Critical thinking isn’t just a skill you need to know to pass the CPA exam. You’ll need to bring an analytical eye to the very beginning of the process, as you choose between popular CPA prep courses like Wiley vs. Becker.
How do you pick a CPA review course? Do your homework. Read the CPA course comparisons, and decide which features are most important to you. Also decide what your price range is, since the cost of taking the CPA exam can quickly add up.
While there are similar features and functions in many CPA courses, there are details in the way a course is written, filmed, or delivered that can sway your decision.
For example, your choice will be different if you want to study mostly on a mobile app or if you prefer physical textbooks to leaf through. You may prefer short, simple videos, or in-depth lectures.
Wiley and Becker are both well-regarded and thorough courses. Both of them are gold standard CPA review courses that have been around for a long time.
If these two have made your list and you’re checking them out, read on. This article provides a direct comparison of Wiley CPA and Becker CPA, with insight into which one might work best to study for the CPA exam.
If you’re still not sure after this comparison, you can find more details in this dedicated review of Wiley CPA.
Wiley vs Becker: Courses Price Comparison
Here’s how Wiley CPA and Becker CPA compare in terms of price:
| Wiley Pro | Wiley Platinum | Wiley Ultimate | Becker Advantage | Becker Premium | Becker Pro |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,199 | $2,499 | $1,899 | $2,399 | $2,199 | $2,399 |
Winner: Wiley wins out over Becker in terms of price, but Becker has much more accessible payment options. Wiley only offers financing through PayPal credit, which not everyone will qualify for.
Becker offers a flexpay monthly installment option, and all applicants are pre-approved. With payment plans over 6, 12, or 24 months, this could make a big difference in affordability.
Wiley vs Becker: Free Trials
Getting a test run of a CPA review course before you buy is super important. This is the best way to really interact with the materials and learn what you’re signing up for. Here are some details on the free trial of Wiley and the free trial of Becker.
| Wiley Free Trial | Becker Free Trial |
| 14-Days free, no credit card required PARTIAL course access | 14-Days free, no credit card required PARTIAL course access |
Winner: Tie. The free trials for Wiley and Becker are exactly the same, giving you a generous two weeks to try out most of the course materials. Even though you do only get partial course access, you’ll see enough to understand if the course is right for you.
Wiley vs Becker: Pros & Cons
The heart of the Wiley CPA review vs Becker CPA review debate comes down to which one has the features you like better. This individualized approach to studying for the CPA is all-important.
Knowing what works for you—how you learn best and what appeals to you most—is what should really make up your mind. Here are some of the pros and cons of Wiley vs Becker.
Cons for Becker CPA Review
- Long-form lectures
- Expensive
- Longer response time from customer service
Pros for Becker CPA Review
- Unlimited practice exams
- Large video library
- 12 simulated practice exams
- Extra textbooks, study notes, and digital flashcards
- Extra tutoring available
- Huge test bank (9,500)
- Live courses
- Mobile game: Accounting for Empires
Cons for Wiley CPA Review
- Textbooks aren’t as integrated and may be hard for newbies
- Less engaging video courses (some reviewers say they are “dry”)
- A lot of complaints about the app
Pros for Wiley CPA Review
- Well-written textbooks that correspond to live classes
- Largest practice question bank
- Mid-range price
- “Bite-sized learning” or microlearning videos and study supports
- Simulated practice exams
- Can access course materials offline
- Virtual Classroom series
Winner: Tie. The pros and cons don’t clearly weigh Becker or Wiley as being obviously superior. For instance, if you are very reliant on video lectures, Becker may be a better option. However, if you are keen to practice for the test itself as much as possible, Wiley has a larger test bank and exam simulator.
This decision will really come down to personal preference and making use of the free trials to decide.
Wiley vs Becker: Course Features
Because these two courses are so similar, your decision will probably come down to individual course features. Here’s how Becker and Wiley compare to each other in terms of course offerings:
| CPA Course Features | Wiley CPA Review | Becker CPA Review |
| CPA practice questions and task-based simulations | 12,000 | Over 6,200 |
| CPA practice tests | Unlimited (from practice questions) | Unlimited (from practice questions) |
| Final review | ✔ | ✔ |
| Video lectures | ✔ | ✔ |
| Live online options | ✔ | ✔ |
| Digital flashcards | ✔ | ✔ |
| Printed flashcards | ✔ | |
| Free updates | ✔ | ✔ |
| Unlimited access | Free renewal | ✔ |
| Textbooks | ✔ | ✔ |
| Audio course | ✔ | ✔ |
| Free trial | ✔ | ✔ |
Winner: Becker, by a razor-thin margin. The only way in which Becker doesn’t quite match up is in terms of the volume of practice questions. However, the fact that they offer printed flashcards and unlimited access without renewing make it slightly more robust and universally appealing.
Wiley vs Becker: Final Score
It’s almost impossible to say whether Wiley is better than Becker or Becker is better than Wiley. These are two of the best CPA review programs out there. Both of them are going to help any serious-minded candidate be ready for the CPA exam.
Wiley is geared towards busy professionals and students who need to squeeze in shorter bursts of studying. The micro-learning format might be the feature that appeals to you most.
On the other hand, Becker is a little better developed in terms of apps and video content. And if a monthly payment option is a deal-breaker for you, Becker’s flexpay wins out.
If you’re still not sure about Wiley or Becker, check out these other excellent CPA courses:
Yaeger CPA Review: This comprehensive course is considered a great choice for people who have been out of school for a long time. It’s also very affordable, with flexible subscription options.
Surgent CPA Review: Another comprehensive and well-liked course, this one is unique for its custom study plans. There’s an initial assessment test, and the results are used to create a day-by-day individualized path through the course content.
Roger CPA Review: This course is known for super-engaging video content and a 91% pass rate. It features software that steers you towards your weak areas, so you don’t waste time practicing content you’ve already mastered.
Universal CPA Review: One of the least expensive options, this course offers a lot of practice materials, including a $299 test bank you buy separately for extra practice.
FAQs
Here are some answers to frequently asked questions about Wiley vs. Becker.
Which is Better: Wiley vs Becker?
Wiley and Becker are almost neck in neck in terms of cost, CPA course features, and quality test prep material. If you are looking for in-person classes, an integrated and easy-to-use app, and engaging video content, Becker may be the better choice.
If you are looking for a huge number of practice questions and comprehensive textbooks, Wiley may be the better option. Both are great courses that can help you pass the CPA exam.
What is the Becker CPA Pass Rate?
Becker claims to have a pass rate that’s about “double” that of the average CPA pass rate. This is not defined or qualified on their website or in their materials. From a statistical perspective, it makes sense that this number is virtually impossible to identify. Suffice it to say, Becker CPA courses help many students pass the CPA exam each year.
Are Wiley Questions Harder Than the CPA Exam?
Wiley CPA exam review has an enormous practice question test bank of about 12,000 questions. They also have hundreds of additional task-based simulations. All of these are harvested from previous years’ CPA exams. The questions and simulations accurately reflect the difficulty of CPA exam questions.
Are Becker Flashcards Worth It?
Becker is one of the CPA review course programs that allow you to purchase printed flashcards. Flashcards have all kinds of important concepts, equations, and definitions on them. As you prepare for the CPA exam, many people find that printed or virtual flashcards are hugely beneficial. You can buy Becker flashcards separately from the rest of the course. They are a supplemental product and cost $179. Based on online reviews and Reddit threads, some people think they are a home run investment and some people didn’t benefit from them. It may be worthwhile to try the virtual versions first and then see if you want to upgrade to a printed version.