Becker CPA Review vs Surgent CPA Review (2026)

Video Lectures: Depth vs Efficiency

These two courses take fundamentally different approaches to video content. Becker goes deep and comprehensive. Surgent goes short and targeted.

Becker CPA Review offers 900+ video lectures plus 2,000+ SkillBuilder videos that walk you through task-based simulations step by step. Lectures run 40-60 minutes and are taught by multiple subject-matter experts. The total volume is massive, and the SkillBuilder videos are one of Becker's strongest differentiators in the industry.

Surgent CPA Review takes the opposite approach with 700+ "nano lectures" that cover focused topics in just a few minutes each. The adaptive engine only assigns you the lectures you actually need based on your diagnostic performance. If you already know a topic well, you skip its lecture entirely. The lead instructor is Liz Kolar, CPA, who has 25+ years of CPA exam teaching experience.

Becker wins on volume, depth, and the SkillBuilder videos that no one else matches. However, if you learn more efficiently from short, targeted content and don't want to sit through 50-minute lectures on topics you partially understand, Surgent's approach may actually serve you better in practice. This one depends heavily on your learning style.

Practice Questions: Quality, Quantity, and Explanations

Both courses now offer 9,000+ MCQs, so the quantity gap that used to favor Becker no longer exists.

Becker provides 400-900+ task-based simulations and the SkillBuilder video walkthroughs that teach you how to approach each simulation type. Their answer explanations are detailed, text-heavy, and widely regarded as among the best in the industry.

Surgent offers 500+ simulations including both task-based and document review formats. Their questions are mapped directly to AICPA blueprints and updated regularly. The adaptive engine creates a critical difference here: Surgent focuses your practice time on questions in your weak areas rather than making you grind through topics you already understand.

Both have 9,000+ questions. Becker leads on simulation prep thanks to SkillBuilder videos. Surgent leads on adaptive question delivery that saves you from wasting time on material you already know. Different strengths for different study styles.

AI and Adaptive Technology: Newt AI vs ReadySCORE + Adaptive Engine

This is where the philosophical difference between these two courses is most visible. Becker added AI on top of a traditional course. Surgent built the entire course around AI from the ground up.

Becker's Newt AI Tutor is a real-time AI assistant embedded in the study platform. When you hit a concept you don't understand, you can ask Newt and get an explanation instantly. It fills the gap of a 24/7 personal tutor for content questions.

Surgent's Predictive AI Adaptive Engine is the backbone of the entire course. It starts with a diagnostic assessment, identifies your weak areas, and builds a personalized study plan that continuously adjusts as you progress. On top of this, ReadySCORE gives you a real-time prediction of how you'd score on the actual CPA exam. When your ReadySCORE hits 75+, the data suggests you're ready to sit. Surgent claims this approach saves candidates up to 400 study hours compared to traditional linear courses.

Surgent's technology is more comprehensive. Their adaptive engine doesn't just answer questions; it fundamentally changes how you study by personalizing your entire path. ReadySCORE removes the guesswork of "Am I ready?" Becker's Newt is valuable for concept clarification, but it's an add-on to a traditional course rather than the foundation of one.

Live Instruction: Becker's Biggest Structural Advantage

This one isn't close.

Becker offers 90+ hours of LiveOnline classes for Premium and above customers. These are scheduled virtual classroom sessions with experienced instructors, real-time Q&A, and a structured pace. For candidates who thrive on accountability and classroom-style learning, this is a significant advantage.

Surgent does not offer live instruction. Their course is entirely self-paced, built around the adaptive engine and nano lectures. If you need someone keeping you on schedule, Surgent's approach requires more self-discipline.

If live, scheduled instruction matters to your learning style, Becker wins this category with no contest. 90+ hours of LiveOnline classes is a feature Surgent simply doesn't offer. This is the single biggest structural advantage Becker has over Surgent.

Mock Exams and Simulated Testing

Becker provides 12 mini exams (shorter progress checkpoints placed throughout the course) and 8 full-length simulated exams designed to mirror exam-day conditions. The combination gives you both ongoing assessment and realistic final prep.

Surgent offers unlimited practice exams that draw from the full question bank. Because the adaptive engine tracks your performance continuously, every study session functions as a form of assessment. However, Surgent's practice exams lack the structured "this is what exam day will feel like" approach that Becker's simulated exams provide.

Becker's structured combination of mini exams plus full simulated exams gives you better exam-day rehearsal. Surgent's unlimited practice exams are useful for content drilling but don't replicate the exam experience as precisely.

Course Access Length and Pass Guarantees

This is one of Surgent's strongest differentiators.

Surgent gives you unlimited access on every tier, including the $799 Essentials Pass. At Becker, you need to spend $3,099+ (Premium) for unlimited access. Surgent also includes all 6 CPA exam sections in every package. If you change your mind about which Discipline to take, you don't pay extra.

The pass guarantee difference is also significant. Becker gives you a course extension (meaning more time with the course). Surgent gives you your money back. And Becker's guarantee has strict requirements: complete 80% of every module's content and score 50%+ on all simulated and mini exams. Miss a milestone and you don't qualify.

Surgent also offers CPArescue, a program specifically designed for candidates who've failed sections before. It provides a targeted adaptive study plan to address weak areas without re-purchasing a full course.

Unlimited access on every tier, all 6 sections included, a simpler and more generous pass guarantee, and a dedicated retaker program. Surgent wins this category across the board.

Customer Support and Supplemental Help

Becker provides email, phone, and message board support with typical response times of 24-72 hours on non-weekdays. Their Newt AI Tutor provides instant answers to content questions 24/7, which partially offsets slower human response times. Pro-level customers get 1-on-1 tutoring sessions (5 hours on Pro, 25 sessions on Concierge). CPA Success Coaches are available on Premium and above.

Surgent offers standard customer support across all tiers with responsive service. The Ultimate Pass ($1,699) adds 1-on-1 coaching and priority support. All tiers include the adaptive engine and ReadySCORE, which reduce the need for support by proactively guiding your study path.

Supplement gap: Both courses have areas where support could be stronger. If you need ongoing mentorship, accountability, and study strategy coaching beyond what either course provides, Kesler CPA Review is designed to fill that gap and works alongside both Becker and Surgent.

Becker's combination of Newt AI for instant content answers, CPA Success Coaches on Premium+, and up to 25 tutoring sessions on Concierge gives them the edge in human support. Surgent's adaptive tech reduces the need for support, but when you do need a person, Becker has more options.