Knopman vs Kaplan vs STC vs Achievable: Series 7 and 65 Prep

I run FreeFellow, which competes with these four. Everything below comes from each company's own Series 7 and Series 65 pages as of November 1, 2026, so it covers price, packages, access and guarantee terms. I'm not rating anyone's teaching or questions.

Start with who's paying. The Series 7 needs sponsorship from a member firm of FINRA or another applicable self-regulatory organization, so ask what your firm already pays for before you buy anything. The Series 65 doesn't need a sponsor, so you may well be choosing and paying on your own.

Prices and access as of November 2026

These are per-exam list prices, with providers in alphabetical order. The exam fee is separate: $395 for the Series 7 and $187 for the Series 65.

The SIE is a corequisite for the Series 7, and all four sell an SIE and Series 7 bundle, so price one of those if you haven't passed the SIE yet.

What each one sells and who it suits

Achievable's Series 7 course and Series 65 course come as one package at one price: an online textbook, chapter quizzes, full-length practice exams (35+ for the Series 7, 20+ for the Series 65), bonus videos, narrated audio and an AI tutor. That fits someone studying alone who doesn't want to choose between tiers and doesn't need a class. Achievable's pages say you'll "pass your exam the first time, or your money back." Its FAQ says you're eligible if you passed at least one of its full-length practice exams within the standard time and then didn't pass the real exam, and you claim by emailing your exam scores and a valid state ID.

Kaplan's Series 7 and Series 65 packages go up in steps. Basic is the License Exam Manual, a QBank, a practice exam, a study plan and a performance tracker. Essential adds unit intro and wrap-up videos, checkpoint exams and a midterm exam. Premium adds an instructor-led class, either recorded (OnDemand) or scheduled (Live Online), plus class notes, a mastery exam, InstructorLink for reaching an instructor and an AI tutor. The low end suits someone who mostly wants a manual and a question bank, and the class is there if you'd rather have one. Access runs five months, and five more cost $49, so count back from your exam date. If you're leaning toward Live Online, check the class dates first.

Kaplan's FAQ has a retake policy it calls PassProtection for its Live Online class. You can retake the same class within your access period if you didn't pass or want it again, subject to space. Kaplan says it may substitute web-based classes for live ones, and that fees may apply if you extend your access. That's a class retake rather than a money-back guarantee.

Knopman Marks' Series 7 and Series 65 courses have three packages, and what changes as you go up is mostly how much time you get with faculty. Gold is self-study with a textbook, video lectures, flashcards, benchmark exams and one 1:1 faculty call. Platinum adds unlimited live classes, AI study support and a Q&A video resource, and raises the calls to three. Diamond adds a dedicated faculty advisor for a three-month term, with weekly 1:1 calls and a custom study plan. If you want someone checking on your progress and helping you decide what to study next, that's what the upper two sell.

STC's Series 7 and Series 65 courses also come in three packages. Standard has a printed and online study manual, chapter quizzes, simulated final exams and an instructor hotline, so it suits someone who wants a printed book and an instructor to contact without paying for lectures. Premier adds flashcards, progress exams, Green Light exams and on-demand lectures (23 hours for the Series 7, 12 for the Series 65). Premier Plus adds a live virtual class and its recording.

STC's pages attach a pass guarantee to Premier and Premier Plus: "Follow our proven study plan and meet the requirements, and we guarantee you'll pass your exam." Its FAQ lists the requirements: complete the Progress Exams (A) version, average 75% or better on all final exams, and score 75% or better on at least one of the two Green Light exams. A refund request needs a copy of a failing score. The refund is the course price less any discount, with no refund of shipping or tax, and STC says some exclusions may apply.

If a guarantee matters to you and you're looking at Knopman Marks, ask what applies to your package. Some of these pages also quote pass rates. They aren't measured the same way, so I've left them out.

Where FreeFellow fits

FreeFellow has more than 900 practice questions each for the Series 7 and the Series 65, plus written lessons. The full original question bank is free with an account, subject to usage limits. Worked solutions, written lessons, mixed practice, and your readiness score stay free. It has no video course, no live class, no instructor to contact, no printed manual and no pass guarantee. Timed mocks (two per exam), flashcards, analytics and a study plan are on the paid Fellow tier, at $39 a month per exam family.

So if you want someone teaching you, one of the four above is what you're looking for, and FreeFellow can sit next to it as extra practice. There are worked examples in my Series 7 practice questions post, and the FreeFellow vs Knopman Marks comparison goes through that matchup in more detail.

All product and company names are trademarks of their respective owners. FreeFellow isn't affiliated with any provider named here.

FreeFellow is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by FINRA, NASAA or the companies named here. Knopman Marks, Kaplan, STC and Achievable are trademarks of their respective owners and are named here for identification and comparison only.