Choosing the right CPE subscription saves time and builds skills you will actually use, not just hours on a certificate. Most providers require a score of at least 70% on a course’s final assessment before they issue credit, so it pays to pick courses that fit your career.
I compared five CPE providers on catalog, formats, compliance tracking, value and support. The short version:
- Becker, best overall: the widest mix of formats, a compliance tracker by state and CPE podcasts.
- Surgent, best for live webinars: more live sessions than anyone, plus gamified courses on the top plan.
- Illumeo, best for building a specialty: a vetted on-demand catalog and micro-certificates on the cheapest unlimited plan.
- Lambers, best no-frills value: one all-access price for video, PDF and webinar credits.
- MYCPE ONE, best for sheer volume: a huge library and state ethics courses, with uneven quality.
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Top 5 CPE Subscriptions for CPAs, Ranked
Open any row for the hands-on review, catalog numbers, strengths and weaknesses, screenshots and links. Rank 1 is the overall pick.
1
Best overallBecker CPE4.9 / 5
- On-demand courses: 700+
- New course hours: 110+ a year
- Live webcasts: With Q&A and partial credit; nights and weekends on Prime
- Packages: Essentials, Select, Prime, Prime 2-Year and Tax Prime+
- Extras: CPE podcasts, state compliance tracker, AI for Accountants certificate
Every Format Under One Login
When I tested Becker’s CPE subscription, it felt like the most finished platform in this ranking. I took a self-study course on AI ethics, switched between laptop and phone without losing my place, and had a certificate the moment the final exam ended. Instructors taught current material rather than reading old slides.
The format range is why I keep coming back. Some days I joined a live webcast with Q&A; other days I listened to a CPE podcast on a walk. Prime adds night and weekend webcasts, state-approved ethics courses, and current events courses that change through the year.
The compliance tracker charts hours by subject area for your state, flags what is missing, and accepts certificates from other providers. Tax Prime+ adds NovaTax research tools for tax practitioners. The honest downside is cost: Becker is one of the priciest subscriptions here.
- ✅ The best compliance tracker I used, by subject area and state
- ✅ Webcasts, self-study video and CPE podcasts in one subscription
- ✅ Current courses taught by instructors, not recycled slides
- ✅ Support that answered a reporting question within hours
- ❌ One of the priciest one-year subscriptions here
- ❌ Night and weekend webcasts need the Prime plan
- ❌ Fewer live sessions than Surgent
- ❌ In-depth courses take more time to finish
Skip it if: you only need a handful of hours this year, or price matters more to you than formats, tracking and support.
Becker Promo Code: Save 50% CPE Prime (2-Year) & Prime Subscriptiob
Before you pick a plan, the Becker CPE discount codes page lists the codes that work on CPE subscriptions.
Surgent is the only rival on quality and wins on live webinar count, but Becker is cheaper per year on the two-year Prime plan and adds podcasts and a better tracker. Illumeo and MYCPE ONE cost less with bigger on-demand libraries; Lambers is the plain, fixed-price alternative.
Bottom line: Becker is the CPE subscription most CPAs should start with: current courses, every format, and a tracker that keeps your state requirement straight. Pick Surgent instead if live webinars drive how you learn.
2
Best for live webinarsSurgent CPE4.5 / 5
- Credits: 10,000+ across live, on-demand and self-study
- Live webinars: 2,000+ a year
- Packages: Unlimited Self-Study, Unlimited Webinars and Unlimited PLUS
- Unlimited PLUS only: Premium, on-demand webcast and gamified courses
- Certificates: Emailed on completion
The Biggest Live Webinar Schedule
When I reviewed Surgent CPE, the volume stood out first: more than 2,000 live webinars a year, plus on-demand webcasts and self-study downloads. Evening, weekend and lunch-hour sessions come with every webinar plan, and my certificates arrived by email as soon as I finished.
The gamified courses were the surprise. They are no Elden Ring, but they made a dry topic genuinely fun, and I hope Surgent builds more of them. They sit on the Unlimited PLUS plan and cover lighter subjects, so they will not replace a full partnership tax course.
The catch is size and length. The catalog can feel overwhelming, many webinars run two to four hours, and the top plan costs more than Becker’s one-year Prime. Surgent ranks second because Becker matches its quality with a better tracker and podcasts, but nobody beats Surgent for live learning.
- ✅ More live webinars than any provider here
- ✅ Evening and weekend sessions on every webinar plan
- ✅ Certificates emailed as soon as a course is finished
- ✅ Gamified courses that make lighter topics fun
- ❌ The top plan costs more than Becker’s one-year Prime
- ❌ Many webinars run two to four hours
- ❌ A huge catalog that can feel overwhelming
- ❌ Gamified and premium courses need Unlimited PLUS
Skip it if: you prefer short self-study courses, or you want the strongest compliance tracker for the money.
Surgent Promo Codes: 35% Off Sitewide
Check the Surgent CPE discount page before you choose an unlimited plan.
Surgent beats Becker on live webinar count and gamified formats; Becker wins on price over two years, tracker and podcasts. Illumeo costs less than half of Unlimited PLUS but runs far fewer live events. Lambers and MYCPE ONE are cheaper and plainer.
Bottom line: Surgent is the pick for CPAs who earn most of their hours in live webinars and want sessions at any hour. If you mostly study on your own schedule, Becker or Illumeo is the better buy.
3
Best for building a specialtyIllumeo CPE4.4 / 5
- Catalog: Up to 3,000+ on-demand courses
- Live webinars: Up to 120+ a year
- Packages: On Demand, Premium and Premium+
- Tracker: 50 states and multiple credentials
- Micro-certificates: 40+ programs
- Guarantee: 30 days, money back
A Vetted Catalog for Specialists
Illumeo is a smaller name than Becker or Surgent, and when I tested it the question was whether that matters. It does not if you study on demand. Courses are vetted by at least two subject experts before listing, and any that fall below a four-star user rating are removed.
The competency self-assessment was the feature I used most: I rated myself across technical skills and Illumeo turned the gaps into course recommendations. More than 40 micro-certificate programs suit CPAs building a specialty such as revenue recognition or SOX, and the tracker covers all 50 states.
Live learning is the weak spot, with far fewer webinars than Surgent. Pass a course’s final exam and leave a short review, though, and you keep permanent access to it. It is the cheapest unlimited plan here, with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- ✅ The cheapest unlimited subscription in this ranking
- ✅ Every course vetted by subject experts and rated by users
- ✅ Micro-certificate programs for a specialty or second credential
- ✅ A tracker for all 50 states and several credentials
- ❌ Far fewer live webinars than Surgent or Becker
- ❌ The On Demand tier locks out premium webinars
- ❌ No downloadable PDFs on Premium+
- ❌ No CPE podcasts or gamified courses
Skip it if: you learn best in live webinars, or you want podcasts and other formats beyond on-demand video.
Illumeo Promo Code: Get 10% Off Any Course
Save with the current Illumeo coupon codes before you start the yearly subscription.
Against Becker, Illumeo has more on-demand courses for less money but a thin live schedule and no podcasts. Against Surgent it loses only on live events. It beats Lambers on catalog and tracking and MYCPE ONE on course consistency.
Bottom line: Illumeo is the budget pick for CPAs who study on demand and want CPE to build a specialty. Choose Becker or Surgent if live webinars matter to you.
4
Best no-frills valueLambers CPE4.3 / 5
- Formats: On-demand video, PDF self-study, live webinars
- Access: Unlimited for the plan year
- Approvals: NASBA CPE and IRS CE in one package
- Support: Phone, email and remote screen share
- Extras: In-course notes and review quizzes
One Price, No Extras
Lambers is the no-frills option: a year of all-access on-demand video, downloadable PDF self-study and live webinars, with no tiers to compare. The interface looks dated, but courses load quickly, the video player lets you skip back, and a notes field sits under each lesson.
Its edge is simplicity and support. The all-access price sits below Becker’s Prime and Surgent’s top plan, and one package covers NASBA CPE and IRS CE for CPAs who are also enrolled agents. Support answers by phone and email and can screen-share to fix a technical problem.
What you give up is interactivity. There is no app and no real compliance tracker, and the video lessons can feel monotonous over a full year of credits. For a CPA who wants unlimited hours at a fair price without extras, Lambers delivers.
- ✅ One all-access price with no tiers to compare
- ✅ NASBA CPE and IRS CE in the same package
- ✅ Support that will screen-share to fix technical problems
- ✅ Live webinars with instructor Q&A
- ❌ Dated interface with little interactivity
- ❌ No real compliance tracker
- ❌ Video lessons can feel monotonous over a full year
- ❌ Smaller library than Becker, Surgent or Illumeo
Skip it if: you want a modern platform with a compliance tracker, podcasts or a large live schedule.
Exclusive Offer – 10% Off Lambers CPE Courses
Browse the Lambers CPE discounts to trim the cost of an all-access year.
Lambers costs less than Becker’s Prime and Surgent’s plans but more than Illumeo or MYCPE ONE, which both offer larger on-demand libraries. Becker and Surgent are the better platforms; Lambers wins on simplicity and hands-on support.
Bottom line: Lambers suits CPAs who want unlimited, dependable CPE at one price and do not need a tracker or extras. Pick Illumeo if you want more courses for less.
5
Best for sheer volumeMYCPE ONE3.9 / 5$199 to $299 a yearSilver or Gold planNo discount
- Content: 15,000+ hours across 500+ subject areas
- Ethics: State-specific courses
- Packages: Silver and Gold
- Formats: Video, podcasts, e-books, live events, 20-minute Nano courses
- Extras: Mobile app and AI compliance tracker
A Huge Library, Uneven Quality
MYCPE ONE, formerly myCPE, wins on quantity: more than 15,000 hours across 500+ subject areas, state-specific ethics courses, podcasts, e-books, virtual conferences and 20-minute Nano courses, all in a mobile app. Its AI tracker and instant certificates make reporting simple.
Quantity does not mean consistency. Course quality and presentation vary widely from one instructor to the next, video and audio quality are uneven, and the platform feels less organized than Becker or Surgent.
User reviews also mention unexpected auto-renewal charges and slow responses from support, so turn off auto-renew after subscribing. It is a cheap way to cover a state ethics requirement, but most CPAs will find better value higher on this list.
- ✅ The largest library in this ranking
- ✅ State-specific ethics courses for most states
- ✅ Podcasts, e-books and 20-minute Nano courses
- ✅ Mobile app with an AI compliance tracker
- ❌ Course quality varies widely between instructors
- ❌ Interface less polished than Becker or Surgent
- ❌ User reports of unexpected auto-renewal charges
- ❌ Support responsiveness is a common user complaint
Skip it if: you want consistent course quality, or you have had trouble with auto-renewing subscriptions before.
MYCPE ONE matches Illumeo on price with a bigger library, but Illumeo vets every course and MYCPE ONE does not feel as curated. Becker and Surgent are far more consistent; Lambers is plainer but more predictable.
Bottom line: MYCPE ONE is worth a look for CPAs who want the most hours and state ethics courses for the least money. Most will get a better experience from Becker, Surgent or Illumeo.
CPE Subscription Comparison: Catalog, Formats, Tracking and Price
The numbers behind the ranking, one card per provider. Catalog sizes and prices come from each provider’s current plans.
Match a CPE Subscription to How You Earn Credits
Pick the situation that matches how you earn your hours. Each card jumps to that provider above.
How These CPA Continuing Education Providers Were Scored
Use the chapter list to jump to any part of the method. Each chapter opens on click so you can read only what matters to you.
What a CPE subscription has to get right
Every state board sets its own CPE rules, usually 40 hours a year or 120 over three years, with ethics on top. Requirements by state are on NASBA’s state board directory.
Each provider was scored on the same four categories by the same reviewer; the rating in the table is their average.
Catalog, tracking and certificates
I looked for a tracker that counts hours against my state’s requirement, filters by field of study and issues certificates instantly.
Becker’s state tracker was the best I used, Illumeo’s covers all 50 states, and MYCPE ONE’s AI tracker works but sits inside a cluttered dashboard.
Course quality and formats
I completed self-study courses and joined live webinars where offered, checking whether material was current and whether instructors taught or simply read slides.
Becker and Surgent were the most consistent. Illumeo’s expert vetting shows, Lambers is plain but dependable, and MYCPE ONE varied the most from course to course.
Hours per dollar
I compared what each unlimited plan costs and what it locks out, such as premium webinars or night and weekend sessions.
Illumeo and MYCPE ONE are the cheapest unlimited plans, Lambers has one simple price, and Becker’s two-year Prime undercuts Surgent’s top plan per year.
Support and reliability
I sent each provider’s support a credit-reporting question and noted how fast and how well it was answered.
Becker answered within hours, and Lambers will screen-share to fix a technical problem. A missed certificate can cost you your license, so support matters.
Why This CPE Ranking Holds Up
Other CPE Providers Worth a Look
These providers also offer NASBA-registered CPE and may suit a specific need, but they did not match the five above on platform, catalog and support.
- A deep tax and accounting webinar schedule from the Wolters Kluwer research family, a fit for practitioners who already use CCH tools.
- Low-cost self-study packages built around state requirements, practical for knocking out a set number of hours.
- A large self-paced catalog with flexible subscriptions, useful for finishing hours across the year.
Final Verdict
Becker is the subscription I would hand to most CPAs: current content, every format from webcasts to podcasts, and a tracker that does the state math for you, so get started with Becker if you want one dependable platform.
Try Surgent if live webinars are how you learn. Go with Illumeo if you study on demand and want a specialty on the cheapest unlimited plan.
Choose Lambers for unlimited hours without extras. MYCPE ONE can cover a state ethics requirement cheaply, but most CPAs will get more from the providers above it.
FAQs
What are CPE courses, and why do CPAs need them?
CPE courses are the continuing education every state board requires to keep a CPA license active. They cover accounting, audit, tax, ethics and business topics so licensees stay current with standards and law changes.
How many CPE credits do CPAs need?
It depends on the state: most require about 40 hours a year or 120 hours over three years, with a set number of ethics hours. Check your board’s rules through NASBA’s state board directory.
What score do I need to earn CPE credit for a self-study course?
Self-study courses end with a final assessment, and providers commonly set the pass mark at 70%. The rules sponsors must follow are in the NASBA CPE standards.
What are state-specific ethics courses?
They cover the ethics rules and regulations of the state where you are licensed, and many boards require them on top of general ethics hours. Becker and MYCPE ONE both offer state-approved ethics courses.
Are online CPE courses as good as in-person ones?
For most CPAs, yes. Online webinars and self-study courses count the same toward your hours, and live webinars keep instructor Q&A if you want it.
Which CPE subscription is cheapest?
Illumeo’s On Demand plan and MYCPE ONE’s Silver plan are the cheapest unlimited options here; the chart above has current prices. Becker costs more but was the most dependable platform in testing.
Do CPE subscriptions report credits to my state board?
Most providers issue certificates rather than report to state boards, so you keep them and report your own hours. A tracker like Becker’s or Illumeo’s keeps those certificates in one place.
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