Kaplan vs Securities Training Corporation (STC)
Side-by-side comparison for securities licensing candidates: features, pricing, and CHART scores from the published rubric.
At a glance
| Feature | Kaplan | Securities Training Corporation (STC) |
|---|---|---|
| CHART score | 3.0/ 4 | 2.9/ 4 |
| Price range | $59 to $319 per exam (Basic through Premium Live Online) | $103 to $576 per exam (Standard through Premier Plus; combo packages to $966) |
| Exams covered | SIE, Series 7, Series 63, Series 65, Series 66 | SIE, Series 7, Series 63, Series 65, Series 66 |
| Practice questions | SecuritiesPro QBank (official per-exam counts not published; Series 65 users report 4,000+ questions) | Not published per exam (the iOS app advertises 1,000+ practice questions) |
| Pass guarantee | None for securities: PassProtection gives Live Online enrollees a class retake; Kaplan's money-back program covers insurance licensing only | Refund on Premier and Premier Plus only: requires a 75 percent Green Light exam score, completed progress exams, and a 75 percent finals average (score report required) |
| Mobile app | No native securities app; responsive web | Native iOS app (Exam Prep by STC), rated 3.62/5; no SIE or Series 65 support; Android unclear |
| Free trial | SIE free trial (Unit 1 content and a 137-question QBank sample) | None (discontinued as of July 2026); sample questions on exam info pages only |
| Full review | Kaplan review → | Securities Training Corporation (STC) review → |
Exam-by-exam breakdown
How Kaplan and Securities Training Corporation (STC) stack up for each exam, from our research dossiers and the published CHART scores.
The two institutional names. Kaplan is cheaper at SIE entry with the better tech; STC includes its instructor hotline at every tier, and its refund guarantee arrives at a mid tier while Kaplan offers no securities refund at any price.
Series 7
All Series 7 prep courses →STC's finals are the community's readiness benchmark for the 7; Kaplan's QBank is the better day-to-day drilling tool at a far lower entry price. Firm-sponsored candidates follow their firm's standard; self-funded ones lean Kaplan on cost.
Series 63
All Series 63 prep courses →Kaplan at entry is roughly half STC's price on a short exam where the extras matter least. Kaplan on arithmetic.
Series 65
All Series 65 prep courses →This is STC's series by reputation: candidates name its practice among the most representative for the 65, while Kaplan's gets second-guessed. Kaplan is meaningfully cheaper. It's confidence versus cost, straight up.
Series 66
All Series 66 prep courses →The same trade as the 65 at closer prices, and STC's mid tier bundles lectures, Green Light exams, and the refund guarantee. Retakers and the risk-averse lean STC; budget buyers lean Kaplan.
About the author
Brennan KolarSenior Financial Analyst · Founder & Lead Researcher
Brennan Kolar is a Senior Financial Analyst and the founder of the Atlas Index family of research sites, including Atlas CPA Index and Atlas Securities Index. He built the CHART methodology to make exam-prep comparisons transparent: every score traces to a published rubric, and every factual claim carries a source.
Full bio & editorial standards →