Prep Provider Comparison
C3RT vs PassTheBigABAExam
PassTheBigABAExam (PTB) has been a fixture of BCBA prep since 2012, built around its Study Manual, live six-week workshops, and mock exams. C3RT’s Behavioral Health app is the opposite model: one subscription, everything digital, and practice volume as the core. The two barely overlap in format, which makes the choice clearer than most.
The Bottom Line
Across the dimensions that decide these exams (practice volume, included study formats, native apps, and cost), C3RT leads PassTheBigABAExam. PTB sells structure and human instruction: a well-regarded printed manual ($175), a live six-week workshop ($475), and peer-reviewed mock exams ($129), as of July 2026. Its weakness is access: streaming lectures are time-boxed as tightly as 24 hours to 30 days, and the workshop runs on cohort schedules. C3RT’s Behavioral Health app puts 52,750 practice questions, 8,400 spaced-repetition flashcards, 1,324 audio lessons, and full mock exams behind one subscription with no expiry windows, covering the BCBA, BCaBA, and RBT together. If you want to be taught live, PTB is the option. If you want unlimited practice on your own schedule, C3RT is built for exactly that.
C3RT vs PassTheBigABAExam: At a Glance
| Detail | C3RT | PassTheBigABAExam |
|---|---|---|
| Product type | All-in-one native practice app: questions, flashcards, audio, mock exams | Printed study manual, live 6-week workshop, mock exams, streaming lectures, physical flashcards, sold separately |
| Platforms | Native iPhone, iPad, and Mac apps | Web only for digital content; no mobile app on the App Store as of July 2026 |
| Practice questions | 52,750 across 14 behavioral health exams, incl. dedicated BCBA, BCaBA, and RBT banks | Big Mock Exam: 185 scored questions; Mini Mocks: 270 questions across nine domains; total bank beyond mocks not published |
| Study formats | Questions, 8,400 flashcards, 2,100 concept cards, 1,680 reels, 1,324 audio lessons, 623 mnemonics, weak-area drills | Manual, live lectures, 15+ hours streaming video, physical SAFMEDS flashcards, mock exams |
| Published pricing | $17.99/month, $39.99/3 months, $69.99/6 months, or $99.99/year, everything included | Manual $175; Workshop $475; Big Mock $129; FlashMEDS $99; lectures $5–$199 (as of July 2026) |
| Access terms | Subscription runs as long as you need it; all content included | Workshop: up to 14 weeks; streaming lectures time-boxed at 24 hours, 7 days, or 30 days; $129 deferment fee for workshop rescheduling |
| Guarantee / pass data | No conditional guarantee needed: the full free tier opens the real content so you judge it before paying | No money-back guarantee or published pass rate found |
PassTheBigABAExam details based on publicly available information as of July 2026 and may change, verify current offerings on their website.
An Honest Comparison
What PassTheBigABAExam does well
- •Live, interactive instruction, the six-week workshop provides scheduled accountability and real-time Q&A that no self-paced app replicates.
- •The Study Manual is a genuinely respected, widely used BCBA text, now in its sixth edition (with a Spanish edition).
- •Peer-reviewed mock exam questions with written rationales, plus domain-level Mini Mocks.
- •A la carte pricing, buy only the piece you need, with payment plans available.
- •Community trust built since 2012, including free resources like the ABA glossary and exam crosswalks.
Where C3RT differs
- •Practice volume: 52,750 questions versus mock exams totaling a few hundred, C3RT is built for daily high-volume drilling, not periodic assessment.
- •No expiry anxiety: PTB streams lectures on 24-hour to 30-day windows; C3RT content never times out during your subscription.
- •One purchase covers BCBA, BCaBA, and RBT, useful for candidates supervising RBTs or progressing through the credentials.
- •Native apps with study formats built for spare minutes: flashcards, 60-second reels, audio lessons, and mnemonics on iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
- •AI study coach with weak-area drills targeting your lowest-scoring TCO domains.
- •DSM-5-TR diagnostic lookup and clinical assessment scales built in.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is C3RT or PassTheBigABAExam better for the BCBA exam?
They solve different problems. PTB is teaching: a manual, a live six-week workshop, and curated mock exams, strongest if you need structure and instruction. C3RT is practice: 52,750 questions with flashcards, audio lessons, and mock exams in one native app, with no time-boxed access. Many candidates pair a PTB manual with high-volume app practice; if you choose one, choose by whether you need to be taught or need to drill.
Does PassTheBigABAExam have an app?
No, as of July 2026 PTB’s digital content is web-based and no PTB app appears on the Apple App Store. Its flashcards (FlashMEDS/SAFMEDS) are physical products. C3RT’s Behavioral Health prep is a native iPhone, iPad, and Mac app with 8,400 digital spaced-repetition flashcards.
How much does PTB cost compared to C3RT?
Assembling PTB’s core pieces, manual ($175), workshop ($475), and Big Mock ($129), runs roughly $780 as of July 2026, with streaming lectures extra and time-boxed. C3RT is a single App Store subscription covering all of its behavioral health content, typically a small fraction of that over a normal study timeline.
Does C3RT cover the BCaBA and RBT too?
Yes, the Behavioral Health app includes dedicated banks for the BCBA, BCaBA, and RBT (plus 11 other behavioral health exams like the LCSW, NCE, and EPPP) under one subscription. PTB’s materials are BCBA/BCaBA-focused with separate products per credential.
What is the best PassTheBigABAExam alternative?
Candidates weighing alternatives to PassTheBigABAExam should start with C3RT: 52,750 questions across 14 behavioral exams plus 21,415 spaced-repetition flashcards, 2,133 audio lessons, and concept reels, at $17.99/month, $39.99/3 months, $69.99/6 months, or $99.99/year. The free tier makes the comparison test-drivable in an afternoon.
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Behavioral Health Exam Prep
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C3RT is not affiliated with PassTheBigABAExam. All product names, logos, and brands are the property of their respective owners; comparisons are based on each provider's publicly available information as of July 2026. Pricing, question counts, and features change, always verify details with the provider before purchasing. Read how we compare → Exam names and trademarks belong to their respective certification bodies, which do not endorse either product.