The CHART methodology
Every score on this site is produced by the rubric below; this page renders from the same code and data the rankings use, so what you read here is what the site actually computes.
Principles
- Derived, not decreed. The overall rating is the arithmetic mean of all 20 sub-scores. There is no separate editorial star rating that could disagree with the rubric.
- Unscored means unscored. A provider we haven't finished researching shows Not yet scored everywhere: never a placeholder number, and ranking pages fall back to alphabetical order with a visible notice.
- Commissions can't move scores. Affiliate relationships are disclosed on every money page and have no input into the rubric. The scoring code is deterministic and public on this page.
- Facts carry sources. Pricing, features, and exam details publish only after verification against the primary source; pending items are visibly marked.
Five dimensions, twenty data points
Each dimension has four sub-options scored 1–4 (4 = Excellent, 3 = Strong, 2 = Adequate, 1 = Limited) for how well the provider serves that candidate need.
Content Format
How well the provider serves each way of learning the material.
- C1Video-first instruction
- C2Textbook / reading-first
- C3Question-bank-first drilling
- C4Live or scheduled classes
Help & Support
The depth of human help available when you're stuck.
- H1Self-sufficient study
- H2Peer community access
- H3Instructor email / chat
- H41-on-1 instruction
Adaptivity & Technology
Platform quality, from basic delivery to adaptive engines.
- A1Simple, distraction-free delivery
- A2Mobile / on-the-go study
- A3Adaptive personalization
- A4Progress analytics & readiness signals
Readiness Profile
Fit for where the candidate is starting from.
- R1First-timer, no finance background
- R2Finance background, needs efficiency
- R3Retaker, needs diagnostics
- R4Tight deadline, needs simulation intensity
Total Value
What you get for the price at each budget level.
- T1Firm-sponsored (employer pays)
- T2Self-funded, budget-first
- T3Mid-range value
- T4Premium, support-heavy
How the math works
A provider's overall score is the mean of its 20 sub-scores, displayed on the rubric's native 1–4 scale. Example: a provider scoring 3s and 4s across the grid with a few 2s might average 3.2 / 4. Best-of pages rank by this number once (and only once) every provider has been scored.
Current scoring status
Rendered live from the site's data files.
| Provider | Overall CHART score | Evidence basis |
|---|---|---|
| Achievable | 2.9/ 4 | Hands-onEvaluated inside the platform via the free preview (July 2026): textbook, quiz engine, analytics, and support channels observed directly. |
| Kaplan | 3.0/ 4 | Hands-onEvaluated inside the platform via a trial account (July 2026): QBank, performance tracker, study calendar, and support channels observed directly. |
| Knopman Marks | 2.9/ 4 | Hands-onEvaluated inside the platform via the free SIE demo course (July 2026): video lessons, quiz builder, and explanations observed directly. |
| Pass Perfect | 2.8/ 4 | Desk-verifiedNo trial or demo exists, so we evaluated from documentation, published sample questions, and candidate reports (July 2026). Scores that require in-platform observation are capped at 3 under our anchor rules. |
| Securities Institute of America | 2.7/ 4 | Desk-verifiedNo platform demo exists, and the site's free practice exams failed to load when we tested them, so we evaluated from documentation and public materials (July 2026). Scores that require in-platform observation are capped at 3 under our anchor rules. |
| Securities Training Corporation (STC) | 2.9/ 4 | Desk-verifiedNo trial or demo exists (we rechecked the student portal directly), so we evaluated from documentation and candidate reports (July 2026). Scores that require in-platform observation are capped at 3 under our anchor rules. |
Where a provider offers no trial or demo, we say so: those scores come from documented features, published samples, and aggregated candidate reports, and any sub-score that can only be judged from inside the platform is capped at 3 (Strong) rather than guessed at 4.
What "scored" requires
- Verify the provider's exam catalog, pricing, and features against its current site (recorded with access dates).
- Hands-on evaluation of the study platform, question bank, and support channels wherever a trial or demo exists; where none does, the evidence-basis column above says so and hands-on-dependent scores are capped.
- Assign all 20 sub-scores with written justification per dimension.
- A cross-provider calibration pass (same evidence must earn the same score, and price-based scores are set against per-exam market quartiles) before anything publishes.
Questions about the process? See about & editorial standards or the affiliate disclosure.