UWorld, Nurse Plus and Archer have established themselves with their question banks. If you’re looking for a thorough content review, you might need to consider other prep companies like Nursing.com or Kaplan.
However, if you’re a nursing student seeking an affordable choice and prefer practice over lectures or books, these three courses might be your ideal shortlist. They concentrate on giving a large question bank with practice problems with detailed explanations, along with a few bonus content review tools.

So, to provide you with the most important information about the options you have, we lined up Nurse Plus Academy, UWorld, and Archer and compared them against each other.

Here is a summary of the NCLEX preparation programs from Nurse Plus Academy, UWorld, and Archer.

First we’ll provide a brief overview of each and then compare in details.

Nurse Plus Academy

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Best Budget Pick

Nurse Plus Academy

• If you're on the lookout for a cost-effective course with NCLEX-like practice questions and mock tests, then this course is meant for you.
• If you have limited time to prepare and basic concepts are fresh on your mind, this course should be enough for you.
• If you prefer the convenience of studying via your smartphone or tablet, then this course is tailored for you.
• However, if your preference leans towards viewing lectures or presentations about nursing, this course may not be the right fit for you.

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• Budget Adaptability: Nurse Plus Academy presents a flexible budget plan to cater to your unique needs. If you're aiming to prepare for your nursing exams in a month, their Monthly plan is an ideal option. However, they also have attractively priced premium packages for extended access; the decision on how much to invest in your exam preparation materials is entirely in your hands.

• Well-Crafted Course Design: Concise course design which can be used even in the last 1 month. Efficient, no-nonsense study experience free of technical glitches, and it's fully operational on every device — be it a computer, tablet, or smartphone.

• Bonus Content: Nurse Plus Academy goes beyond simple test preparation by offering beneficial additional resources. The career and salary guides they provide can be instrumental in helping you navigate your professional journey after acing your exams, even though the main emphasis of this NCLEX prep course is on practice questions and flashcards.

Pros

• Realistic NCLEX practice questions with detailed answer solutions.
• You can choose to have the questions, rationales, and answers read aloud rather than reading them.
• An exceptionally authentic NCLEX simulator to practice under conditions akin to the actual exam.
• There are flashcards and cheat sheets which you can use for content review.
• Useful summary sheets and flashcards for revisiting important content.
• The "Answer Popularity" functionality displays the choices made by other exam takers.

Cons

• No Video lessons. Not suitable for visual learners 
• No live classes.
• There are no prep books.

Content

If you access Nurse Plus Academy’s access from a desktop browser, you may find a wide range of content including practice exams and question banks. The exams follow a format similar to the real NCLEX test and detailed answer explanations are included within them. Moreover, there is a deck of more than 300 digital flashcards to help you improve your memory.

Pricing

This prep course provider has three different affordable packages that start from $49 per month. The “Bulletproof” option is probably the best alternative among the three because you can get a full year of access to all learning materials and test exams. Flashcards and cheat sheets are also available to make your learning process more enjoyable. You can get 10 to 20% discount using coupon code.

Other Features

Probably the best thing about Nurse Plus Academy is how it allows all users to claim the money-back warranty, even if they only subscribe to the one-month package. The practice exams are also among the most well-written, especially when compared to those in the same price range.

UWorld NCLEX

UWorld is another popular prep course option that has helped thousands of nursing students pass the NCLEX exam. Its question banks are well-written and the sentences are not too wordy. The only unfortunate thing about it is that there is no money-back guarantee offered.

Content

The content on this platform includes detailed rationales that do not only have lengthy paragraphs but also informative pictures as well. The questions on the practice exams can also mimic the NCLEX well.

Pricing

When it comes to prices, the options available at UWorld are rather expensive. The most affordable option is priced at $139, which provides one-month access to over 2,000 questions. If you want the ultimate UWorld experience, you will be charged up to $429.

Other Features

If you are willing to pay more, UWorld can provide you with NGN courses, which contain the newest NCLEX licensure exams. These courses are in line with the newest exam format and already come with relevant case studies as well as stand-alone questions.

Archer

The main goal of Archer Review is to help you break down NCLEX materials and topics into understandable and easy-to-digest chunks. It will also provide you with on-demand lecture series and an assortment of quality learning resources.

Content

Archer is designed to improve students’ clinical knowledge using a wide range of video lectures, practice questions, and medical case simulations. There are more than 2,800 practice questions and printable study guides to ensure their NCLEX success.

Pricing

The prices of Archer Review are positioned right between Nurse Plus Academy and UWorld. Packages are available from $89 to $199, making it a somewhat more affordable alternative. Weekly group tutoring sessions are also included in them.

Other Features

Archer Review claims that it has a 99% pass rate, which is quite impressive considering the affordable price. On top of that, there is a free strategy guidance feature that may help students in mastering the NCLEX topics.

Detailed Comparison

Now we are going to discuss four important categories where we’ll name a winner in each parameter: cost, authenticity of practice problems, explanation quality, and bonus tools.

Cost Comparison

Let’s start with a cost analysis. First off, Archer has a lot of packages, which can make direct cost comparisons a bit tricky. However, considering their standard question bank with 60 days of access, it’s about $90.
Next, we have Nurse Plus Academy, which provides three separate options. All the packages are the same except for the length of content access. The prices range from around fifty dollars to one hundred and forty dollars, contingent on whether you choose 30 days, 60 days or a full year of access.
Finally, we have UWorld, which is the most expensive of all the choices. Their Qbank varies from approximately 160$ to a steep 450$ depending on the options included and the duration of access.

When it comes to cost, Archer and Nurse Plus are quite competitive, with both of their main packages around the 100-dollar mark, while UWorld is substantially pricier. Even UWorld’s most affordable option is double the cost of the other two. Thus, if you’re on a budget, you might want to look at Nurse Plus Academy or Archer. They surely provide more value for your money. Furthermore, these companies often offer sales and special deals where you can reduce the price even more. Nurse Plus is especially proactive with their discounts, so check for coupon codes in the video description before purchasing.

Authenticity of NCLEX Practice Problems

Moving on, let’s delve into the realism of practice questions. This is a bit of a subjective assessment because experience can vary in computer adaptive exams. But we discovered Nurse Plus Academy is slightly superior in this aspect compared to Uworld and Archer. Their questions are strikingly close to actual NCLEX questions, and it’s difficult to tell the difference.
Now, this isn’t to imply that Archer and UWorld aren’t good, but Nurse Plus simply excels. From the length to the content to the difficulty of problems, and even the balanced mix of next-gen problem types, Nurse Plus is remarkably precise. Additionally, Nurse Plus provides more questions than the other two platforms, including various alternate format questions like “select all that apply” or hotspot items. Along with their unlimited simulated exams, it’s straightforward for us to name Nurse Plus as the winner in this group.

Analysis of Explanations

Moving on, let’s examine explanations or problem solutions. This feature is also somewhat qualitative to evaluate, but we have to award UWorld the top spot for best explanations. Nurse Plus comes in a close second. Though Nurse Plus’ clarifications are good, UWorld takes the lead due to the phenomenal visuals they include. Nearly every solution from UWorld comprises graphics, diagrams, or visual aids, and for visual learners, this can be a major benefit over purely text-based clarifications.

While Nurse Plus and Archer also include visuals in many of their explanations, it’s not as good as it seems to be with UWorld. For Archer specifically, some of the answer explanations were lacking in specifics. So, in this category, it’s a small victory for UWorld due to their visuals, though Nurse Plus also gives robust clarifications, and Archer’s are decent too.

As a note, if you’re interested in viewing some examples of the problem explanations from all three platforms, be sure to check out our comprehensive written comparison. I’ll include a link to it in the description below. You’ll find screenshots and examples there, giving you a better understanding of what to expect.

Bonus Tools and NCLEX Prep Content

Next let’s examine some of the supplementary tools proposed by the three companies that offer Qbanks for test preparation.
First is Archer. In addition to their standard 60-day Qbank, they provide video lessons and access to webinars from their live content review sessions. While the content is good, the video production quality could be better. Next, Nurse Plus offers flashcards and cheat sheets as their extra tools. Although there are only 300 flashcards, they are very useful for reviewing concepts, and the cheat sheets are great for last-minute review.
Finally, UWorld doesn’t provide many extras, but they offer a tool to generate your custom flashcards for quick review within their Qbank. Additionally, their illustrations in the explanations are excellent.
In terms of bonus features, Nurse Plus and Archer have a clear lead. Which one is preferable depends on the format of content you want – video or cheat sheets and flashcards.
So, if you’re looking for extra tools to assist your test preparation, consider checking out Archer or Nurse Plus. And if you already use UWorld, don’t overlook their flashcard generator and quality explanations.

Verdict: Which NCLEX Prep Option Is Best among these three?

In summary, if you have to select just one and it is your first attempt, we would recommend Nurse Plus Academy. They provide the best mix of value, realistic practice work, quantity of practice material, and solid explanations.Its question bank is outstanding and explanation with AI tool is first in the industry. While Archer and UWorld are good in some specific areas, Nurse Plus Academy seems to excel overall.However, if comprehensive explanations with ample visuals are essential, UWorld might be a stronger option. Likewise, if you want supplementary video lectures, Archer could be a better choice. But I would suggest checking Nursing.com for video lessons then. If you’re trying to choose one of these Qbank-based review courses, I would select Nurse Plus.

It is important to note that the three options above are more geared toward students who do not need a lot of features and prefer to practice using question banks. So, if you think they do not meet your expectations, you can pick more comprehensive options like Kaplan and Nursing.com.

FAQs about The Best NCLEX Prep Course

What to Expect from an NCLEX Prep Course?

Without a doubt, the NCLEX is a high-stake exam. This is one of the main reasons many nursing students feel stressed, even before they start their exam prep. But, worry not, because there are numerous prep courses out there to help you make sure you are ready to answer and tackle every problem you face within the exam.

But, before we show you the best options you get, it is best that you learn some of the most important things to expect from an NCLEX prep course provider.

• Price

While how much a prep course costs may not always be an issue, the price is still an important factor in considering whether the program is worth the value or not. You want something that both fits your budget and provides you with quality materials. You should also take into account any promotional programs if they are available.

• Quality of Question Bank & Content

The next important thing you should look for from an NCLEX course is the quality (and the quantity) of the content. The course should cover all the topics and concepts that are included in the exam and explain them to you in a clear and effective way. You also want the course to provide you with enough practice sessions.

• Format

The format of a prep course is also important because it will dictate your learning style. Some courses provide both online and in-person learning sessions, while others only provide one of them. You should also consider whether they provide more videos or text materials and choose one that suits your learning style preference.

• Features

Many NCLEX prep courses also offer a wide range of features. While a lot of them can be beneficial and make your preparation process effective, some are gimmicky and will not bring meaningful benefits. Personalized feedback, adaptive learning technology, and 24/7 assistance availability are some popular features found in NCLEX prep programs.

Now that you have learned the most important factors in choosing an NCLEX prep course program, you should know what options you have

How long does an NCLEX prep course last?

Different NCLEX prep programs offer different preparation times for users. Some programs may last as short as one month. Meanwhile, many options typically last between 3 to 6 months, providing users to master the materials and devise the right test-taking strategy.

Can I take NCLEX without taking a prep course first?

Of course, no one should tell you that you will never be able to ace an NCLEX exam without taking a prep course. If you have enough determination and are willing to put decent effort into your preparation period, you should be able to do it. Still, a prep course program will be very beneficial to effectively guide you along the way.

How much time do I need to prepare for the NCLEX exam?

There is no hard and fast rule about NCLEX preparation time. However, it should be obvious that the more time you set aside for it, the less pressure you will feel during the process, allowing you to maximize your potential and improve on areas where you struggle.

How to tell if I’m ready to take the NCLEX exam?

One of the signs that you are actually ready to take the NCLEX exam is when you feel confident enough to answer the questions presented to you. If you want to make sure about your readiness, you can take a practice test and see how well you perform on it.

What should I do if I fail the NCLEX exam?

We are pretty sure that you don’t plan to fail your NCLEX test. However, if you, unfortunately, do, take your time to be sad for a while and prepare yourself for the next test. Depending on which test category you take, you should wait from 45 to 60 days to reapply for it.