Let's be direct about something the NCLEX prep industry doesn't want you to hear: most nursing students buy too many study materials. The shelf of NCLEX books, the three subscription question banks, the audio lectures, the flashcard deck — most of it sits unopened while the one resource they actually use gets them through.
For most students, the formula is simple: one solid review book + one quality question bank. That's it. The goal here is to help you pick the right ones for how you learn — and avoid wasting $300 on materials you won't finish.
Quick Price Comparison
| Resource | Price Range | Format | Best For | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saunders Comprehensive Review | ~$55–$70 | Book + online questions | Content review (readers) | ⭐ Best Book |
| UWorld NCLEX | ~$80–$160 (subscription) | Online question bank | Question practice | ⭐ Best QBank |
| ATI NCLEX Prep | ~$60–$130 | Online + book bundles | Students already using ATI | Good if you know ATI |
| Kaplan NCLEX | ~$100–$450 | Book + online courses | Strategy-focused learners | Decent, overpriced |
| Mark Klimek Audio Lectures | ~Free–$30 (various) | Audio / video | Auditory learners | ⭐ Best for auditory |
| LaCharity Prioritization Book | ~$50–$65 | Paperback | Prioritization/delegation weak spots | Targeted supplement |
Detailed Reviews
Saunders is the closest thing to a consensus "starter book" in NCLEX prep, and it earns that reputation. The content is organized clearly by body system, each chapter starts with priority concepts, and the test-taking strategies scattered throughout are practical rather than gimmicky. The included online question bank (5,200+ questions) is solid for drilling content-specific material after you've read a chapter.
The honest limitation: Saunders questions are easier than the real NCLEX, especially for the newer Next Generation NCLEX (NGN) question formats. Use Saunders to build content knowledge, then move to UWorld to develop the clinical reasoning the real exam actually tests. If you try to use Saunders alone, your practice scores will feel great and your test day will feel harder than expected.
- Excellent content organization
- Good test-taking strategy integration
- 5,200+ included questions
- Updated for NGN question formats
- Most widely used NCLEX book for good reason
- Questions easier than actual NCLEX
- Not sufficient as your sole question bank
- Thick — easy to fall into passive reading mode
If you only buy one thing for NCLEX prep, buy UWorld. The question quality is genuinely harder than the real exam, the rationale explanations are detailed enough to teach you the content (not just tell you the answer), and the performance analytics show you exactly which content areas to prioritize.
The reason UWorld works when other question banks don't is the rationale quality. Wrong answers have explanations just as detailed as correct answers. You understand why option B was wrong, not just why option D was right. That's the difference between memorizing and actually learning clinical reasoning.
The NGN case study questions on UWorld are the best available short of taking the actual exam. If you're testing post-2023, this is non-negotiable — the NGN format is different enough from traditional NCLEX that you need exposure to the new question types before test day.
- Hardest questions available — real exam feels easier
- Best rationale explanations in the industry
- NGN case studies and bowtie questions included
- Granular performance analytics
- Predictive assessment (self-assessment exam)
- Online only — no offline access
- Subscription expires (time your purchase carefully)
- Can be demoralizing early on when scores are low
- No content review — questions only
ATI is deeply integrated into most nursing school curricula — if your program uses ATI for clinical reasoning assessments, you already know the platform and its interface. The ATI NCLEX prep products extend that ecosystem into dedicated exam prep. The content modules are thorough and the interface is familiar if you've been using ATI through school.
The honest take: ATI is excellent if you're already in the ATI ecosystem. The question quality is better than Saunders but not as rigorous as UWorld. If your school didn't use ATI and you're choosing fresh, UWorld + Saunders is a stronger combination than ATI's standalone products. Where ATI wins is integration — if you have ATI scores from school, the platform identifies your weak areas automatically and focuses prep there.
- Seamless if your school used ATI throughout
- Identifies weak areas based on school performance
- Solid question bank — harder than Saunders
- Good NGN question integration
- Not worth switching to if you didn't use ATI in school
- More expensive than Saunders for similar content
- Platform can be clunky on mobile
Kaplan built its NCLEX brand on decision trees — the famous Kaplan Decision Tree that gives you a systematic way to approach any question when you're not sure what to do. That's genuinely useful, and Kaplan's test-taking strategy content is some of the best available.
The problem is price. Kaplan's upper tiers cost $200–$450 for content that doesn't outperform a UWorld subscription plus the free Kaplan book available at most libraries. The question bank is good but not as rigorous as UWorld. The live courses are well-taught but the content is also available in the book. If you're on a budget, buy the Kaplan NCLEX-RN Prep book (approximately $30–$40) and use your savings on UWorld.
- Best test-taking strategy content available
- Decision tree is genuinely useful
- Book version is affordable and high-quality
- Premium packages are significantly overpriced
- Question bank weaker than UWorld
- Strategy focus can over-emphasize tricks over knowledge
Mark Klimek is the nurse educator who figured out that a lot of nursing students retain information much better through listening than reading, and built a lecture series around that insight. His approach is direct, funny, and memorable — the kind of lecture content that sticks because the delivery is engaging, not because you highlighted it.
His lectures are famously available on YouTube and in various formats online. The mnemonics are unusual but effective — nurses who've used Klimek often remember his material years into their career. Particularly strong on psychiatric nursing, pharmacology patterns, and prioritization frameworks.
The honest limitation: Klimek is a supplement, not a complete prep program. The lectures don't cover every NCLEX content area with equal depth, and they don't include questions. Use Klimek to make specific content stick, not as your entire study plan.
- Excellent for auditory learners
- Memorable mnemonics that actually stick
- Particularly strong for psych and pharm
- Free or very low cost
- Great for commutes, gym sessions, background review
- Not a complete prep program
- No practice questions
- Uneven coverage across content areas
- Audio-only format isn't effective for all learners
The NCLEX is fundamentally a test of clinical judgment — and a substantial portion of that is tested through prioritization and delegation questions. LaCharity is a targeted book that does one thing extremely well: trains you to think through which patient to see first, which task to delegate to the LPN or CNA, and how to triage competing demands. It's not a comprehensive review — it's a skill builder for one of the hardest question categories on the exam.
If prioritization is your weak spot (and it's most students' weak spot), LaCharity can meaningfully move your performance in that content area. The scenarios are realistic and the explanations cover the reasoning framework, not just the answer. If your UWorld analytics show consistently low scores in management of care or prioritization, this book is a targeted fix.
- Best resource available for prioritization skills
- Realistic clinical scenarios
- Clear reasoning framework explanations
- Directly addresses a high-frequency NCLEX weakness
- Narrow focus — not useful as primary prep
- Doesn't cover NGN case study formats well
- Less necessary if your UWorld prioritization scores are already good
Recommendation Matrix: Buy X If You Learn By...
What You Don't Need
Some things the NCLEX prep industry sells that aren't worth your money:
- Multiple question banks simultaneously. UWorld's rationale explanations are so good that doing more questions in a worse bank is a step backward. One great bank beats three mediocre ones.
- Physical flashcard decks. Free Anki decks on Reddit cover NCLEX content and are user-updated. Don't pay $30 for a physical deck you'll shuffle twice.
- High-tier Kaplan packages ($300+). The book is fine. The expensive course is not proportionally better.
- Three review books. You won't finish them. One good book read completely beats three started and abandoned.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is UWorld enough to pass NCLEX?
For students with a strong content foundation from nursing school, UWorld alone is often sufficient. If you have content gaps, pair it with Saunders or Klimek for the specific areas where you're weak. "UWorld alone" works better for students who were strong clinically throughout school — if you scraped through some courses, use a content review book alongside it.
How many NCLEX questions should I do per day?
Quality over quantity. Fifty questions with careful rationale review beats 150 questions done quickly to inflate your count. Most successful students do 75–100 quality questions per day in the final 4–6 weeks before their exam.
Is the Next Generation NCLEX (NGN) harder?
It tests differently, not necessarily harder — but if you've been prepping with traditional multiple-choice questions only, the NGN case study and bowtie formats will feel unfamiliar on test day. Make sure your question bank includes NGN-format questions. UWorld's NGN content is the best available for this.
Should I retake if I didn't pass?
Yes — but change your approach, not just your effort level. If you used Saunders and felt confident but didn't pass, the problem is likely question exposure (clinical reasoning), not content knowledge. Add UWorld and do more practice questions before retaking.