Maxwell CPA Review (2025): High-Yield Efficiency
Best for: Best Supplement Updated 12/2/2025Price: from 49 USD/month
Pros
- Extremely affordable ($49/mo or $499 lifetime)
- Kyle Ashcraft is engaging, clear, and concise
- Focuses purely on 'high-yield' topics (no fluff)
- Bite-sized lessons are perfect for working professionals
- Great community and social proof
Cons
- Question bank is smaller than the major providers
- Lacks advanced analytics and adaptive technology
- Best used as a supplement rather than a standalone for complex learners
The Verdict: The Efficiency Expert
Maxwell CPA Review started as a tutoring service and exploded in popularity thanks to Kyle Ashcraft’s YouTube channel. His philosophy is simple: Pass Efficiently.
Most CPA courses are bloated. They cover every single footnote in the accounting standards. Maxwell focuses on the Core 80%—the high-yield topics that are guaranteed to show up on the exam.
The “High-Yield” Approach
If you are working 60 hours a week during audit season, you don’t have time for 4-hour lectures. Maxwell’s videos are short, punchy, and to the point.
- No Fluff: Kyle cuts out the background noise and tells you exactly what you need to know to answer the question.
- Visuals: Like Universal, Maxwell uses a lot of visual aids to simplify concepts.
Pricing: A No-Brainer
At $49/month or $499 for lifetime access, Maxwell is one of the cheapest options on the market.
- The Strategy: Many students buy Becker (paid for by their firm) and then buy Maxwell with their own money to actually understand the topics Becker explains poorly.
Is It Enough?
For most students, yes. However, because the question bank is smaller than UWorld’s, some students prefer to use Maxwell for the lectures and UWorld/Ninja for the questions. It is the ultimate “supplement” that is strong enough to be a main course for the right student.
Final Thoughts
Maxwell CPA Review is the course for the busy professional. If you feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of material in other courses, Kyle Ashcraft will help you focus on what actually matters. It is modern, affordable, and effective.