When it comes to conversations about CPE providers, Illumeo isn’t always discussed. Normally, it’s the likes of big CPA exam prep companies that get mentioned, like Becker, Surgent, and Gleim.
Is a smaller company like Illumeo worth considering when it comes to online CPE courses?
In this Illumeo CPE review, we’re going to discuss exactly that.
From pricing to packages, course catalog to CPE credit hours, I’m going to walk you through everything you need to know so you can decide if Illumeo CPE is right for you.
Key Takeaways
- Comprehensive Course Catalog: Illumeo provides access to over 1,800 on-demand courses, plus 125 live webinars, covering a wide range of CPE credit topics.
- Affordable Pricing: With packages ranging from $199 to $399 per year, Illumeo offers substantial value compared to pricier CPE providers.
- Rigorous Quality Standards: Illumeo’s courses are thoroughly vetted and must maintain a 4-star rating or above, ensuring consistently high-quality content.
- Permanent Access Option: Users can earn permanent access to completed courses simply by passing the course exam and leaving a review.
- Ideal for On-Demand Learning: For those who prioritize flexibility, Illumeo’s extensive on-demand offerings provide a convenient and self-paced CPE solution.
Illumeo CPE Overview
Though Illumeo isn’t as large a company as competitors like Surgent or Becker, they still offer a lot of great content. Illumeo offers:
- 1,800+ on-demand courses for CPE credits
- Up to 125 live webinars annually
- Over 280 experienced instructors
- 1,500,000+ training hours delivered
- 75,000+ finance professionals served
- 20+ certification types served
- A comprehensive CPE compliance tracker for multiple CPE types and all 50 states in every package
Plus, their CPE course catalog boasts an average rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars. Another key factor of Illumeo is their collection of 40+ micro-certificate programs, which feature professional certifications including Data Analytics Professional (DAP), Professional Bookkeeping, Organization Development, and even prep courses for certification exams like the CFA.
If professional growth is important to you, Illumeo offers plenty of opportunities to make it happen.
Package Comparisons
| Premium+ | Premium | On-Demand | Webinar | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $399 | $299 | $199 | $199 |
| Access Duration | 12 Months | 12 Months | 12 Months | 12 Months |
| Available Courses | 1,800+ | 1,700+ | 1,600+ | 4-Hour Ethics Course |
| Live Webinars | 125+ | 120+ | 40+ | 120+ |
| Premium Courses | 70+ | 70+ | ✖ | ✖ |
| Premium+ Courses | 50+ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ |
Illumeo Discount
Save with our exclusive Illumeo CPE coupon codes if you think Illumeo is right for you.
Illumeo CPE: Review of Key Features
Interested in Illumeo CPE? Here’s the basic “must-know” info.
- Extensive Course Library: Access to 1,800+ on-demand CPE courses, covering all major areas including audit, finance, tax, and ethics.
- Flexible Webinars: Includes up to 125 live CPE webinars annually, offering interactive sessions on a variety of relevant topics.
- Micro-Certifications: Offers 40+ specialized micro-certifications, including areas like Data Analytics and Professional Bookkeeping, to boost career-specific skills.
- CPE Compliance Tracker: Integrated compliance tracking for CPAs and other certifications, helping users stay up-to-date with CPE requirements across all 50 U.S. states.
- Affordable Subscriptions: Four tiered options, starting at $199, offering flexibility with unlimited credits, access to premium content, and extended subscription features.
- User-Friendly Platform: Designed with an intuitive interface, course ratings, and AI-powered tools to personalize learning plans and improve user experience.
What Sets Illumeo CPE Apart?
Illumeo is unique when compared to competitors for a lot of reasons, but some of the primary differentiators include:
- Affordability
- High standards of quality
- Co-creation with expert individuals
- Permanent access opportunity
Affordability
First and foremost, Illumeo offers some of the most competitive pricing in the continuing professional education space. With a price range between $199 and $399, few other CPE providers offer this much quantity and quality at such a low rate.
Competitors like Becker and Surgent charge up to four times as much for similar packages. Needless to say, you’re getting a fantastic deal with Illumeo.
High Standards of Quality
I say quality, but what I really mean is so far beyond that. Let me explain.
Throughout the development phase, course content is evaluated on 10 different points by at least two experts on the course topic to be admitted into Illumeo’s CPE course catalog in the first place. Once admitted, the course enters a trial period where if it doesn’t maintain an average user rating of at least 4 stars, it’s removed from the platform.
As a result, corporate finance professionals gain access to course content that isn’t just a cut above in terms of quality, accuracy, and relevance, but Illumeo’s user experience is also top-notch. Not only can you see whether fellow professionals enjoyed the course thanks to the transparent rating system, but if it’s too low, the course gets removed entirely.
Co-Creation with Expert Individuals
One of the coolest things about Illumeo is they give professionals the opportunity to share their knowledge and experience in exchange for payment. This way, Illumeo doesn’t have to pay as much for an in-house team. So, not only can Illumeo pass on the savings to consumers, but they also support solo creators in their endeavors.
As someone who’s done a lot of content creation myself, I also love that the reason for premium courses in the first place is to reward excellent creators by purchasing rights to the course, and charging a bit more for students to access said courses.
It’s a great model where everyone wins!
Permanent Access Opportunity
Find a course you love and want to watch over and over again? Illumeo’s on demand courses offer the opportunity for permanent access (unless the course is removed from the platform). All users have to do to gain this access is to successfully complete the course’s final exam and leave a valid course review.
A “valid course review” just means the review has a star rating and a thoughtful description of 20+ words. So basically, spend a minute or two talking about your thoughts, and you get access to that course for as long as it’s available on the site.
Pros
- Surprising Affordability: With the high level of quality control in Illumeo’s courses and micro-certification programs, the affordability of even their CPE Premium subscription is a pleasant surprise.
- High-Quality Standards: Illumeo lets you see transparent course reviews to get a good idea of whether you’ll like a course or not before taking it. Plus, their rigorous quality control system means that bad or boring courses get kicked off the platform.
- Average 4.5-Star Rating: Due in part to their quality screening, Illumeo boasts an average rating of 4.5/5 stars for their courses based on student reviews.
- Huge Course Catalog: Illumeo’s small price tag doesn’t reflect their course quantity. In fact, Illumeo offers a broader course catalog than many larger competitors.
Cons
- Exams Required for CPE Certificates: If you want to fulfill your CPE credit requirements, you need a certificate of completion. However, to fulfill these certification requirements on Illumeo’s platform, you’ll have to pass a quick final exam.
- Low Webinar Count: Though Illumeo offers numerous live webinars every year, they offer far fewer live opportunities compared to competitors like Surgent CPE.
- Smaller Brand than Competitors: Some professionals take their CPE requirements extremely seriously, and would prefer a more well-known brand for higher trustworthiness and reliability.
CPE Courses and Subscription Comparisons
Illumeo vs Becker CPE
For many, Becker is the “Gold Standard” for everything from CPA exam review to CPE. Admittedly, I am one of those people.
However, though choosing Becker professional education is my #1 overall recommendation, Illumeo is my #1 choice for corporate finance professionals who don’t want to spend a large chunk of change on their continuing education journey.
Further, if you prefer on-demand courses over a live instructor-led learning experience, Illumeo actually offers far more options. Where they fall short is their limited selection of live webinars, as well as their lack of new innovations, like Becker’s CPE podcasts.
Summary: Becker CPE is my #1 overall choice for completing your CPE requirements; however, Illumeo is my #1 budget choice, and may be more appealing if pricing is the most important factor to you.
Illumeo vs Surgent CPE
Illumeo only offers a few live CPE events per year, and this is the most noticeable when comparing them to Surgent.
Surgent CPE hosts up to 2,100+ live events a year, which is the most of any CPE provider. Meanwhile, Illumeo’s 125 or so feels pretty underwhelming. However, not everyone needs the live events and Q&As, and many prefer the self-study course as an alternative.
Which option is better for you really depends on what you want your tailored learning experience to look like.
Summary: If you prefer on-demand courses, you’ll likely be more drawn to Illumeo’s broader course catalog. However, if live learning is more your thing, Surgent is the best pick.
Illumeo vs Gleim CPE
Though Gleim is a much larger name than Illumeo, I would choose Illumeo over Gleim for CPE, every single time.
Don’t get me wrong: Gleim has fantastic courses, but as of November 2024, I counted a total of 61. Compared to Illumeo’s 1,800+, Gleim starts to look pretty lackluster, particularly when paired with their much higher price tag.
Plus, whereas all of Gleim’s packages feature unlimited CPE credit hours, Gleim’s credit hour consumption is limited to whichever package size you purchase.
Summary: Illumeo is a much better choice than Gleim. Gleim is a good option in a vacuum, but they fall flat compared to Illumeo’s large catalog and unlimited CPE credit hours.
Illumeo vs Lambers CPE
Another option outside of the “Big 3” of exam prep is Lambers’ CPE courses. Lambers has a small catalog of ~200 on-demand courses, a combination of both self-study PDFs and instructor-led video lectures. Even with such a small catalog, their subscription has a surprisingly hefty price tag at $699.95. However, at the time of writing, the subscription is currently on sale for $499.95.
Again, I’d argue that Illumeo is a better choice. There’s so many more options, and I personally much prefer Illumeo’s user experience and their team of experienced instructors.
Summary: Illumeo is a better option in my opinion, with other 1,600+ additional courses (the exact number varies depending on the package you choose). Illumeo also only offers a few live webinars, but Lambers doesn’t offer any, even with such a pricey package.
Final Verdict
Ultimately, Illumeo is one of the top three CPE providers I recommend for a reason. Though they don’t have very many live events, they more than make up for it with their extensive collection of on-demand courses.
I also love Illumeo’s affordability, their course reviews system, and the permanent access to courses given to reviewers. The review system is a cycle that makes the Illumeo CPE platform better for everyone involved: potential customers, current customers, and experts who offer their services and knowledge in exchange for a nice little payday.
Illumeo is doing a lot of great things. If you want to take a course for a spin to see what’s in store, give their free trial a go and see if it’s a good fit for you.
FAQs
Yes, Illumeo’s course catalog is broad and includes options for corporate finance, making it a practical choice for professionals in that field.
Illumeo’s pricing is highly competitive, often costing less than major CPE providers like Surgent, Becker or Gleim.
Yes, as long as you pass the course’s final exam and leave a review, you gain permanent access to that course, as long as it’s still offered.
Yes, Illumeo offers a free trial so users can explore the platform and sample courses before committing to a subscription.
Illumeo’s main drawback is its limited number of live webinars compared to other CPE providers, which may affect those who prefer live, interactive learning.
