Comparison

NCLEX Prep by PayneBrain vs PrepNCLEX

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

NCLEX Prep by PayneBrain

Features
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Pass the NCLEX with a coach in your pocket. NCLEX Prep turns a mountain of material into small, guided steps, with a friendly study guide named Pulse cheering you on. Every day the app picks three short steps for you: learn something new, practice it, then review what's starting to fade. No planning, no overwhelm. Just open the app and tap Start. 1,000+ NCLEX-STYLE QUESTIONS Practice across all 8 client-need sections of the NCLEX test plan, with single-answer and select-all-that-apply questions. Every question has a rationale, and a Hint button coaches you on test strategy (prioritization, delegation, therapeutic communication) without giving the answer away. NEXT GENERATION NCLEX (NGN) Work through 24 unfolding case studies with a client record that updates as the case unfolds, following all six steps of clinical judgment. Practice every NGN item type: bow-tie, matrix, drop-down, highlight, multiple response and trend, scored with partial credit like the real exam. AM I READY? Take an adaptive exam that gets harder or easier with your answers, like the real NCLEX, and stops once it's confident. You get an estimated pass likelihood and a section-by-section breakdown. LEARN EVERY SECTION, STEP BY STEP Each section is a colorful guided path: • Read: 40 bite-size lessons with key points, exam traps and clinical pearls • Memorize: 32 memory tricks you learn letter by letter, plus 150+ flashcards on a spaced-repetition schedule • Recall: fill-in-the-blank drills • Play: a learning game for every section • Prove: exam-style section quizzes 11 LEARNING GAMES Delegation Dash, PPE Gear Up, Lab Range Rush, ABG Decoder, Suffix Sleuth, Therapeutic Talk, Position Pro, Milestone Match, Med Match, Priority Sort and Vital Check turn high-yield facts into quick, fun reps. SMART REVIEW Every answer is tracked. Review Missed brings back the questions you got wrong, and Weak Spot Drills aim straight at your lowest sections. A PLAN THAT FITS YOUR EXAM DATE Set your NCLEX-RN or NCLEX-PN date and get a daily goal, a countdown and gentle reminders. Add the Question of the Day widget to your Home Screen, and your progress syncs across your devices with iCloud. 100% FREE Every section, question, case study, game and adaptive exam is free for everyone. NCLEX Prep is supported by ads: you'll see a banner between some cards and a short ad before quiz and exam results, never in the middle of a question. Want a break? Watch one short video and study with no ads for 30 minutes. Privacy Policy: https://www.paynebrain.com/nclexprivacy.html NCLEX®, NCLEX-RN® and NCLEX-PN® are registered trademarks of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN). This app is not affiliated with or endorsed by NCSBN. It is a study aid; always follow current clinical guidelines and your facility's policies.

About

PrepNCLEX

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PrepNCLEX helps nursing students prepare with focused practice questions, detailed rationales, and progress tracking in a clean, easy-to-use study app. Practice by question type, client need category, or mixed review mode. The app includes traditional multiple-choice questions along with Next Gen-style formats such as case studies, bow-tie, matrix, highlight, trend, and drop-down cloze questions. Features include: • NCLEX-style practice questions • Next Gen-style question formats • Detailed answer rationales • Practice, timed test, and review modes • Client Needs category filtering • Progress tracking and exam readiness score • Daily question practice • Achievements and study streaks • Leaderboard for motivation • One-time purchase with no subscription PrepNCLEX is designed to help you study smarter, identify weak areas, and stay consistent while preparing for nursing licensure exam content. Disclaimer: PrepNCLEX is an independent educational study app. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the NCSBN, NCLEX, or any official testing organization.

Screenshots

NCLEX Prep by PayneBrain4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is device support: NCLEX Prep by PayneBrain at 2 against PrepNCLEX's —. On price, in-app purchases and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. NCLEX Prep by PayneBrain sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and PrepNCLEX sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Scorecard1 real difference · 5 level
NCLEX Prep by PayneBrain versus PrepNCLEX: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNCLEX Prep by PayneBrainPrepNCLEX
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 5 months—
AdsYes—
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad — better—
Requires iOS17.617.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size16 MB18 MB
Age rating17+12+
DeveloperCarlton Payne IIIJoshua Prince

In-app purchases

1 purchases

NCLEX Prep by PayneBrain

One-time1
  • NCLEX Pro Unlock$49.99
1 purchases

PrepNCLEX

One-time1
  • Full Access$4.99

Questions

Is NCLEX Prep by PayneBrain free?
NCLEX Prep by PayneBrain is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is PrepNCLEX free?
PrepNCLEX is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

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