The path to becoming a Certified Internal Auditor requires you to pass all three parts of the CIA exam. Very few – if any – candidates can pass this exam without using a CIA review course to learn the material and practice applying it to exam questions. However, most of these courses aren’t cheap. Thus, you want to purchase the one that gives you the best chance of passing the exam on the first try. Therefore, we’ll review your options and provide you with access to our exclusive CIA discounts.
Best CIA Review Courses
Firstly, here’s a quick breakdown of the certified internal auditor study material available in each company’s most comprehensive self-study CIA review course.
| Gleim CIA | Becker CIA Prep | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1249 | $899 |
| CIA Discount | 20% Off w/ Our Link | Save $270 |
| Book | Print and digital | Digital only |
| Practice Questions | 3,500+ | Unknown |
| Adaptive Learning Software |  | |
| Audio Review | |  |
| Video Lectures | 45+ hours | Coming soon |
| Mock Exam | 6 | 6 |
| Support | Accounting experts | Academic support |
| Access Length | Until you pass | 2 years |
| Guarantee | Money-back | None |
CIA Review Course Comparison
Gleim CIA Review Course
To start, Gleim CIA Exam Prep is a well-known producer of test prep products. In fact, Gleim was the first company to produce a CIA exam prep course 45 years ago, and it remains the #1 choice of CIA exam candidates. Similarly, its CIA material, like most of its other exam study material, uses a SmartAdapt™ learning platform. This adaptive learning software helps you study more efficiently by identifying your areas of weakness and giving you more practice questions in those areas. Accordingly, you won’t waste time studying the material you already know well.
Gleim Course Materials
In short, Gleim offers two complete courses, called the Premium and Traditional Review Systems. However, you can also purchase the test bank and practice exams separately. Gleim includes 3,500 questions in all its study options. Only the Premium and Traditional offerings provide a complete pathway to studying. For example, the Gleim CIA Premium Review System includes lectures and classroom-style videos (45+ hours!) to help you learn the concepts. It also provides help from accounting experts, the SmartAdapt™ teaching technology, study planners, and the Access Until You Pass® guarantee.
| Gleim Premium CIA | Gleim Traditional CIA | Gleim CIA Test Bank | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price (all 3) | $1249 | $1099 | $499 |
| Price per part | $449-$469 | $389-$399 | $159-169 |
| Textbooks | Print and digital | Print and digital | Print OR digital |
| SmartAdapt learning platform | | | |
| Interactive study planner | | | |
| CIA test bank | | | |
| Unlimited practice exams | | | |
| Final review mode | | | |
| Exam emulation | | | |
| Personal Counselor | | | |
| Videos | 45+ hours | | |
| Audio lectures | | | |
| Digital flashcards | | | |
| Digital notebook | | | |
| Money-back guarantee | | | |
| Help from accounting experts | | | |
| Access length | Until you pass | 18 months | 18 months |
Gleim Pros & Cons
Gleim was the first company to produce a CIA exam prep course, and it remains one of the most popular and well-respected options. The SmartAdapt™ software is a big part of this reputation, as is the fact that the company offers a variety of study aids, including videos, audio files, and flashcards. Furthermore, you can buy the test bank a la carte. With every practice question, you’ll receive explanations for the wrong and right answer choices, giving you a deeper understanding of the topics at hand.
However, all these CIA study materials come at a slightly higher price, particularly for the Premium Review System. Specifically, this option is more expensive than Surgent’s CIA online course. Remember that Surgent CIA is just a test bank, while the Gleim Premium Review System is a fully comprehensive course. Also, Gleim CIA is competitively priced compared to Becker’s IIA Learning System package at $899. When comparing Gleim CIA vs. Becker, you must consider that Becker’s course does not yet include lectures. Therefore, given Gleim’s 45 years of experience creating CIA materials and 45+ video lecture hours, Gleim still has the best overall value.
Moreover, Gleim CIA assumes you have some background in accounting and auditing, so it skips elementary accounting concepts. If you’re new to accounting, regardless of which course you ultimately choose, you’ll need to study more diligently than someone with an accounting degree. Finally, remember that Gleim’s “Personal Counselors” are there to help you create a study plan and answer questions about the exam process, but they are not accounting topic experts. They won’t be able to answer your accounting questions directly. However, you can ask accounting experts questions via the online course, bypassing the personal counselors altogether.
Becker CIA (formerly the CIA Learning System)
Finally, the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA), the organization that creates the CIA exam, markets a series of review materials that used to be called the CIA Learning System, or Learn CIA. Previously, the Holmes Corporation created these materials. However, as of March 2025, Becker has taken over as the IIA CIA Exam Review creator. Just as before, the IIA does not write these materials—they only produce the syllabus. Nevertheless, according to our CIA candidates and our team members who have taken the CIA exam, Becker delivers a much higher quality product than the previous company.
Again, just because Becker CIA has paired with the IIA doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best or the best course for you. However, Becker has been creating study materials for accounting exams for over 60 years, and it has an excellent reputation.
Becker CIA Course Materials
Currently, Becker offers a single CIA review course package called The IIA CIA Exam Review. Additionally, some of the materials have not been released yet, as of March 2025. For $899, you’ll get 24 months of access to Becker’s three-part review course. This is a self-study course, though Becker offers “academic support.” Right now, it’s unclear what this consists of, but Becker’s other courses allow you to contact accounting experts if you have questions about the materials. Here’s what you’ll get:
- Digital textbooks
- Customizable study planner
- Adapt2U technology
- Two practice exams per part (six total)
- Practice multiple-choice questions
- Unlimited academic support
- Access to private Becker CIA Facebook community
- Digital flashcards (coming soon)
- Concept videos (coming soon)
Becker CIA Pros & Cons
Like with Gleim and Surgent, Becker’s Adapt2U technology makes your study time more efficient by giving you more questions in areas of knowledge where you’re weakest. It’s less expensive than Gleim but gives you six more months of access than Surgent. Also, you get two full practice exams, which Surgent doesn’t offer. Becker is a well-respected test prep company, and this is likely an excellent review course.
However, the biggest drawback is the fact that Becker’s CIA course is brand new. We don’t have any user feedback to help you understand the study experience. As of right now, there is no money-back guarantee, and we don’t know how big the test bank is. Additionally, some of the features, like digital flashcards and video lessons, haven’t been released yet. You’re better off with Gleim if you need video or audio lectures. And you’re not receiving any special inside information by using the CIA exam study materials with “IIA” printed on the cover. The course writers are working from the same syllabus as everyone else.
Best CIA Prep Courses for Different Study Needs
In summary, picking the best study material for the CIA exam requires knowing how to learn best. Some people may get all they need from a textbook, while others may require video lessons or numerous practice questions to do their best. Therefore, we’ll present our breakdown of who each CIA test prep company is best for.
Gleim CIA is best for exam candidates who…
- Already have some accounting knowledge.
- Like a variety of study materials and formats.
- Want to work with adaptive learning software.
Begin studying with Gleim CIA.
Becker is best for students who…
- Have used Becker study materials for other exams and like them.
- Want some of the benefits of Gleim at a lower price point.
- Don’t mind using an untested product.
Start learning with Becker CIA.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, the best CIA exam prep for you is the course that fits your budget and provides the material in a format that matches your learning style. Overall, Gleim gets our top recommendation, but there are valid reasons why Surgent may be a better fit for you. Alternatively, you may like Becker’s review course format and want to take a chance with the new material.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I get a discount on certified internal auditor study material?
You can receive discounted CIA exam preparation material using our links and discount codes to get the best prices on the courses reviewed above.