Head-to-Head Comparison
Gleim vs Surgent EA Review
Gleim and Surgent are the two most-searched EA review courses: the decades-old curriculum heavyweight versus the adaptive-technology challenger. Here is the honest head-to-head, and where a third option beats both on the metric that matters most.
The Bottom Line
Choose Gleim if you want the fullest traditional curriculum: 30+ hours of professor video, books, Access Until You Pass, and up to 72 hours of IRS CE bundled, at $699–$799. Choose Surgent if you are metric-driven: its ReadySCORE (claimed 98% accuracy) and adaptive study plans genuinely shorten prep, with a money-back guarantee on upper tiers at $499–$699. On raw practice volume they are closer than their marketing suggests, roughly 3,800 and 2,000+ questions respectively, which is where C3RT’s 18,156-question bank at $149.99/year (plans from $24.99/month) changes the calculus entirely.
Gleim vs Surgent vs C3RT: At a Glance
| Detail | Gleim | Surgent | C3RT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Question bank | ~3,800 (2025 edition), incl. prior IRS-released questions | 2,000+ (675/900/420 by part) | 18,156 with IRC-cited AI explanations |
| Teaching | 30+ hrs professor video, books, audio | Adaptive plans, 60+ videos, coaching on Ultimate | Practice-first: reels, flashcards, calculators, no lectures |
| Signature feature | Access Until You Pass + bundled IRS CE credit | ReadySCORE exam-score prediction | Volume + OBBBA 2025 law integration, native apps |
| Pricing | $799 Premium / $699 Traditional / $499 bank | $699 / $499 / $299 tiers | $24.99/month, $99.99/6 months, or $149.99/year |
| Platforms | Web only | Web + companion mobile app | Native iPhone, iPad, and Mac |
Competitor details from publicly available information as of July 2026, verify current offerings with each provider.
Strengths of Each
Where Gleim wins
- The most complete traditional curriculum in EA prep
- Access Until You Pass with materials kept current
- Up to 72 hours of IRS CE, real dollar value for practitioners
Where Surgent wins
- ReadySCORE tells you when you are actually ready
- Adaptive tech that cuts wasted review time
- Money-back pass guarantee on Premier and Ultimate
Where C3RT fits
Both courses assume your bottleneck is curriculum. For most candidates already working in tax, the bottleneck is practice exposure, and there C3RT’s 18,156 questions are roughly five to nine times either course’s bank, with reels, flashcards, and 12 tax calculators, at $149.99/year (plans from $24.99/month) versus $499–$799. Use a course if you need teaching; use C3RT for the volume both courses run out of.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Gleim or Surgent better for the EA exam?
Gleim for curriculum depth and Access Until You Pass; Surgent for adaptive efficiency and ReadySCORE. Their question banks are similar in scale (2,000–3,800). If practice volume is your priority, neither leads the field, C3RT’s 18,156-question bank at $149.99/year (plans from $24.99/month) does.
Which is cheaper, Gleim or Surgent?
As of July 2026 both cluster in the $499–$799 range for full courses; Surgent’s $299 test-bank tier is the cheapest course entry. C3RT’s subscription ($24.99/month, $99.99/6 months, or $149.99/year) undercuts every tier while carrying the largest bank in the field.
The Third Option
SEE Enrolled Agent Prep 2026
Comprehensive prep for all three parts of the IRS SEE
C3RT publishes this comparison and makes the C3RT apps. We are not affiliated with Gleim or Surgent; all product names and trademarks belong to their respective owners, and details reflect publicly available information as of July 2026. Verify pricing and features with each provider before purchasing. Read how we compare →