-to-use course format that can accommodate any user. One of their claims to fame is their SmartAdaptⓇ Guided Review process. This includes simulations with exhibits, all of their test bank questions, and more.

The adaptive element comes into play utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) technology. This “smart” feature interprets a student’s performance and interests, expertly guiding them to the right content to improve their learning. This optimizes efficiency and effectiveness.

There are many other ways the Gleim CPA course format is helpful for users.

Multiple choice questions

Gleim has the largest test bank on the market. This includes thousands of questions that cover each of the areas of the CPA exam, which include:

  1. 1
    Financial Accounting and Reporting
  2. 2
    Auditing and Attestation
  3. 3
    Regulation

Gleim regularly updates the test bank to reflect the latest releases and updates in the CPA exam and AICPA blueprint. This means that the effort you put into memorizing answers within the Gleim practice tests and simulations will develop the knowledge you need to pass the CPA exam. You can preview some of these questions for free.

Task-based simulations

One of the ways Gleim helps people pass the CPA exam is through task-based simulations. Researchers at Gleim have found that task-based simulations represent a significant portion of each section of the CPA exam.

  1. 1
    AICPA CPA exam tutorial
  2. 2
    AICPA CPA exam practice tests
  3. 3
    CPA exam section practice tests
  4. 4
    Exam rehearsal

With some sections of the exam having as many as eight total task-based simulations, this practice is essential. On the test itself, these include developments in exhibits, the interface, and simulations of increased difficulty. Gleim provides numerous opportunities throughout its exam prep to practice for this portion of the test.

CPA exam flashcards

Gleim offers a series of flashcards that help users memorize important information for the CPA exam. As of 2020, they offer digital flashcards. This gives users a digital way to collect and organize the flashcards they most need to work with. As a customization and learning tool, this is a helpful product to enhance the user experience.

Interactive study planner

Gleim offers exam study plan tools. These include information and specific guidelines for how many hours to allocate to your studies. The intuitive program will automatically suggest content that the user needs. It is up to the user to learn this content through good study habits.

  • Due dates for study units
  • Timeline for final review
  • Personal dates that are blacked out
  • Fields to input amount of daily study time
  • Customized agenda
  • Ongoing date adjustments, as needed
  • Email and text alerts
  • Modifiable due dates
  • Reminders

This tool could be an invaluable part of the program as it helps keep users on track in their studying.

Video and audio lectures

Gleim has both video lectures and audio reviews for its course material. These can form the core of a user’s study or be supplemental to reading. Video lectures provide expert instruction for CPA exam content.

Gleim has over 100 hours of video content. These are organized into libraries for easy access. Audio reviews summarize the study units and revisit primary concepts.

Dashboard and UX

Gleim is easy to access and navigate through a simple dashboard. The dashboard will list courses and display reminders based on study planner notes or dates.

Customer reviews indicate that the user experience in Gleim is very similar to the CPA exam itself, which is another facet of training and preparation.

Customer support

Gleim has weekday and weekend technical support. It is available for most daytime hours in the eastern time zone. You can reach Gleim in most ways:

  • Phone
  • Fax
  • Email
  • Help form

They also have an extensive list of FAQs that will address many common questions. Reviews indicate that Gleim’s staff is readily available and quickly deals with issues. For program-related questions, personal coaches can help guide users through content.

Unlimited course access

The Access Until You PassⓇ guarantee ensures unlimited course access for as long as you need it. This accommodates users who have an uncertain or shifting timeline.

It is also helpful if you fail a section of the CPA exam and need to pick up where you left off studying. Gleim will still be available and help you learn the content you need to pass the test.

Updates

In addition to keeping a current bank of test questions that reflect the most recent CPA Exam, Gleim offers an update program for anyone who has purchased their materials. This service offers updates to Gleim CPA books—online or via email—for people who purchased older versions.

When new updates are made to the content, users can receive those updates to ensure the material they are learning is the latest and greatest. Each of the four CPA exam sections has a corresponding book, all of which are eligible for ongoing updates.

The Gleim CPA Review is a good choice for people who want an affordable, effective way to prepare for the CPA exam.

The program has many modern features and is easy to use. While it lacks an app or offline integrations, it does have the highest number of test questions of any other CPA exam review program.

Customer reviews reflect high levels of satisfaction with the program. The customizable features and extensive support system may be the right choice for your CPA test prep.

Our partners compensate us for unbiased reviews. We feature every test prep that will add value to your studies and professional development.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you are considering the Gleim CPA Review, here are a few answers to questions you may have.

How much does Gleim cost?

Gleim has three different CPA review packages. The two packages that include the most features and personal coaching are $1999 and $1599 respectively. Access to just the test bank costs $999. Financing is available. Currently there is a limited time 25% discount on all Gleim products. 

What is Gleim?

Gleim is a professional accounting exam preparation firm. They offer CPA exam reviews as well as reviews for CMA, CIA, EA, and more. Gleim has offered reputable services for more than 40 years.

Does Gleim CPA Review offer a guarantee?

For up to 18 months after purchase, Gleim offers unlimited access and a guarantee that the content in its programs is current to the latest CPA exam.

Does Gleim CPA Review have a mobile app?

Gleim does not currently have a mobile app. Its features perform best on a personal computer.

What comes in the Gleim CPA Review Pack?

There are two different CPA review packs, both of which have numerous materials for exam prep. These may include:

  • Task-based simulations
  • Simulations with exhibits
  • Multiple-choice questions
  • Answer explanations
  • A realistic exam experience
  • Guided reviews
  • Training videos
  • Audio lectures
  • Ebooks and print books

Go here to learn more about the individual packages and their features.

How do I access the quizzes in the Gleim CPA Review package?

Quizzes, multiple-choice test questions, and test simulations are all part of the Gleim CPA Review package. These are accessible through the user dashboard.

Users can set up an interactive study planner to help them progress through the content. Each unit of content will have quizzes to enhance retention.

How close is the Gleim CPA Review compared to the real exam?

Customer reviews praise the Gleim CPA Review for being very similar to the CPA exam. The Gleim CPA exam prep has built-in features that include exam questions and exam simulations.

Users will study each of the four elements of the actual CPA exam in an organized way that is meant to mimic the test itself. This maximizes preparedness.