United States · Licensing exam
Start with the free official material: NCBE’s sample questions and outlines, and California’s past essays if you’re sitting there. Most people then add a full bar review course, which runs about $1,900 to $3,200, or a cheaper question bank. Before you pay, check which exam your state gives on your date, legacy UBE, NextGen or its own, and make sure the course matches. We checked each option’s price in October 2026.
Straight from the people who write the exam, so the style is exactly right. There aren’t many questions, but they’re the best way to see what the real MBE feels like before you pay for anything. Covers the legacy UBE and California’s MBE.
Checked October 2026
If your state has switched or will switch to NextGen, start here. The content scope outlines say what can be tested, and the software preview shows you the screen you’ll use on the day. Your law library may also give you free access to NCBE’s NextGen sourcebooks through West Academic.
Checked October 2026
The best free resource for the California Bar Exam. You get real questions plus answers that scored well, so you can see what graders reward. The State Bar no longer publishes multiple-choice questions, so use NCBE material for the MBE.
Checked October 2026
Real past questions with explanations. A full simulated MBE is $100, a 500-question MBE bundle is $200 and 300-question sets are $50. MEE and MPT bundles are $50, or $15 and $20 for the most recent exam. Good for checking your timing on real questions.
Checked October 2026
Practice sets in the real NextGen format. Two simulated exams, each in the 9-hour format, are $110 each, and the complete bundle with extra question banks is $325. Sourcebooks are $45 each.
Checked October 2026
The longest-running big name in bar prep. Premium includes over 1,000 licensed MBE questions or NextGen question sets, practice tests, an adaptive study plan and graded writing. Elite adds AdaptiBar, CriticalPass cards and Quimbee videos. If you complete the course and don’t pass, you can repeat it without paying more tuition.
Checked October 2026
Themis is a full course, with a California attorney course at $1,795. First-time takers who don’t pass get a free repeat. Every Themis course includes UWorld’s MBE QBank, which you can also buy alone. It has about 1,900 questions, more than 1,150 of them licensed from NCBE, with detailed explanations.
Checked October 2026
Printed rule cards you can carry anywhere, with a digital version through AdaptiBar that adds quizzes and read-aloud. Handy for memorizing black-letter rules between practice sets. It’s a supplement, not a full course.
Checked October 2026
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Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.