Kaplan vs UWorld for NCLEX
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UWorld is the stronger question bank and Kaplan is the stronger course. UWorld’s NCLEX-RN Review costs $139 for 30 days with 2,600+ questions; Kaplan’s CAT + Qbank starts from $99 with 2,200+. If you need content re-taught and live instruction, Kaplan’s PassTrack Live Online starts from $399, and UWorld sells no live review to individual buyers.
Prices and counts below are from each company’s own site, checked November 6, 2026. Some UWorld prices are sale prices, so confirm at checkout. Kaplan lists only “from” prices and does not show the access length behind them. We do not earn a commission from Kaplan or UWorld; the Archer links in this post are affiliate links.
Kaplan vs UWorld at a glance
| Feature | Kaplan NCLEX-RN Prep | UWorld NCLEX-RN Review |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Question bank tiers up to a full course | Question bank |
| Questions | 2,200+ (CAT + Qbank, Practice Pack) or 3,800+ (PassTrack) | 2,600+ (30-day) to 3,100+ (360- and 730-day) |
| NGN items | No count published | 600+ |
| Price | CAT + Qbank from $99; Practice Pack from $119; PassTrack Self Paced from $349; PassTrack Live Online from $399 | $139 (30-day), $169 (60), $229 (90), $329 (180), $389 (360), $449 (730) |
| Test-taking method | Decision Tree | None taught; learned through rationales |
| Readiness tests | 3 full-length CATs | 1 to 6 self-assessments, depending on plan length |
| Live instruction | 3-day live review course in PassTrack Live Online; live events from Practice Pack up | Not offered to individual buyers |
| Study assistant | AI Tutor | No |
| Pass-rate claim | Over 99% of 49 highly engaged students; 95% of 324 respondents (conditions below) | 98% (conditions below) |
| Best for | Students who need structure | Students who need practice |
What does UWorld do better?
Rationales and long access windows (UWorld sells 360- and 730-day plans; Kaplan does not show its access lengths). UWorld’s rationales are its best-known strength: they explain the concept behind each answer rather than only marking the right choice.
UWorld also suits buyers who only need practice. If your program prepared you well, UWorld’s 30-day plan at $139 or 60-day plan at $169 gives you a full bank without paying for content review you do not need. UWorld’s longer plans (360 and 730 days) also have more questions, 3,100+, and up to 6 self-assessments.
The limitation: UWorld assumes you already know the material. UWorld’s consumer plans include High-Yield Review Videos, but no structured course, no named method for an unfamiliar question, and no live instruction.
What does Kaplan do better?
Structure. Kaplan’s PassTrack plans are a course, not just a bank. The Decision Tree method gives you a repeatable way to work through any question, which matters most for students who freeze on unfamiliar items or who struggle with priority and delegation questions. Kaplan’s PassTrack bank (3,800+ questions) is larger than any UWorld plan, and PassTrack Live Online adds an 18-hour, 3-day live review course. PassTrack plans carry a pass guarantee, with conditions.
The limitation is cost. Kaplan’s PassTrack Live Online starts from $399, against UWorld’s 30-day plan at $139, and much of the difference buys content review you may not need. Kaplan’s cheaper CAT + Qbank (from $99) has fewer questions than UWorld’s shortest plan (2,200+ against 2,600+).
Which one should you buy?
| Your situation | Choose |
|---|---|
| Strong program, need practice and rationales | UWorld |
| Weak content foundation, need to relearn material | Kaplan PassTrack |
| Freeze on questions, need a method | Kaplan |
| Retaking after failing with UWorld | Kaplan, or Archer for fresh questions |
| Tight budget | Kaplan CAT + Qbank (from $99), UWorld 30-day ($139), or Archer Q-Bank + CAT ($79 for 30 days) |
| Have the budget for both | Kaplan first, UWorld for the final 4-6 weeks |
Pass-rate claims
Both companies publish a high pass rate, and both apply only to some students:
- Kaplan: from a self-reported survey of 324 first-time NCLEX-RN takers (August 2023 to March 2026), Kaplan reports 95% passed, and over 99% of the 49 who completed all recommended Kaplan activities passed.
- UWorld: 98% of UWorld NCLEX-RN Review users who completed at least 75% of the question bank passed the NCLEX-RN the first time.
Neither figure covers every buyer: UWorld’s counts users who completed at least 75% of the question bank, and Kaplan’s comes from students who answered its post-exam survey. What predicts passing is finishing the question bank, reading the rationales, and scoring well on readiness tests before you sit. Students who buy the bigger course and use half of it do worse than students who finish the smaller bank.
A third option worth knowing about
Archer Review sits between the two. Archer’s Q-Bank + CAT costs $79 for 30 days with 3,100+ questions and 1,100+ Next Generation NCLEX items. Archer’s Sure PASS adds a 3-day live review and weekly live sessions for $159 to $209, less than Kaplan’s PassTrack Live Online. We compared Archer directly in Archer vs UWorld and Archer vs Kaplan, and in our full NCLEX prep course comparison.
Prices change often. Check each vendor before buying.
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