Coaching Actuaries is the biggest paid study platform for the SOA preliminary exams, and it's known for its Adapt adaptive learning system. The alternatives include free options like FreeFellow and the SOA's own sample questions, and other paid options like The Infinite Actuary and ACTEX.
I used Coaching Actuaries as a student. Adapt is good, and its Earned Level gave me real confidence going into exams. But at $300 to $500 per exam, I spent over $2,000 on practice problems for my preliminary exams alone, and that's a big part of why I built FreeFellow. Coaching Actuaries isn't bad. Cost just shouldn't be what keeps someone from preparing properly.
What Coaching Actuaries does well, and what it costs
Adapt's Earned Level is a well-calibrated read on your readiness, with years of data behind it. The video lessons from experienced instructors cover topics thoroughly, the question bank for each exam is large, and the brand has a strong reputation with candidates. If your employer pays for exam prep, it's a solid choice.
It's harder to justify when you're paying yourself. Adapt plus Learn was $300 to $500 per exam in Coaching Actuaries' published prices as of May 2026, so six separate exam packages would come to $1,800 to $3,000. Access is time-limited, so if you don't pass, you may end up paying again. And the bundles often include video you don't need if all you want is practice problems. Some candidates buy the full bundle and only ever use the practice questions.
How FreeFellow compares
FreeFellow covers all seven SOA preliminary exams for free: six with question banks, and Exam PA as free graded walkthroughs of past exams.
| Coaching Actuaries | FreeFellow | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $300 to $500 per exam (May 2026 packages above) | Free question banks |
| SOA exams | P, FM, FAM, SRM, PA, ALTAM, ASTAM | P, FM, FAM, SRM, PA, ALTAM, ASTAM |
| Questions per exam | About 1,500 to 2,500 | About 900 to 1,200 |
| Readiness scoring | Adapt Earned Level | Readiness score (0 to 10) |
| Practice exams | Full simulations | Full timed simulations (Fellow) |
| Analytics | Performance dashboard | Topic accuracy, difficulty, trends (Fellow) |
| Video lessons | Comprehensive | Not included |
| Flashcards | Not included | Spaced repetition (Fellow) |
| Other exams | Limited | 40 credentials across all FreeFellow tracks |
The core studying is the same on both: working problems and learning from your misses. FreeFellow's 6,100+ SOA questions cover every syllabus topic at three difficulty levels with worked solutions, and both give you a readiness read and practice that targets your weak spots (on FreeFellow, the targeted practice is part of Fellow).
Coaching Actuaries has video instruction, which FreeFellow doesn't, so if you want a teacher walking you through concepts, that's a real difference. Its banks are bigger too, though that matters less than you'd think, since working through 1,000 unique problems is already more than most passing candidates do. And its Earned Level has years of data tying specific levels to pass rates. FreeFellow's readiness score is newer, though it works in a similar way.
FreeFellow's advantage is price: free question banks against $1,800 to $3,000 for six Coaching Actuaries packages at May 2026 prices. It also covers 40 credentials on one platform, and Fellow adds spaced-repetition flashcards.
Other options, and what I'd do
The Infinite Actuary has well-produced video courses, and its P and FM courses are free (checked September 7, 2026). Prices for its other exams vary. ACTEX and ASM manuals have thorough written material and hundreds of practice problems, but no adaptive features or analytics, and prices depend on the manual and access term. The SOA's own sample questions are free and written by the exam committee, so they're the closest match to the real exam style, but there are only 300 to 400 per exam.
On a budget, here's what I'd do:
- Use FreeFellow as your main practice platform for the six exams with question banks.
- Add the SOA sample questions.
- If you want video, buy a video-only package for your weakest exam and skip the full bundles.
- Use free textbooks to fill knowledge gaps, like Marcel Finan's texts for P and FM and ISLR for SRM.
That keeps your question practice free, and you only pay for video if you want it. Whichever platform you use, work a lot of problems and go through every one you miss. You can start with FreeFellow's free actuarial practice questions.