Best PMP exam prep for the 2026 exam: which courses meet the 35 hours, with prices

The 35-hour rule decides your first purchase

PMI's July 2026 exam content outline says PMP candidates must have at least 35 hours of commercial training in project management aligned with the topics in the outline. PMI accepts training from a range of providers:

• PMI Authorized Training Partners.
• Accredited university project management courses.
• Employer or company-sponsored programs.
• Training companies or consultants.
• Self-paced on-demand courses that include an end-of-course assessment.

Three details catch people out.

1. Books and practice exams alone are not accepted. PMI says so directly. A question bank, however good, does not give you the 35 hours.
2. All training is subject to audit. PMI reserves the right to reject training it judges to be poor quality, so keep your certificate and course outline.
3. An active CAPM waives the requirement. PMI's outline says an active CAPM holder who meets the education and experience requirements does not need to document the 35 hours.

PMI also says one classroom hour counts as one training hour, and that it is introducing enhanced verification in the PMP application. It warns candidates to be careful with organisations that make misleading claims or guarantee exam success.

So your first purchase is a course with a certificate for 35 hours and a clear statement that it follows the 2026 outline. Everything else is optional.

What changed in July 2026

PMI's 2026 outline changed both the weights and the format.

• Domains: People 33%, Process 41%, Business Environment 26%. Business Environment grew the most. PMI's eight tasks in that domain cover governance, compliance, change control, issues, risk, continuous improvement, organisational change and changes in the external business environment.
• Format: 180 questions, 170 scored and 10 unscored pretest questions, in 240 minutes. Question types include multiple choice and case study questions.
• Retakes: up to three attempts within your one-year eligibility period. After three, you wait a year before reapplying.

A course built for the 2021 outline teaches the old balance, with far less Business Environment content. That is the main reason to check the date on anything you buy.

The PMP exam page covers the 2026 outline in full, including the task statements and the new question types, so it is not repeated here.

PM PrepCast: the low-cost 35-hour route

The PM PrepCast listed three packages on 2 November 2026:

• Basic, $279. 35 hours of video-based lessons, a 35 contact hours certificate, 25 agile and hybrid lessons, and lessons covering PMBOK Guide concepts. The page labels it for PMP exams on or after 9 July, the 2026 launch.
• Elite, $349. Basic plus an exam simulator with 1,920 practice questions: four complete 180-question exams and a separate 1,200-question quiz pool.
• Elite PLUS, $389. Adds a formula study guide and a study coach guidebook. It showed as not available when checked.

PrepCast's lesson outline maps each module to a domain and task in the outline, with a module on the outline's three domains, 26 tasks and 138 enablers.

PrepCast offers a 30-day money-back guarantee on the training course, but its page says the refund does not cover the exam simulator.

Elite is the better buy for most people: the difference over Basic buys four full-length practice exams, which you will want anyway. If you already have a practice source, Basic covers the 35 hours.

Live bootcamps from Authorized Training Partners

A bootcamp packs the 35 hours into a few long days with an instructor. Project Management Academy, a PMI Authorized Training Partner, listed four-day live PMP classes on 2 November 2026 at $2,995, shown at $2,495, labelled "Updated for New 2026 Exam", with a 100% money-back guarantee on its terms.

A bootcamp suits two kinds of candidate:

• Employer-funded. If your employer pays, a bootcamp costs you nothing and gives you a fixed date to work towards.
• People who will not self-study. Four days in a room with an instructor gets the 35 hours done and forces a start.

If you pay yourself, the price difference is large. A bootcamp at $2,495 against PrepCast Elite at $349 buys you a schedule and a live instructor, not more exam content. Plan on weeks of practice questions after the bootcamp ends.

PMI's outline notes it does not endorse or control third-party providers, and its Authorized Training Partner program exists to give candidates consistent training quality. ATP status is worth checking for any bootcamp.

Udemy courses and free video

Udemy sells PMP courses from instructors including Andrew Ramdayal and David McLachlan. Udemy blocked automated price checks on 2 November 2026, so no Udemy price appears here. Compare the price at checkout with the options above.

Before buying any Udemy PMP course, check three things on the course page:

1. A 35-hour certificate. The description should say the course provides 35 contact hours or 35 PDUs for the PMP application.
2. The 2026 outline. Look for the July 2026 outline or the 33%, 41% and 26% domain weights. If the course still lists People 42%, Process 50% and Business Environment 8%, it is the 2021 version.
3. An end-of-course assessment. PMI's outline lists self-paced on-demand training with an end-of-course assessment as eligible.

If you are deciding between PMP and the agile certificates, CSM vs PSM compares those two.

Practice exams after the 35 hours

After the 35 hours, practice decides your result. PMP questions are long scenarios, and the 2026 format adds case study questions, so you need full-length timed practice.

Your options:

• PMI Study Hall. PMI's own practice questions and mock exams, sold as a subscription in tiers including Essentials. PMI's shop blocked automated checks on 2 November 2026, so check its current price and confirm the questions are for the 2026 outline before subscribing.
• PrepCast Elite's simulator. Four 180-question exams and 1,200 quiz questions, included in the $349 package.
• Your course's own mock exams. Many 35-hour courses include at least one.

Sit at least two full 240-minute exams before test day, timed, in one sitting. Review every question you got wrong and every one you guessed.

For scheduling, the 2-month PMP study plan gives a week-by-week outline, and how long to study for the PMP covers the usual range.

How to choose in five minutes

1. Do you have an active CAPM? Yes: skip the 35-hour course and buy practice only. PMP vs CAPM covers the difference if you are deciding which to take.
2. Does your employer pay? Yes: a live ATP bootcamp is a reasonable choice.
3. Paying yourself? PrepCast Elite at $349 covers the 35 hours and practice, or a Udemy course you have checked for a 2026 certificate plus a practice source.
4. Check the date. Anything that does not mention the July 2026 outline or the 33/41/26 weights is out of date.

Passing matters for pay. PMP jobs covers the roles the credential opens, and is PMP worth it weighs the cost. If you do not pass first time, failed the PMP covers the retake rules and the three-attempt limit.