# NCLEX vs NCLEX RN Prep 2026

The clearest difference is update cadence: NCLEX RN Prep 2026 at every 2 months against NCLEX's every 16 months. NCLEX's advantage is iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.6). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. NCLEX sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and NCLEX RN Prep 2026 sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

NCLEX ships an update every 16 months, NCLEX RN Prep 2026 every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NCLEX | NCLEX RN Prep 2026 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 16 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Size | 25 MB | 18 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Clanelite Technologies](https://appshunter.io/developer/1506856170) | [KING TECNOLOGIA DA INFORMACAO LTDA](https://appshunter.io/developer/1000082642) |

## What reviewers say

### NCLEX

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nclex-rn-practice-tests/id1507620035)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| NCLEX RN Adfree Version | $4.99 | one-time |


### NCLEX RN Prep 2026

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nclex-rn-prep-2026-pass-fast/id6470140713)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| NCLEX-RN Full Access | $9.99 | per month |
| NCLEX-RN Full Access | $14.99 | per month |
| NCLEX-RN Full Access | $24.99 | per 2 months |
| NCLEX-RN Full Access | $34.99 | per 3 months |
| NCLEX-RN Full Access | $59.99 | per 6 months |
| NCLEX-RN Full Access | $79.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NCLEX free?

NCLEX is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is NCLEX RN Prep 2026 free?

NCLEX RN Prep 2026 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do NCLEX or NCLEX RN Prep 2026 have ads?

Both NCLEX and NCLEX RN Prep 2026 show ads.

### Which is updated more often, NCLEX or NCLEX RN Prep 2026?

NCLEX ships an update every 16 months, and NCLEX RN Prep 2026 every 2 months. Most recently, NCLEX was updated on October 25, 2026 and NCLEX RN Prep 2026 on October 27, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*