ABA SOE cost comparison

ABA SOE prep costs in 2026: What the major paid programs include

Compare ABA SOE prep prices from Ultimate Board Prep, Just Oral Boards, Anesthesiology Consultants, Best Oral Board Prep, and Jensen Board PREP.

On this page
  1. Provider snapshot
  2. How to read this comparison
  3. Minimum price for typical prep goals
  4. Ultimate Board Prep
  5. Just Oral Boards
  6. Anesthesiology Consultants / Dr. Michael Ho
  7. Best Oral Board Prep / Dr. David Rothenberg
  8. Jensen Board PREP / Niels Jensen
  9. Hidden or easy-to-miss costs
  10. Method and limitations
  11. Official sources

This guide compares what the major paid ABA Standardized Oral Examination prep providers publicly sell and what a buyer receives for the listed price. Prices can change, and some checkout costs are not shown until purchase.

Disclosure: On-Call Board Prep publishes this guide and sells a competing SOE preparation product. To keep this article as unbiased as possible, On-Call Board Prep is not included in the comparison or minimum-spend calculations below.

Provider snapshot

This table is only a quick snapshot, not the complete comparison. Each provider offers additional products, packages, or details covered in the sections below, along with access terms and source links.

ProviderCheapest optionPriciest optionLive 1-on-1 mock includedHow it’s deliveredAccess length
Ultimate Board PrepLive token: $210Ultimate: $2,995Up to 2 tokens if used privatelyVideos, case library, live online sessionsVideos through test cycle; some terms unclear
Just Oral BoardsPractice set: $115 shippedTrack 7 A+B+C: $10,075 combined40 mocks, plus 5 separate grab-bag sessions1-on-1 video, printed materials, in-person lectureUsually 1–4 months; exact expiration unclear
Anesthesiology Consultants / Dr. Michael HoDaily Textoid: $12550 WebMocks: $11,50050 private WebMocksRecorded and live online, books, in-person coursesMocks: 6 months or exam date
Best Oral Board Prep / Dr. David Rothenberg90-minute course: $750Original course: $3,0006 sessions1-on-1 onlineScheduled hours; no portal term
Jensen Board PREP / Niels JensenOutlining: $553-day practitioner course: $1,670Not guaranteed in course; private Zoom is separateBooks, digital/audio materials, in-person course, ZoomLive dates; digital books not time-limited

How to read this comparison

A live mock means a real-time mock oral exam or coaching session offered by the provider. We count a private mock only when the official provider page clearly describes one-on-one or private practice. Group workshops, lectures, and hot-seat cases are listed separately because they are purchased and delivered differently.

Recorded videos are lessons or case discussions watched on your own time. A coaching recording is not a live coaching session.

These products are not interchangeable. One package may be mostly videos and books. Another may be almost entirely private sessions. The tables show what is included, but they do not treat unlike formats as equal units of value.

Minimum price for typical prep goals

GoalCheapest way to get itCostWhat you actually getWhat’s missing
Any paid SOE prep accessJensen Outlining$55Written study material focused on organizing oral-board answersNo live mock, video course, or full book
1 live mock or coaching sessionJensen private Zoom exam$195One 45–50 minute private exam with discussion and critiqueNo course or materials
6 live mock sessionsSix Jensen private Zoom exams$1,170Six private 45–50 minute examsNo listed six-pack discount or course
10 live mock sessionsTen Jensen private Zoom exams$1,950Ten private 45–50 minute examsNo listed ten-pack discount or course
A full video courseUltimate Board Prep Course C$67512 recorded mock exams and 10 topic videosNo live session or Case Library; smaller than Courses A and B
Course + live mocks togetherJensen 2-day resident course$1,070In-person group mock course, included study product, and at least one personal course case each dayResident-only price; private setting not guaranteed; travel separate

Ultimate Board Prep

Ultimate Board Prep sells recorded courses, a written Case Library, and live-session tokens.

For a separate analysis of how candidates publicly describe using those components, read What SOE candidates report about Ultimate Board Prep.

OptionPriceExtra feesLive practice includedWhat you getStatus
Silver$795Shipping unclearNoneCase Library, companion book, recorded coachingAvailable
Gold$1,595Shipping unclear1 flexible tokenCourse A, Case Library, recorded coachingAvailable
Ultimate$2,995Shipping unclear2 flexible tokensCourses A–C, Case Library, recorded coachingAvailable
Course C$675Not statedNone12 mock-exam videos, 10 topic videosAvailable
Course A or B$995 eachNot statedNone16 mock-exam videos plus topic videosAvailable
Live Session Token$21024-hour forfeiture rule1 private or group sessionLive SOE or OSCE sessionAvailable
OSCE Curriculum$545Not statedNot clearly itemizedSeparate OSCE curriculumAvailable

Gold and Ultimate do not guarantee that every token becomes a private mock; the buyer can use a token for a private SOE or OSCE session or for a small-group session. The private-session duration is not publicly listed. The FAQ says small-group sessions last two hours and that cancellation within 24 hours forfeits the session.

The recorded coaching session is not live. Video-set access runs through the end of the applicable test cycle. The public pages do not state equally clear access terms for every other component or whether shipping is charged for the spiral companion book. The published pass guarantee extends relevant access after a non-pass; it is not described as a cash refund.

Just Oral Boards

Just Oral Boards sells one-on-one video sessions, larger tracks, an in-person lecture, OSCE sessions, and printed materials.

OptionPriceExtra feesLive practice includedWhat you getStatus
Track 5$250 per examNot stated1 private mockOne WhatsApp Video examAvailable
Track 4$950 saleNot stated4 topic-focused examsFour 1-on-1 sessionsSale shown
Track 3$3,300Not stated14 private sessionsIntensive 7-day to 1-month trackAvailable
Track 1$5,250 baseMaterials and travel may add cost22 mocks + 2 grab-bag sessionsPrivate practice and 3-day lectureAvailable
Track 7A / 7B / 7C$2,300 / $3,375 / $4,400Not stated9 / 13 / 18 mocksMocks plus separate grab-bag sessionsAvailable
Track 2 OSCE$950 saleNot stated4 OSCE sessionsFour 1-on-1 OSCE sessionsSale shown
Printed practice set$115 shippedOfficial bundle totals conflictNoneOne printed exam setAvailable

The provider says sessions average about 90 minutes including feedback and are usually arranged over one to four months, depending on the track. Its 24-hour rule can result in a forfeited session. Published terms say prepaid credit is non-transferable and refunds are not offered, although same-year track credit may be considered at the provider’s discretion.

Track 1’s base price can rise with a manual selection, and candidates must pay their own travel and lodging for the lecture. Official materials pages conflict: the Student Manual Package appears as both $525 shipped and $495 plus $40 shipping, while three practice sets appear as either $315 or $325. The current checkout total should control.

Anesthesiology Consultants / Dr. Michael Ho

Anesthesiology Consultants sells private mocks, recorded courses, live courses, books, group programs, text-message study aids, and separate OSCE packages.

OptionPriceExtra feesLive practice includedWhat you getStatus
Daily Textoid$125Not statedNoneThree months of text-based studyAvailable
PhoneMock / WebMock packages$230–$11,50024-hour rule1–50 private 45-minute mocksPhone or online mocksAvailable
Oral Board Online$995Not statedNone15 stem cases, 36 additional topicsAvailable
4-Day Guarantee$4,100Shipping/travel may apply10 private mocks + 1 group MOPSCourse, recordings, >100 hours of materialAvailable
6-Day Guarantee$4,580Shipping/travel may apply12 private mocks + 1 group MOPSLarger course and practice packageAvailable
PREVAIL$9,995 first courseShipping may apply25 PhoneMocksVideo libraries and SOE/OSCE resourcesAvailable
OSCE options$795–$1,295Not statedDepends on optionLive, recorded, or combined OSCE prepAvailable

PhoneMocks and WebMocks are listed at $230 each, with four- and eight-session packages priced at the same per-session rate. PREVAIL costs $8,995 for a prior Anesthesiology Consultants course customer. Its access ends after six months or on the exam date, whichever comes first. Recording-only purchases generally use the same limit; Guarantee-plan Learn-at-Home access is described as continuing until the candidate passes.

The terms list $30 shipping for mailed items, a narrow one-business-day window for written product-refund requests, and a 3.5% credit-card fee in certain cancellation situations. The live 321 course and Anesthesia Boot Camp are shown as suspended, so they are excluded from “buy now” calculations even though older or overview pages still mention them.

Best Oral Board Prep / Dr. David Rothenberg

Best Oral Board Prep sells private online mock practice and debriefing.

OptionPriceExtra feesLive practice includedWhat you getStatus
90-Minute Course$750Payment by Zelle; other fees unclear1 private sessionMock exam and debriefAvailable
Original Course$3,000Payment by Zelle; other fees unclear6 private sessionsSix hours of mocks, content review, and debriefingAvailable
Additional hoursNot publicly listedUnknownAvailable case-by-caseMore instructor timePrice missing

The current fees page describes the original course as six one-on-one sessions totaling six hours and says they can be scheduled at the candidate’s choice. It does not list recorded videos, a book, OSCE preparation, or a separate online access period.

A booking pop-up elsewhere on the site tells candidates to schedule four one-hour sessions, which conflicts with the six-session course description. The public pages also do not clearly state the price of added hours, cancellation or rescheduling rules, refund terms, or whether any taxes or payment charges apply. Those points should be confirmed before payment. The site recommends taking the course one to six months before the examination, but that is scheduling guidance rather than a stated access term.

Jensen Board PREP / Niels Jensen

Jensen sells books and audio/digital materials, in-person group mock courses, and private Zoom exams.

OptionPriceExtra feesLive practice includedWhat you getStatus
Outlining$55Shipping may applyNoneWritten study materialAvailable
Private Zoom exam$195Policy unclear1 private exam45–50 minutes with critiqueAvailable
Big Red / Ranger Red$695 eachShipping may applyNoneStudy bookAvailable
Digital Red$495None statedNoneDigital bookAvailable
2-day course$1,070–$1,370Travel/lodgingAt least 1 personal case per day; private setting not guaranteedGroup course plus one Red product2026 dates listed
3-day course$1,370–$1,670Travel/lodgingAt least 1 personal case per day; private setting not guaranteedLonger group course plus one Red product2026 dates listed

Course prices vary by status: resident, fellow, or practitioner. The course uses both public-stage cases and private side-room exams. The included personal cases should not be read as guaranteed private sessions because the public pages do not state how many will occur in each setting. The provider says each participant can expect at least one case per day; extra cases may be offered free when possible or sold at a price that is not posted.

Course cancellation by the participant carries a $250 fee, while provider cancellation is refundable. Travel and lodging are separate. A hotel-related $50 administrative condition may apply when an attendee stays at the meeting hotel outside the negotiated block. Digital books are described as not time-limited. The official course-price PDF contains an apparent $105 anomaly in one no-material practitioner row; that figure is excluded here pending confirmation.

Hidden or easy-to-miss costs

The price on a package card may not be the final cost. Just Oral Boards and Anesthesiology Consultants publish shipping charges for some physical items. Jensen selects shipping at checkout but does not post the amount. Ultimate Board Prep includes a physical companion book in its Case Library, but the pages reviewed do not clearly state shipping.

In-person courses can also require airfare, lodging, ground transportation, and time away from work. Those personal costs are not estimated here. OSCE preparation is commonly separate: Ultimate Board Prep lists $545, Just Oral Boards lists $950, and Anesthesiology Consultants lists combinations from $795 to $1,295. No clear current OSCE product was found for Best Oral Board Prep or Jensen.

Deadlines matter. Several providers have 24-hour rescheduling or forfeiture rules. Jensen lists a $250 participant course-cancellation fee. Access may end at the exam date, after six months, after 18 months, or at the end of a test cycle. A “guarantee” may extend access, supply another course, or require substantial prior use; it should not be assumed to mean an unconditional refund. Sales tax and final checkout fees were not consistently public.

Method and limitations

Research was completed on August 20, 2026. We reviewed official pricing, product, registration, checkout, FAQ, guarantee, refund, purchase-agreement, and current schedule pages for all five providers. No Reddit posts, testimonials, affiliate pages, review sites, or general anesthesia textbooks were used to establish prices.

A product was treated as currently purchasable when an official order or registration page listed it as available or showed current 2026 dates. Products explicitly marked suspended were retained in the research file but excluded from cheapest-current-option calculations. Prices are in U.S. dollars. Published shipping was included when the provider supplied an exact amount; travel, tax, and unposted checkout fees were not estimated.

A private mock was counted only when the official page described private or one-on-one practice. A flexible token was counted as private only when the calculation expressly assumes the buyer selects the private option. Group hot-seat cases, lectures, peer practice, MOPS sessions, and recorded coaching were kept in separate categories so package contents are not overstated.

Some official pages conflict or are incomplete. We report those conflicts rather than choosing the more convenient number. We did not complete purchases, so a checkout may reveal tax, availability, or terms not visible publicly. Session inventory can also close before a page is updated. Readers should confirm the final cart total, dates, access deadline, and cancellation rules before paying.

Official sources