According to the AICPA, certified public accountants need to complete around 40 hours of continuing professional education every year. That’s a full week of work where you need to sit at a computer, pay attention during lectures, and answer questions to earn your credits.
So, you may as well make the most of it, right?
But when it comes to Becker vs. Gleim CPE courses, which are the most beneficial for your career? Which are the easiest to use? Which gives you your credits the quickest? And which makes more sense for your budget?
I had the pleasure of testing both options at length. In this guide, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know before making a purchase to help those 40 hours go by faster.
Key Takeaways
Choose Becker if:
- You want the widest selection of courses and formats.
- You prefer engaging content with live webinars and podcasts.
- You need tools like compliance trackers to stay organized.
- You want unlimited credits for one flat price.
Choose Gleim if:
- You only need a few credits to finish your requirement.
- You prefer a simple, straightforward course catalog.
Gleim vs Becker CPE
I spent a significant number of hours with both providers. However, before I give you the “inside insights” on my own experience with each company’s CPE offerings, I want to give you a brief outline of what to expect.
Becker CPE Courses: High-Quality Subscriptions
Becker’s CPE subscriptions are easily some of the most all-encompassing out there, featuring over 1,000 webcasts with live chat annually, 700 self-study courses, ethics courses for all 50 states (plus Guam, Puerto Rico, and D.C.), and even CPE podcasts. The price range can be slightly higher than some competitors, but if you want a wide variety of course types, unlimited credit consumption, and truly engaging lessons, Becker is a strong pick.
“With Becker’s CPE, I actually feel like I’m learning and being challenged throughout the course. Becker’s CPE is a clear step above our old program – both for myself and our organization.”
Carin C. Craun, CPA
Pros
- 500+ more self-study courses than Gleim
- Includes 1,000+ live webinars (Q&A and partial credit included)
- Choose from dozens of CPE podcasts to earn credits on the go
- In-depth compliance tracker makes organization and reporting easier
- Financing available for the Prime 2-Year Package
Cons
- Some options may be pricier than Gleim’s
- You can’t buy packages by hour requirements
Becker CPE Discount Code
Save $643 on Becker CPE subscriptions to meet your state’s requirements. Gain access to thousands of credits, live webcasts, and CPE podcasts.
Becker CPE Courses
Gleim CPE Courses: Hour-Based Bundles
Gleim and Becker take very different approaches to CPE. Where Becker has a “go big or go home” style, Gleim feels much more reserved. Rather than including live webinars and bonus tools, Gleim keeps it simple, offering packages based on the number of hours you need to complete: 1, 2, 3, 4, 20, 40, or 100 hours. However, Gleim only includes about 60 courses in their catalog. So, if you just want a quick and easy way to get your credits checked off the list, Gleim is a good option. However, if you want a lot of variety and options, they aren’t the best fit.
Pros
- Packages are more flexible thanks to hour-based bundles
- Affordable options for last-minute credit completion
- The courses available are high-quality
Cons
- Priced too high for what you get compared to providers like Becker and Illumeo
- Minimal features outside of just CPE courses
- The hours-only structure can be restrictive rather than freeing for some
Gleim CPE Courses
CPE Feature Comparisons
| CPE Provider |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Price Range | $329-$1,429 | $12-$600 |
| Discounts | Save $643 | No Discounts |
| Package Style | Time-Based | Hours-Based |
| Self-Study Courses | 700+ | 60+ |
| Live Webinars | 1,000+ |  |
| CPE Podcasts |  | |
| State-Specific Ethics Courses | 50+ | 2 (NY and FL) |
| Refund Policy | ||
| Get Started | Start Now | Start Now |
Becker CPE and Gleim CPE: Student-Course Fit
Before we go deep into the depths of the features together, let’s talk about what kind of CPA is the best fit for each provider. Who should you buy one course over the other? Here’s a quick overview.
The Perfect Becker CPE Students:
1️⃣ Ambitious CPAs who want to learn as much as possible from their continuing education
2️⃣ CPAs who are easily bored and need variety and engagement to stay tuned in
3️⃣ Professionals with busy schedules who’d take advantage of CPE podcasts during their day
The Perfect Gleim CPE Students:
1️⃣ CPAs who’ve taken a lot of in-person credits and need a handful of hours to complete requirements
2️⃣ Accountants who want the basics—no extras, no distractions, just credits
3️⃣ Easily overwhelmed tax experts who find it difficult to make a decision with hundreds of options
Feature by Feature Face-Off
Layout, Organization, and Ease of Use
Becker’s interface is aesthetically pleasing and well-organized. Everything loaded quickly for me, and it was simple to get where I needed to go, whether I was trying to tackle another on-demand lesson, find the live class schedule, or listen to a podcast. In particular, Becker’s personalized CPE compliance tracker was a huge standout for me. Again, I’m a fan of a good visual, and the little bar that showed me how many hours I completed and how much I had left to go was great for both organization and motivation—seeing the bar get fuller made me more excited to complete courses.
All I had to do was choose my jurisdiction, and the tracker laid out everything I needed to complete, including ethics specifics. Plus, because Becker is so popular, the courses all had a lot of reviews, making it easy to figure out which were highly-rated (and therefore, which I would probably enjoy, too).
Meanwhile, though Gleim was a little threadbare, navigation was easy by nature, as there wasn’t much I had to sift through to find what I needed. Further, the courses were organized like Becker’s: with filters and categories to make it easier to find the specific kind of course I was looking for. It wasn’t flashy, but Gleim’s system got the job done. There weren’t really any pluses here, but there weren’t any significant cons worth mentioning, either. Just a solid experience all around.
Winner: Becker
Video Lectures and Podcasts
Both Gleim and Becker CPE courses come in on-demand video lecture format, though only Becker includes CPE podcasts. These podcasts are actually free to listen to, but you only get credit when you complete the quizzes within Becker’s subscriptions. They’re typically between 30 and 60 minutes long, and many of them cover interviews about the accounting career with successful accountants. I loved hearing not only about tips and tricks for improving in the field, but also the stories of highly acclaimed CPAs and how they reached the place they’re at.
As for Becker’s videos, they’re as high-quality as you’d expect. I loved the instructors and the huge catalog to choose from, but I also liked the actual process of moving through each lesson. You’d listen for a bit and take a break to answer a quick question before moving on.
Even though the questions were short, it really did help me to almost “refresh” my brain, so I could re-engage with the content if I’d lost any amount of focus or interest at that point. The slides were beautifully done, and it made it easy to take notes using the note-taking widget built into the player. And again, I knew whether I’d like a lecture in advance based on the reviews.
As for Gleim, the slides were definitely simpler, which could be a pro and a con. However, as a really busy person with an ever-shortening attention span (thanks, TikTok), I personally prefer having a little more going on, with extra colors and being able to see the instructor.
However, if you’re someone who’s easily overwhelmed, this style might be ideal to keep you from getting overstimulated. Plus, the visual aids were a nice add. I liked being able to “see” what the instructors were talking about in a memorable, easy-to-understand way. All in all, though, I think a lot of students may feel underwhelmed by Gleim’s simplicity.
Winner: Becker
Live Webinars
Gleim doesn’t have live webinars, but I’d be remiss to leave live options out of this review, since Becker has over 1,000 webinars with live chat and partial credit options annually. First and foremost, I appreciated the wide variety of timing options. No matter your schedule, you’ll find room for live CPE, with class times including 9 AM, 10 AM, 12 PM, and 2 PM (Central Standard Time). However, the real value lies in the weeknight and weekend options during popular months.
As for the actual experience, it was easy to sign up for and join live events. The instructors were outstanding, energetic, passionate, and excited to share about their topic. I felt locked in the entire time, which made it so much easier to take notes and easily pass the end-of-class test.
Winner: Becker
Subscription Type, Demos, and Value
Value should be one of your number one considerations when you’re picking the perfect CPE offer, and subscription type ties closely into that equation.
Becker offers a time-based subscription. You get unlimited course access for up to two years, depending on the package you choose. So, if you want a heavy course load that rolls over into later years, you have a great setup to do so. Becker also delivers five free CPE courses for prospective subscribers to choose from, so you can try before you buy and ensure Becker meshes with your learning style.
As you can probably tell, Becker gets value. However, it’s worth acknowledging that both Becker and Gleim are priced higher than some more budget-friendly CPE providers like Illumeo, so overall value is subjective.
As for Gleim’s subscription, it’s a little difficult to quantify. I alluded to this before, but if you just need a handful of credit hours to wrap up what your state needs from you, Gleim is unmatched. It isn’t even close. However, if you’re starting from scratch, Gleim feels… stingy. When you can pay roughly the same amount for Becker’s CPE Prime subscription (which offers unlimited CPE access over 1,700+ courses) as Gleim’s 100-hour bundle, Gleim’s value begins to plummet pretty quickly.
Winner: Becker for a full-credit load, Gleim for light credit consumption
Final Verdict
Though Becker and Gleim are close competitors when it comes to CPA exam prep, it’s not even close when it comes to CPE. Though Becker is on the pricier side, they’re well worth the investment for the ambitious student who wants to make the most of their CPE and actually learn some new things. Gleim’s CPE courses were lackluster by contrast, and honestly, the price really doesn’t justify what you’re getting unless you’re only snagging a few credit hours.
See how Becker and Gleim compare to other top CPE courses for CPAs.
FAQs
Becker offers more variety, features, and engagement, while Gleim is best for quick, no-frills credit completion.
Match your learning style, credit needs, and budget with the provider’s format, course variety, and subscription type.
Choose self-paced, on-demand courses or short live webinars from a provider with instant credit reporting.
CPE credits don’t expire, but states typically require them within a set reporting period, such as annually or biennially.
Most CPAs need around 40 hours annually, but requirements vary by state and license type.
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