Gleim CMA v. Wiley CMAexcel: Find Out Which CMA Course Wins!

Should you choose Gleim CMA or Wiley CMAexcel? In our in-depth comparison, you can learn which of the two options is best for you. We've evaluated the courses, navigated all the marketing fluff, and presented an honest comparison for your review. Let's start by checking out a summary of the two CMA courses.  

Gleim CMA v. Wiley CMAexcel Comparison Chart

Who Wins? Gleim CMA Review or Wiley CMAexcel

First of all, Gleim CMA has been at the top of our list of best CMA courses for a long time. Second, Wiley CMA has recently been purchased by an outside company, and we can no longer guarantee the quality of their CMA materials. As a result, we can no longer recommend Wiley CMA because we don't know if those materials have been updated or how they will prepare you to pass the CMA exam. 

In the end, we crown Gleim CMA as the winner because it's one of our favorites. Plus, we really do love its affordability. Gleim CMA's course is the gold standard. And Gleim has helped more CMAs pass the CMA exam than any other course (most of our readers use Gleim, too)! Also, Gleim features an adaptive technology, which can help you study better and faster!

History of Gleim CMA Review and Wiley CMAexcel

Gleim has been around since 1974. Gleim started its accounting certification exam prep legacy by publishing CPA review courses, and it also created the very first CMA review course. Then, for many decades, Gleim CMA Review was the only CMA course available on the market. And today, Gleim is still recognized as the CMA exam prep leader. Why? Because more candidates have used Gleim to prepare for the CMA exam than any other course available. Additionally, Gleim is also a strategic partner of the IMA.

Wiley CMAexcel merged from two courses: Wiley CMA and the IMA's course. Then, Wiley and the IMA partnered to combine the courses into one, and Wiley CMAexcel was born. Wiley was also one of the first CPA review providers. Wiley CMA was recently purchased by another company, but we haven't been given an opportunity to receive those materials. So, in this post, we will compare Gleim CMA vs. the historic Wiley CMA course. 

Gleim CMA v. Wiley CMAexcel Interface

The Gleim CMA course was recently improved with adaptive features, and the interface was redesigned. The adaptive platform guides you to where you need to focus and what you should study next. It also lets you know when you are ready for the Exam Rehearsal mode. However, it is still self-study, so you'll still need to work through the course independently. 

Also, while Gleim CMA is adaptive, it still allows you to make your own study decisions and move freely throughout the course. Gleim's other courses (like Gleim's CIA, CPA, and EA courses) are adaptive, too. 

In contrast, the Wiley CMAexcel course was not adaptive, so you must detect and address your weak areas on your own.  

Gleim CMA Materials Compared to Wiley CMAexcel Materials  

Video Lectures

The Gleim CMA Review course contains over 70 hours of video lectures. With these lectures, CMA candidates can receive detailed coverage of critical topics, walkthroughs of multiple-choice questions, and instructions for completing the CMA essays. The best thing about having video lectures in your course is that you can really learn the exam content. Of course, having a deeper understanding of the exam content enables you to answer the complex questions on the CMA exam.

In contrast, Wiley offered about 49 hours of lecture hours. Therefore, if you're someone who learns well from videos, I suggest going with Gleim. Besides, Gleim uses an impressive team of instructors who really understand the CMA exam content.

Access Length

Gleim CMA includes access until you pass with the Premium CMA course. Likewise, Wiley's top CMA course also included access until you pass. This sort of guarantee is important because it allows you to study for the CMA exam for as long as you need to. And you won’t have to spend any more money on course extensions or upgrade fees. Rather, you'll receive all the updates you need for free, and you’ll also be able to study for any length of time.

However, the Gleim Premium Guarantee is better in that it also offers a no-hassle refund policy. This guarantee allows you to return your course, should you need to, so long as 18+ months haven't passed since your purchase date. The option to return your course makes this guarantee a relatively rare feature, and Wiley did not offer a similar guarantee.        

Help from CMA Experts

Many of the best CMA courses include access to subject-matter experts should you need further assistance. For instance, you can ask these experts when you get stuck on a topic or have questions about a concept you are studying. Therefore, it's positive that Gleim CMA Review gives you access to CMA experts. Plus, Gleim also provides you with an exam mentor who will facilitate your study planning. Your mentor will also be able to help you register for the exam and provide you with encouragement when you need it.  

We should note that the old Wiley CMA course gave their users access to accounting experts, too. 

Flashcards

A lot of CMA candidates like to study with flashcards, and Gleim gives you digital flashcards to use while you are studying for the CMA exam. The Wiley CMA course used to have digital flashcards, too, which were accessible via the Wiley CMA mobile app. 

Mobile App

Wiley CMAexcel used to include a mobile app with its Platinum CMA course. This app was a helpful feature, as we know many CIA candidates use public transit that don’t have Wi-Fi. Additionally, a Wi-Fi connection is sometimes hard to come by in certain regions of the world. Therefore, because Wiley had an app, your ability to study anywhere and anytime was unlimited.  

In contrast, Gleim CMA Review does not include a mobile app. Instead, the Gleim CMA Review course is accessible online and is compatible with most devices. And last we heard, the Gleim CMA online course was mostly easy to use on all types of devices. The essays were the exception because the course emulates the bulky Prometric environment that you’ll see on exam day. But when you're not trying to practice essays on a phone or tablet, exam emulation is great to have.

Gleim CMA Pass Rates vs. Wiley CMA Pass Rates

Gleim does not provide candidates with pass rate information. And neither the IMA nor other accounting organizations are in the habit of publishing pass rates for CMA exam prep providers. Additionally, because no third party independently audits CMA exam review course pass rates, you should not rely solely on the pass rate data you find on their sites.      

However, we know from our surveys that Gleim does, in fact, have a high pass rate. Our candidates have reported a pass rate of approximately 90% when using Gleim CMA’s Premium Course.

Similarly, Wiley CMA also used surveys to compile its pass rates. Wiley CMAexcel stated that 80% of its candidates passed the CMA exam when using Wiley. But again, Wiley CMAexcel did not have its pass rates audited, so making your CMA review course decision on pass rate numbers alone isn't the best idea.      

Wiley CMAexcel vs. Gleim CMA Review Learning Styles    

Gleim CMA offers a variety of learning components, so their CMA courses meet the needs of most candidates' learning styles. For example, Gleim gives you plenty of learning tools to pass the CMA exam, like books, a test bank, mock exams, and learning videos. 

Likewise, the former Wiley CMA course offered a range of study materials, although the course lacked audio lectures. Therefore, auditory learning may have been disappointed by the Wiley course. 

Wiley CMA Discounts vs. Gleim CMA Discounts

Of course, we can no longer offer a Wiley CMA discount because the course has been purchased by another company. 

However, we have great Gleim CMA discounts! Generally, the Gleim CMA course discounts range from 20-30%, although 30% to 50% discounts on Gleim CMA Review do happen from time to time. Usually, Gleim saves its 30% discount for Black Friday and Cyber Monday in November. And even during this time, the discount is only valid for a few days. So, to get started with Gleim, you can access my Gleim CMA discount here. (No promo code is required; the discount is embedded in the link.)

Who Should You Pick? Gleim CMA or Wiley CMAexcel?      

From this table, you can see that the Gleim CMA course scores more points for several reasons. Of course, Gleim CMA is at the top of our list of the best CMA courses. The old version of Wiley CMA, however, has been purchased and discontinued, so that's why we gave Wiley 0 points. Besides, even before Wiley was sold, CMA candidates started reporting a surge in Wiley CMA errors. Similarly, Wiley never had a refund policy included in its access until you pass guarantee. In contrast, Gleim does include a return policy, and it's quite a generous one, at that.

Our Conclusions About Gleim CMA and Wiley CMAexcel

In the end, it comes down to course quality, affordability, and features. We do feel like Gleim CMA is best if:

• You learn best by answering questions (because Gleim includes both incorrect and correct answer explanations)
• You would like to select a quality course at an affordable price
• An adaptive platform that can shorten the number of study hours you need is essential 

The reason Gleim may be the best for those falling into the categories above is that Gleim CMA includes more essay questions (learning opportunities) and complete answer explanations for both the correct and incorrect answer choices. Additionally, an adaptive platform like the one Gleim incorporates into its platform can guide you more than a 100% user-based course. So, you'll do less guesswork about your weak areas, how you may perform on the CMA exam, and more.

Lastly, if your course purchase needs to stay within a reasonable price point, you'll definitely want to choose Gleim.

Your CMA Review Course Next Steps

Find Gleim CMA discounts and coupon codes for the best CMA study material. Then, purchase your course!

If you're still unsure about which course is the best for you, please contact me for a thorough and helpful recommendation. Additionally, you can also sign up for my free CMA exam study materials to learn more about the process of becoming a CMA.