Gleim is the established leader in CMA prep. It has the largest test bank in the category, a long track record, and graded essay practice for the constructed-response section that both CMA parts include. If you ask the CMA study groups what to buy, Gleim is the first name most people give.
I built FreeFellow as a free and low-cost alternative for CMA candidates who want to drill the full question bank without paying four figures first. I am the founder, Jeffrey Ting, FSA, CFA, and this post is self-interested. Gleim is genuinely ahead in places, the essay section first among them.
What Each Provider Offers
Gleim CMA (2026)
Gleim's CMA review page lists these two-part review packages (June 2026 price record):
- Traditional through Premium packages run about $1,499 to $1,799 for both parts.
- You get the largest CMA test bank in the category, video lectures, a study text, simulated exams, graded essay practice, and an access guarantee on the higher tiers.
FreeFellow CMA (2026)
FreeFellow has a free tier and two paid tiers. The annual comparison below uses Fellow Plus:
- Free: $0. The full CMA question bank: Part 1 (Financial Planning, Performance, and Analytics, 788 questions) and Part 2 (Strategic Financial Management, 585), with step-by-step solutions, 41 written lessons, mixed practice, readiness scoring, and a copy-to-AI essay prompt builder. No trial, no question cap, no credit card.
- Fellow Plus: $199 per year per track. Includes timed mock exams, SM-2 spaced-repetition flashcards, performance analytics, and a personalized study plan. Fellow Plus also includes common traps. Fellow costs $39 per month or $79 per quarter per track and includes the mocks, flashcards, analytics, and study plan.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | FreeFellow Free | FreeFellow Fellow Plus | Gleim CMA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $0 | $199/yr per track | $1,499 to $1,799 for both parts |
| Browse the full bank free | Yes, both parts | Yes | No, paywalled |
| Practice questions | 788 + 585 | Same | Largest bank in category, paywalled |
| Video lectures | None | None | Full library |
| Lessons | 41 written | 41 written | Study text |
| Graded essay practice | Copy-to-AI prompt builder | Copy-to-AI prompt builder | Dedicated in-app grading |
| Mock exams | None | Multiple, timed | Simulated exams |
| Flashcards | None | SM-2 spaced repetition | Included |
| Analytics | Readiness score | Topic-level plus trends | Performance tracking |
| Track record | Newer (since 2024) | Newer | Long-established CMA leader |
Gleim is the established CMA leader, with the largest test bank, video instruction, and dedicated graded essay practice. FreeFellow gives the entire bank away free and is a small fraction of the cost on the paid tier, with the gap being essays and video. The two solve different problems.
Where Gleim Is Genuinely Better
Graded essay practice
Each CMA part includes a second section of case-based question sets (essays before the September/October 2026 window). Gleim has dedicated graded essay practice built into the platform. FreeFellow free tier ships a copy-to-AI prompt builder that hands you a structured prompt to paste into your own ChatGPT or Claude for feedback, but FreeFellow does not yet have a dedicated in-app CMA essay grader. If you want hands-on graded essay practice inside one platform, Gleim is stronger there today.
Established leader and largest bank
Gleim has the deepest CMA test bank and decades of refinement against the exam. FreeFellow is newer and has a smaller bank.
Video instruction
Gleim includes a full video library. For candidates seeing variance analysis or strategic financial management for the first time, video earns its keep. FreeFellow has written lessons but no video.
Where FreeFellow Is Genuinely Better
The full bank is free
FreeFellow gives you the entire CMA question bank for both parts, with step-by-step solutions and 41 written lessons, for $0, with no trial and no credit card. Gleim gates its bank behind a course purchase. If you want to start drilling today before spending anything, FreeFellow is the lower-friction start.
Cost
Gleim two-part CMA review runs $1,499 to $1,799. FreeFellow free is $0, and Fellow Plus is $199 per year, a small fraction of the Gleim price. For candidates without employer reimbursement, this is the load-bearing difference.
Adaptive practice and mobile-first design
FreeFellow quiz engine targets your weakest topics automatically, and the platform is built for phone and tablet study with lessons for hands-free review. Gleim is usable on mobile but is built desktop-first.
The gaps on FreeFellow's side
FreeFellow has no video lectures and no dedicated in-app essay grader. If those are what you need, Gleim has them.
Recommendation by Candidate Type
Candidate without employer reimbursement
FreeFellow free plus the IMA learning materials. Drill the full bank across both parts, use the copy-to-AI prompt builder for essay feedback, and add Fellow Plus ($199) for timed mocks and a study plan.
Candidate who wants dedicated essay grading and video
Gleim. The graded essay practice and video lectures are the things FreeFellow does not have in-app. Supplement with FreeFellow free for extra question volume.
Repeat taker on one part
FreeFellow Fellow Plus. You need question volume, timed mocks, and analytics to find the gap, plus essay practice through the prompt builder.
Buying the Gleim Premium two-part CMA package and using half of it is worse than using a free bank fully and adding only what you need. Start free, and pay for essays or video only if you will actually use them.
What I Would Pick If I Were Sitting Today
I would drill FreeFellow free question bank across both parts, read the 41 lessons, and use the copy-to-AI prompt builder to grade my essays in Claude. I would add Fellow Plus ($199) for timed mocks and a study plan. If I felt I needed structured in-app essay grading or video on a tough topic, I would consider Gleim for that. Total out of pocket: $0 to $199, plus a targeted Gleim purchase only if I wanted essays or video in one place.
Gleim is genuinely good and is the established CMA leader. It is also expensive. For candidates who want to keep prep affordable and grade essays with a free AI workflow, FreeFellow is built for that.
Start Today
FreeFellow's CMA practice pages are open with the full Part 1 and Part 2 question banks and 41 lessons free. Samples are open to anyone; the full banks and written lessons need a free account. The Fellow Plus tier (mocks, flashcards, analytics, study plan) is on the pricing page.
FreeFellow is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by the IMA or ICMA. CMA and Certified Management Accountant are trademarks of the Institute of Management Accountants. Gleim is a trademark of its respective owner and is named here for identification and comparison only.