Archer Review (2025): The Budget-Friendly Disruptor

The Verdict: Best Bang for Your Buck

Archer Review has exploded in popularity over the last few years, challenging the dominance of UWorld. Why? Two reasons: Price and Vagueness.

Archer is significantly cheaper than the big names, yet it offers a massive QBank and unlimited adaptive testing. For students on a tight budget, this is the obvious choice.

The “Vague” Factor

It sounds counterintuitive, but “vagueness” is a compliment in the NCLEX world.

• The Real Exam: The NCLEX is notorious for asking short, direct questions that lack context.
• UWorld: Often provides paragraphs of context and clues.
• Archer: Mimics the NCLEX’s brevity.

Many recent test-takers report that Archer’s questions felt more like the actual exam than any other provider. They train you to make decisions with limited information.

Unlimited Readiness Assessments

This is Archer’s killer feature. Most providers give you 1 or 2 prediction exams. Archer gives you unlimited access to them.

• The Benchmark: Archer suggests that if you score “High” or “Very High” on 4 consecutive Readiness Assessments, you have a 99% chance of passing.
• Confidence Building: Being able to take a readiness exam every few days allows you to track your progress in real-time and build massive confidence.

The “Sure PASS” Combo

For around $139, you can get the “Sure PASS” bundle which includes:

• The QBank (3,100+ questions)
• Live 3-Day Review Webinars
• On-demand video library
• 100% Money-Back Guarantee

This is an incredible value proposition. Getting a live review course + QBank for less than the price of UWorld’s QBank alone is hard to beat.

Where it Lacks Polish

Archer is a newer company, and it shows in some areas.

• Interface: The UI is functional but clunky compared to the sleekness of UWorld.
• Typos: You will occasionally find grammatical errors in the rationales.
• Videos: The video content is extensive (110+ hours), but the production quality varies. Some are professional studio recordings; others are less polished.

Final Thoughts

If you have $400, buy UWorld and maybe a content review book. But if you only have $100, buy Archer. You are not sacrificing as much as you think. The “unlimited” testing feature alone makes it a top-tier contender, and for many students, the question style is actually a better preparation for the real thing.