Kesler CPA Review 2026: Pricing, Features, Pros & Cons

• ✎ Updated October 13, 2026
• ➫ by
  Bryan Kesler, CPA

  

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

  Bryan Kesler, CPA is a CPA Practice Advisor Top 20 Under 40, Licensed Certified Public Accountant, and founder of Kesler CPA Review (founded 2022) and Ultimate CPA Exam Guide (founded 2015). He has served 68,000+ CPA candidates through his podcast, blog, mentorship, and study materials. From 2019-2022, Ultimate CPA Exam Guide was the official mentorship partner for Roger CPA Review, Wiley CPAexcel, Gleim CPA Review, and Yaeger CPA Review. 

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  Full Bio >> | Contact Bryan

• ⛏ Table Of Contents

  

  
  Kesler CPA Review Course Information

  Kesler CPA Review	Best Feature:
  1.	Monthly $77; Complete $697; Max $1,197
  2.	Best Value
  3.	Complete Course or Study Supplement
  4.	Great Support & Community
  5.	8,000+ 100% Unique CPA Practice Questions

  
  

⚠ Ownership & affiliate disclosure: I’m Bryan Kesler, CPA, founder and owner of Kesler CPA Review. This is a first-party product overview, not an independent review. I have a financial interest when Kesler or competing CPA review providers are discussed. CPA Exam Guide also earns affiliate commissions from some providers; if you purchase through an affiliate link, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Read the editorial policy and affiliate disclosure.

Kesler is our Best Value pick for a complete CPA review course. Complete costs $697 one time and includes topic lessons, practice questions, simulations and study-strategy mentorship. You do not need Max to get the full digital course.

That combination makes Kesler worth considering if you are paying for your own prep. Its whiteboard videos suit visual learners, while mentorship helps you decide how to study, review mistakes and prepare for exam day. Candidates who want scheduled live classes or regular private tutoring should compare those services separately.

Below, we look at the teaching format, study workflow and trade-offs, then explain when Monthly, Complete or Max makes sense.

What is Kesler CPA Review?

Kesler CPA Review grew out of Bryan Kesler's Ultimate CPA Exam Guide mentorship program. The current course combines instruction and practice with guidance on building a workable study routine.

All three paid plans include the same digital course: 913 topic video lessons, 8,000+ MCQs with Learn N GO explanation videos, 600+ simulations, digital textbooks, Study Notes, Audio Notes and 8,000+ flashcards. These are course-wide totals. Your plan changes the payment, access and added support benefits.

If you want to experience Kesler CPA for yourself, get your FREE CPA Exam Study Plan here!

 

 

Study Tools for Building a Routine

A course only helps if you use it consistently. Kesler includes optional timers, study goals and game elements that give sessions a clear structure. Try them if getting started or returning for review is a recurring problem.

1. Gamification That Actually Works

Kesler adds game elements to practice sessions:

• XP System: Earn experience points for every question answered
• Level Progression: Level up from 1 to 25 with visual milestones
• 50+ Achievements: Unlock badges like "Speed Demon," "FAR Dominator," and "Week Warrior" across bronze, silver, gold, and platinum tiers
• Streak Multipliers: Build daily streaks for bonus XP. Study 7 days in a row for 2X XP, hit 14 days for 3X, and reach 30 days for up to 5X XP
• Study Break Games: Play CPA-themed games like "CPA Exam Survival" where you answer questions to earn health and defeat exam demons

 

In the wake of "Accounting For Empires" shutting down, Kesler CPA Review launched a CPA Exam Arcade that includes games like CPA Exam Survival that are designed to be study first, entertainment second with the added benefit of being the perfect study break tool that breaks your social media doom scrolling habits.

What Reddit Is Saying About Kesler CPA Review's Gamification Techniques:

The reaction from Reddit's r/CPA community has been incredibly positive so far.

2. The Pomodoro Technique Enhanced

The study timer gives a session a clear start and finish. It can be useful when an open-ended study block feels difficult to begin:

• 25-minute focused study sprints
• Built-in break reminders
• Tracks accomplishments per session
• Syncs with your study plan automatically

 

3. Accountability Through Study Goals

The Goal Crusher tool lets you set weekly goals and work with study partners. It can help if you tend to postpone sessions when studying alone. Choose goals you can control, such as completing a review session, rather than treating an accountability score as evidence that you will pass.

 

Core Study Resources

Topic Lessons and Practice

The 913 bite-sized video lessons provide 85+ hours of topic instruction before practice. Digital textbooks, 210 Study Notes and 210 Audio Notes offer alternative ways to work through the material. The 8,000+ MCQs and 600+ simulations then give you opportunities to apply it.

Flashcards and Study Loops

Kesler includes 8,000+ flashcards plus custom cards. Try recalling the answer before turning a card over; recognizing a familiar explanation is easier than retrieving it yourself. Study Loops bring earlier topics back through cards, cumulative quizzes and Focus Notes, helping you keep older material in your routine.

Learn N GO: Explanations at the Point of Practice

Learn N GO is the second video layer: question-specific explanations attached to the 8,000+ MCQs. If a written answer leaves you stuck, you can watch the concept worked through at the point of practice. This is especially useful when a calculation or journal entry is easier to follow visually.

How Learn N GO Works: The 4-Step Visual Teaching Method

The whiteboard explanations organize the question into four teaching steps:

• Frame It: Opens with the exact concept being tested so you know what to focus on
• Teach It: Whiteboard illustrations break down the rule, timeline, calculation, or journal entry visually
• Trap It: Explains why the incorrect answers fail
• Gem It: Delivers the one golden nugget to lock into memory for exam day

Use the explanation to identify why you missed a question, then try a different question on the same concept. The benefit comes from applying the reasoning again, rather than watching videos passively.

Who Benefits From This Format?

Visual learners may find it easier to follow a rule or calculation on a whiteboard than in a dense answer paragraph. Try a topic lesson and a question explanation before enrolling; the delivery style should make the material clearer to you.

Ask Kes: Follow-Up Help During Practice

Ask Kes lets you ask for another explanation while working through a question. It is useful when you understand part of the answer but need help with a particular step. Check its answers against the lesson or textbook, and use Expert Email Support when you need human help.

 

CPA Exam Mentorship: Learn HOW to Pass

The self-paced CPA Mentorship course focuses on how to use your study materials:

• Mental mindset training for exam success
• How to use ANY study materials based on your learning style
• Time management strategies for busy professionals
• How to recover from failed sections
• Exam day strategies and tactics

This is a useful part of Kesler's value if you have enough materials but lack a study method. It teaches planning and review habits; it is not a standing appointment with a private tutor.

 

Community and Human Support

Every paid plan includes community access and Expert Email Support. Study partners can add accountability, and email support gives you a way to ask the team for help. If you need live individual instruction each week, compare that service and its cost before choosing a course.

Studying on a Phone or Computer

Kesler uses a mobile and desktop web app. You can practice questions, review flashcards and return to your progress on another device. Try it on the phone or tablet you expect to use, especially if short sessions between work and family commitments are part of your plan.

Tools for Planning and Review

Focus Notes System

Capture "ah-ha" moments and track weak areas:

• Tag notes to specific questions or topics
• Review all notes in one centralized location
• Create action items for further study
• Export notes for offline review

Progress and Final Review

The Progress Center separates fresh learning, retention and coverage. Use it to identify material that needs another review, not as a predicted CPA exam score. Study Funnels provide a sequence for finding gaps, practicing simulations, reviewing and retesting.

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Can I Use Kesler With My Current Review Course?

If your existing course gives you a workable plan, you do not need to replace it automatically. Kesler can add another explanation style, cumulative review and mentorship. Monthly can be a practical way to try that approach for a short retake window.

Topic Mapping Alongside Another Course

Kesler's Topic Plan organizes resources alongside available course references. The example below shows Becker modules inside Kesler. This can make it easier to find a second explanation for a topic without abandoning your existing study schedule.

How to Evaluate the Practice Questions

The bank combines licensed and professor-written questions. Look for explanations that help you understand the rule and eliminate distractors. Another bank is most useful when it exposes a gap or offers a clearer explanation, rather than simply increasing the number of questions you complete.

Try the free trial to experience the difference.

 

Where Kesler Offers the Most Value

The strongest case for Kesler is the combination of a complete course, visual instruction and help building a study method at a comparatively low one-time price. Complete at $697 is below the $2,499 list prices of Becker Advantage and Gleim Traditional before discounts. Compare the current offers and teaching formats, not price alone.

For a shorter supplement period, Monthly lowers your initial commitment. For someone who prefers printed study materials and frequent AI follow-ups, Max may justify the extra $500 over Complete.

 

Trade-Offs to Consider

Kesler is self-paced, so it will not replace the structure of a scheduled live class. The mentorship course teaches study strategy, but candidates who need frequent private tutoring should budget for that separately.

Course access is limited to one active exam section at a time. Max's extra benefits also have their own time limits. Choose it because you expect to use the books and support, rather than assuming a more expensive plan includes more core lessons.

Candidate Experiences

In a Reddit account of studying with Kesler alone, a candidate reported first-attempt passes in FAR and AUD while working full time and raising two children. They still had two sections remaining. It is a useful individual example of standalone use, not a course-wide pass rate.

Other candidates use Kesler alongside another course. Read each testimonial in that context when deciding whether you need a replacement course or targeted extra help.

 

 

Pricing: Which Kesler Plan Should You Choose?

Monthly suits a short study period or supplement trial. Complete is the value choice if you want the full digital course without recurring payments. Nine Monthly payments total $693; ten total $770, so Complete costs less from the tenth paid month.

Max makes more sense if you want a printed four-section study set and expect to use Ask Kes often. Its first-12-month unlimited personal study use is subject to fair use. Compare current Kesler plans.

Printed Textbooks and Study Notes

Max's $720 total Print Credit covers four textbooks at $120 each and four Study Notes at $60 each. Complete includes $60, while Monthly earns $60 once after three consecutive successful payments. Choose materials by section when you are ready and redeem the credit to place the order; books do not ship automatically.

What the Max Pass Guarantee Covers

Eligible Max members can receive $250 toward a retake after the first qualifying failure of each of up to four distinct sections, up to $1,000 total. The exam must occur within the original 12-month coverage window. It is conditional financial support after a failure, not a promise of passing or a course-price refund.

Before relying on it, make sure its preparation schedule fits your exam date. Requirements include completing mentorship and saving a study plan and exam date, answering 750 distinct section practice MCQs overall, and answering 300 distinct practice MCQs at 70% accuracy in the final 30 days. You also need a section mock including simulations at 70% overall accuracy in the final 14 days.

Claims require the failed score report and NTS within 30 days of receiving the score. Big Day Ready tracks preparation targets; it does not approve claims. Read the Max eligibility requirements for counting rules, coverage and submission details.

Access and Purchase Refunds

Monthly access lasts while subscribed. Complete and Max include 12 months of access, with free reactivation by email using an active Notice to Schedule (NTS). You study one section at a time, with up to two switches every 30 days.

Reactivation does not restart Max's 12-month AI benefit or Pass Guarantee coverage. First-time purchases have a 30-day refund window. Redeemed promotional Print Credit reduces the eligible refund. This purchase-refund policy is separate from Max's conditional retake benefit. See the current access and refund terms.

How Kesler Compares to Other CPA Review Courses

Compare Kesler with current Becker, UWorld and Gleim packages. For the former Surgent product, use the historical comparison and confirm existing account access before buying more materials.

For a detailed side-by-side breakdown with pricing, features, and ratings, check out our full Best CPA Review Courses comparison or the head-to-head course matchups.

Is Kesler CPA Review Right For You?

Kesler is worth trying if you want a complete course at a lower one-time price, learn well from whiteboard explanations, or need guidance on how to organize study and review. It can also fill a specific gap in a course you already own. If your employer pays for another course, try that first and identify what is missing before spending your own money.

Try the Teaching Format Before You Buy

Start with a lesson and a practice session. If the explanations help you understand mistakes and the study workflow feels manageable, compare the three plans against your expected study period and preference for print.

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Frequently Asked Questions