How does USMLE+
stack up?
A transparent, feature-by-feature breakdown of every major USMLE prep resource. No marketing. Just the facts.
The Full Picture
Everything, side by side.
Every competitor is missing at least three features students actually need. USMLE+ is missing none.
| Feature | USMLE+ | UWorld | AMBOSS | B&B | Pathoma | Kaplan | NBME |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Qbank (8,000+ Qs) | LIMITED | LIMITED | |||||
| Video Lectures | LIMITED | ||||||
| Self-Assessments (new format) | LIMITED | ||||||
| Custom Self-Assessment Mode | |||||||
| Memory Cards | |||||||
| Notes Export by System | |||||||
| CMS Forms Included | LIMITED | ||||||
| Exam-Oriented Library | LIMITED |
Round One
The Qbank showdown.
USMLE+ vs. UWorld — the most-used Qbank on the market
UWorld
$580 / year · Qbank onlyUSMLE+
$1,200 · Everything includedThe Verdict
UWorld teaches you how to think. USMLE+ teaches you how to think — and gives you the lectures, the new-format mocks, the memory cards, and the notes you'd otherwise pay four other vendors to assemble.
Round Two
Lectures, libraries, and what's missing.
Every other major prep resource is built around one strength. Here's what each gives you — and what you'll still have to buy elsewhere.
AMBOSS
$500/year- + Heavy reference library covering nearly every topic
- − No video lectures
- − No self-assessments
- − Library is general medical, not exam-targeted
USMLE+ is building the first-ever USMLE-focused library — every entry filtered for exam relevance, not encyclopedic depth.
Boards & Beyond
Subscription- + Solid Step 1 video lecture series
- − No Qbank
- − No self-assessments
- − Step 2 CK coverage is limited
USMLE+ delivers the same lecture format (110 hrs Step 1, ~100 hrs Step 2 CK) plus the Qbank and assessments B&B can't.
Pathoma
Subscription- + Excellent pathology video series
- − Teaches only pathology — one subject
- − No Qbank, no assessments, no library
- − Must be paired with 3–4 other resources
USMLE+ covers every system in the order of First Aid — pathology integrated, not isolated.
Kaplan
$1,299/year- + 230 hrs of video lectures for Step 1
- − Lecture length often exceeds student timelines
- − Non-standard Qbank — limited usage among top scorers
- − Highest single-product price on this page
At $1,200 USMLE+ undercuts Kaplan, halves the lecture runtime, and adds the Qbank, mocks, library, and CMS forms.
NBME sells the test you need to take. Twice.
NBME (Sold Separately)
Step 1 self-assessments: $240 for 4 forms (~$60 each). Step 2 CK: $240 for forms plus an additional $400 for CMS subject forms. No Qbank. No video lectures. Just tests.
USMLE+
All forms — including Step 2 CK CMS subject assessments — come free with the regular subscription. New exam format. Built into your study plan from day one.
All Providers at a Glance
| Provider | Price | What You Get | What You Don't |
|---|---|---|---|
| USMLE+ All-In-One | $1,200/yr | 8,000+ Qs · 110 hrs lectures · 4 mocks · memory cards · library · CMS forms · notes export | — |
| UWorld | $580/yr | ~4,000 Qs · 3 old-format mocks | No video lectures, no library, no memory cards, no notes export |
| AMBOSS | $500/yr | Library · Qbank | No video lectures, no self-assessments |
| Kaplan | $1,299/yr | 230 hrs lectures · non-standard Qbank | Lengthy lectures, no exam-format mocks, no memory cards |
| NBME | $240–$640 | Self-assessment forms · Step 2 CMS forms | No Qbank, no lectures, no library |
| Boards & Beyond | Subscription | Step 1 video lectures | No Qbank, no self-assessments |
| Pathoma | Subscription | Pathology lectures | Single subject only — needs 3+ companion resources |
The Verdict
Lectures like Pathoma. Qbank like UWorld.
Mocks like NBME. One subscription.
USMLE+ brings together the strengths of every major prep resource — and adds memory cards, a self-assessment mode, an exam-focused library, and notes export that none of them offer.