Best bar prep course: Barbri vs Themis vs UWorld vs Kaplan, with prices and the best options for retakers
I am sitting the bar in February, possibly for the second time, and the full courses cost about as much as a month's rent and then some. I need to know which one is worth it and whether my old course gives me a free repeat.
Updated . Every price and figure traces to the vendor or exam body page listed in the sources at the end, with the date it was checked.
Short answer
Barbri Premium (list $2,999, on sale for $2,399 when checked) and Themis Bar Review ($2,995) are the two full courses, and both include a free repeat if you meet their terms. Themis publishes first-time pass rates by state; Barbri has more lectures and print materials. If you are retaking and your old course gives you a free or discounted repeat, use it and add UWorld's MBE QBank ($449 for the February 2027 exam) if the MBE was your weak section. Check first whether your jurisdiction gives the legacy UBE or the NextGen UBE on 23 to 24 February 2027, because prep differs.
You already did the hard part: law school, and for some of you a first sitting of the bar. Now you need a course you'll actually finish. A bar prep course charges for three things: a lecture series that covers every tested subject, practice questions licensed from NCBE, and graded essays or written tasks with feedback. The full courses bundle all three for $2,995 to $2,999 at list price. Question banks sell the multiple-choice practice alone for a fraction of that. Which you need depends on whether this is your first attempt and which section cost you points last time. The table gives prices from each provider's own page, checked on 2 November 2026. The sections after it cover each course, the repeat terms retakers need, and the NextGen switch for some February 2027 examinees. Pass rates quoted by providers are their own figures, not NCBE's.
Prices compared
Bar prep, prices from each provider's own page on 2 November 2026. Kaplan's site blocked the check.
| Option | Price shown | What you get | One-off or renews | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCBE free sample questions | Free | Sample MBE questions and NextGen sample tasks from the exam writer | Free | Seeing NCBE question style |
| UWorld MBE QBank, February 2027 exam | $449 | 1,900+ MBE questions incl. 1,150+ licensed NCBE questions, self-assessment, access to 26 Feb 2027 | One-off, per exam | Retakers whose MBE score was low |
| Themis Bar Review | $2,995 | Short video lectures, UWorld MBE QBank, attorney essay grading, AI essay grading | One-off, per exam | Self-directed students who want published pass rates |
| Barbri Premium Bar Review, 2027 | $2,999 list, on sale for $2,399 | 1,000+ NCBE-licensed MBE questions or NextGen sets, Pass Predictor, study plan, essay feedback, print books | One-off, 4+ months access | Students who want lectures and print materials |
| Barbri Elite Bar Review, 2027 | $3,999 list, on sale for $3,399 | Premium plus AdaptiBar, CriticalPass and Quimbee supplements | One-off | Students who want every add-on up front |
| Kaplan Bar Review | Not checked (site blocked the check) | Not checked | Not checked | Compare directly on Kaplan's site |
Which exam are you sitting in February 2027
Answer this before you compare courses. NCBE's NextGen page lists the next test dates as 23 to 24 February 2027 and 27 to 28 July 2027, and says the legacy Uniform Bar Examination runs through February 2028.
The switch happens jurisdiction by jurisdiction. NCBE lists the jurisdictions that began the NextGen UBE in July 2026 as Connecticut, Guam, Idaho, Maryland, Missouri, the Northern Mariana Islands, Oregon, Palau, the Virgin Islands and Washington. If you are sitting in one of those in February 2027, you sit NextGen. Twelve more switch in July 2027, four in February 2028, and most of the rest in July 2028, according to the same page.
NextGen changes the format. It tests a focused set of legal concepts plus lawyering skills, with integrated question sets and performance tasks instead of the separate MBE, MEE and MPT. A legacy MBE question bank is less useful for a NextGen candidate. Barbri's Premium page says it offers either 1,000+ NCBE-licensed MBE questions or NextGen question sets depending on your exam, and Themis has a separate NextGen prep page.
If you are sitting the legacy exam, the MBE is still 200 multiple-choice questions over two three-hour sessions, with 175 scored and 25 unscored, 25 from each of seven subjects. That structure is why MBE question banks exist as a separate product.
Your jurisdiction's bar admission office has the final word on format, deadlines and fees. The bar exam page has the structure in more detail.
Barbri: the largest course, with a free repeat
Barbri's 2027 pricing page showed two self-funded courses on 2 November 2026:
- Premium Bar Review: list $2,999, on sale for $2,399. Includes 1,000+ NCBE-licensed MBE questions or NextGen question sets, simulated practice tests and Barbri's Pass Predictor, an adaptive personal study plan, feedback on NextGen written assignments or unlimited essay feedback for legacy exams, 20-to-30-minute lectures, and print and digital materials. Access runs 4+ months, October to February for the February exam.
- Elite Bar Review: list $3,999, on sale for $3,399. Adds AdaptiBar's MCQ simulator and writing guide, CriticalPass flashcards and Quimbee SideBar videos.
Barbri says 1.43 million law students have passed the bar with Barbri. That is Barbri's own count.
The guarantee is the reason many retakers stay with Barbri. Barbri's guarantee page offers one free Premium retake in the same jurisdiction the next time the course is offered, without additional tuition. Supplements such as AdaptiBar and CriticalPass are excluded, and new hard-copy books need a $250 refundable deposit plus shipping. Read the terms for your plan: students who used Barbri Essentials for July 2026 must have completed 75% of the course and show they sat the exam.
Buy Premium, not Elite, unless you already know you want those supplements. You can add them later.
Themis: the lower-cost full course with published pass rates
Themis lists its full Bar Review at $2,995. The course uses 15-to-20-minute video lectures, a Directed Study task list that adapts to how much work you have left, UWorld's Legal QBank for MBE practice, a dedicated attorney essay grader, and AI essay grading it calls UGrader.
Themis says it is the only national bar review provider that publishes state-by-state first-time pass rates every year, and it shows its rate alongside each statewide first-time rate, including a separate figure for students who completed at least 75% of their coursework. These are Themis's own published figures. The useful part is the 75% split: it shows how much finishing the course matters.
Themis's Pass Guarantee, per its enrollment policies, is one free repeat of the next administration of the course in the same jurisdiction for a first-time Themis user who did not pass, or who withdrew within 30 days of the exam. New textbooks cost $295 plus $40 shipping. If you are not eligible for the guarantee but sit the same jurisdiction again, Themis gives access for the new administration for an $895 administrative fee on its standard course, valid for two years from your original course.
Themis and UWorld are linked: every Themis course includes free access to UWorld's MBE QBank, per UWorld's own page.
UWorld MBE QBank: questions without the full course
UWorld Legal sells its MBE QBank on its own. On 2 November 2026 its page showed:
- February 2027 exam: $449, immediate access through 26 February 2027.
- July 2027 early prep: $549, immediate access through 31 July 2027.
- July 2027 exam: $449, access from 1 March 2027 through 31 July 2027.
Each plan includes 1,900+ MBE questions, 1,150+ of them licensed from NCBE, one self-assessment, unlimited practice tests, flashcards and a notebook.
This is the product for a retaker who already has a full course, or a repeat through a guarantee, and lost points on the MBE. Licensed NCBE questions come from the exam's own writer, which makes them the closest practice to the scored items.
It does not cover essays or performance tests, and it is built for the legacy MBE. If your jurisdiction gives NextGen in February 2027, check UWorld's page for a NextGen product before you buy.
Do not buy it if you are enrolled with Themis: the QBank is already included.
Will you be ready by your exam date?
Pick your exam, your date and the hours a week you can give it. You get a straight answer and the day your hours get you there.
Kaplan and the free official material
Kaplan also sells bar review courses and MBE practice. Kaplan's site blocked automated access when prices were checked for this page on 2 November 2026, so no Kaplan price appears here. Compare its current packages and repeat terms directly on Kaplan's site against the Barbri and Themis figures above.
NCBE, which writes the MBE and the NextGen UBE, publishes free sample questions for both, plus sample performance tasks. NCBE also sells official study aids, including practice exams delivered on the same platform used for the NextGen exam. Start with the free samples so you know the question style before paying any provider.
NCBE's sample material is also a fair test of any course. If a provider's practice questions feel easier than NCBE's samples, trust NCBE.
Best bar prep course for retakers
The right purchase for a retake is usually smaller than the first one. Work through this in order.
- Check your existing course's repeat terms. Barbri offers one free Premium retake in the same jurisdiction if you meet its terms. Themis offers one free repeat to first-time Themis users, and an $895 administrative fee route otherwise. Either is a large saving against a new $2,995 course.
- Read your score report by section. Your jurisdiction reports your scores. If the written portion cost you the pass, you need graded essays and performance tests. If the MBE did, you need more licensed questions.
- Match the purchase to the gap. A low MBE score with a repeat course already in hand calls for a question bank such as UWorld's at $449 for February 2027, and not for a second full course.
- Check for a format change. If your jurisdiction switched to NextGen after your last attempt, your old course materials are for a different exam. Ask your provider for its NextGen version under the repeat terms.
- Finish the course this time. Themis's own published rates split out students who completed at least 75% of coursework for a reason.
The retake process itself is in failed the bar exam. If you need income during the months before February, side income after failing the bar covers work that fits around full-time study. Nothing here is legal advice; your jurisdiction's rules govern.
How much does a bar prep course cost
From the providers checked on 2 November 2026:
- Free: NCBE's sample questions.
- Question bank only: $449 for UWorld's February 2027 MBE QBank.
- Full course: $2,995 for Themis, or Barbri Premium at its $2,999 list price ($2,399 on sale that day).
- Full course with supplements: Barbri Elite at a $3,999 list price ($3,399 on sale).
On top of the course, budget for your jurisdiction's application and exam fees, which vary by state, and for the time out of work. Barbri's February course access runs from October to February, which gives a sense of the study window full courses plan for. How long to study for the bar sets out the usual schedules.
The cost that matters most is a second failed attempt: another application fee, another course or repeat, and a wait until the next sitting on 27 to 28 July 2027. Picking the course you will actually finish matters more than picking the most expensive one.
What this page does not claim
Kaplan's prices could not be checked. Bar course prices move often and Barbri showed a sale on the day checked. Provider pass rates and student counts are self-reported. Application fees, deadlines and the exam format are set by each jurisdiction, so confirm them with your bar admission office. Nothing here is legal advice.
Exam guides for this choice
- Bar Exam (USA), if you are sitting a US bar exam
- Patent Bar (USPTO Registration Exam), if you are sitting the USPTO patent bar instead
Common questions
Is Barbri or Themis better?
Both are full courses at about $2,995 to $2,999 list with a free repeat if you meet their terms. Themis was $2,995 and publishes state-by-state first-time pass rates. Barbri Premium had a $2,999 list price, on sale for $2,399 when checked, and adds print books and its Pass Predictor. Choose Themis if you want shorter lectures and the UWorld MBE QBank included, Barbri if you want print materials and more lecture support.
What is the best bar prep for retakers?
Usually the free or discounted repeat from your existing course, plus targeted practice for the section that cost you points. Barbri gives one free Premium retake on its terms, and Themis gives one free repeat to first-time Themis users or access for an $895 fee. Add UWorld's MBE QBank at $449 for February 2027 if the MBE was your weak section.
Do I need a full bar prep course?
On a first attempt, most candidates do, because the written portion needs graded feedback. On a retake with a repeat course already available, a question bank for the weak section is often enough.
Will I sit the NextGen bar exam in February 2027?
Only if your jurisdiction has already switched. NCBE lists ten jurisdictions that began in July 2026, including Maryland, Missouri, Oregon and Washington. Most others switch between July 2027 and July 2028, and the legacy UBE runs through February 2028.
How much does a bar prep course cost?
From $449 for a question bank alone to $2,995 for a full course such as Themis, and up to a $3,999 list price for Barbri Elite with supplements. Your jurisdiction's application and exam fees are extra.
Are bar prep pass rates reliable?
They are each provider's own figures. Themis publishes first-time pass rates by state, including a figure for students who completed 75% of coursework, which shows how much course completion matters. Use them as a guide, not a promise.
Sources
- 01NextGen UBE test dates, legacy UBE end date and adoption schedule Test dates 23-24 Feb 2027, 27-28 Jul 2027, 22-23 Feb 2028; legacy UBE administered through Feb 2028; July 2026 starters: Connecticut, Guam, Idaho, Maryland, Missouri, Northern Mariana Islands, Oregon, Palau, Virgin Islands, Washington; 12 more July 2027, 4 Feb 2028, most others July 2028
NCBE, NextGen UBE page checked 2026-11-02 - 02MBE format 200 multiple-choice questions, 175 scored and 25 pretest; two three-hour sessions of 100; 25 scored questions in each of seven subjects; free sample questions available
NCBE, Preparing for the MBE checked 2026-11-02 - 03Barbri 2027 bar review prices and Premium contents Premium: original $2,999, sale $2,399; Elite: original $3,999, sale $3,399; 1,000+ NCBE-licensed MBE questions or NextGen sets; 4+ months access; 1.43+ million students claim
Barbri, 2027 Bar Review pricing checked 2026-11-02 - 04Barbri Bar Review Guarantee terms One free Premium retake in the same jurisdiction next time offered; supplements excluded; $250 refundable deposit for new hard-copy books; Essentials July 2026 users need 75% completion
Barbri, Bar Review Guarantee checked 2026-11-02 - 05Themis Bar Review price and features Bar review at $2,995; 15-20 minute lectures; UWorld Legal QBank; attorney essay grader; publishes state-by-state first-time pass rates incl. students completing 75% of coursework
Themis Bar Review, course page and pass rates checked 2026-11-02 - 06Themis Pass Guarantee and repeat fees One free repeat for first-time Themis users who fail or withdraw within 30 days; new textbooks $295 plus $40 shipping; otherwise $895 administrative fee for same-jurisdiction access, valid two years
Themis Bar Review, enrollment policies checked 2026-11-02 - 07UWorld MBE QBank prices February 2027 exam $449 (access through 26 Feb 2027); July 2027 early prep $549; July 2027 exam $449 (1 Mar to 31 Jul 2027); 1,900+ questions incl. 1,150+ licensed NCBE; free with every Themis course
UWorld Legal, MBE QBank checked 2026-11-02
Keep reading
I work full time, I have four CPA sections ahead of me, and the review courses cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars to over six thousand. I need one that I will actually finish before my credit window runs out.
Everyone in my cohort is using a different question bank, they all claim a 98% pass rate, and I can only afford one. If I pick wrong I pay $200 again and wait another 45 days.