The Only Guide to Question Banks for USMLE You'll Ever Need
Choosing the right question banks for USMLE prep can feel overwhelming. With so many options at different price points, it's hard to know where your money is best spent—especially when you're already drowning in student debt.
If you've been searching for question banks for USMLE Step 1, Step 2 CK, or Step 3, you've probably noticed the same names coming up repeatedly: UWorld, AMBOSS, TrueLearn, Kaplan, and a handful of others. But which one actually delivers the best results for the money?
Here's the truth: not all Q banks are created equal, and what works for Step 1 might not be the best choice for Step 2 CK or Step 3. This guide breaks down every major USMLE question bank, compares them head-to-head, and tells you exactly which one to pick based on your budget, study style, and the Step you're preparing for.
USMLE Step 1 Question Banks: Pricing and Features Compared
| Question Bank | Questions | 3-Month Price | 6-Month Price | 12-Month Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UWorld | 3,600+ | $439 | $479 | $559 | Dedicated study; most exam-realistic |
| AMBOSS | 2,700+ | — | $378 (full USMLE bundle) | $448 (full USMLE bundle) | Preclinical learning; integrated library |
| TrueLearn | 3,200+ | $199 | $299 | $399 | Analytics & national benchmarking |
| Kaplan Qbank | 3,200+ | $199 | $299 | $399 | Physiology focus; IMGs |
| BoardVitals | 3,250+ | $259 | $449 | N/A (6-mo max) | Budget option; institutional access |
| Lecturio | 2,200+ | $82.48 | — | $209.94 | Video lectures + questions combined |
| USMLE-Rx | 5,000+ (Step 1 & 2) | $199 | $329 | $399 | First Aid integration |
USMLE Step 2 CK Question Banks: Pricing and Features Compared
| Question Bank | Questions | 3-Month Price | 6-Month Price | 12-Month Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UWorld | 4,250+ | $439 | $479 | $559 | Gold standard; score prediction |
| AMBOSS | 3,300+ | — | $378 | $448 (full USMLE bundle) | Ethics, biostats, QI content |
| TrueLearn | 4,300+ | $249 | $349 | $449 | Largest question bank; shelf prep |
| Kaplan Qbank | 3,100+ | $199 | $299 | $399 | UpToDate integration |
| BoardVitals | 1,400+ | $219 | $359 | N/A (6-mo max) | Shelf exam banks included |
| Lecturio | 1,200+ | $82.48 | — | $209.94 | Integrated video content |
| USMLE-Rx | 5,000+ (Step 1 & 2) | $199 | $329 | $399 | Clinical reasoning focus |
USMLE Step 3 Question Banks: Pricing and Features Compared
| Question Bank | Questions | 3-Month Price | 6-Month Price | 12-Month Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UWorld | 2,300+ (+ 90 CCS) | $429 | $479 | $579 | CCS cases; non-negotiable for Step 3 |
| AMBOSS | 2,000+ | $338 | - | $448 (full USMLE bundle) | Supplemental practice |
| Kaplan Qbank | 900+ | N/A | N/A | $199 | Budget option |
| BoardVitals | 1,500+ | $169 | $249 | N/A (6-mo max) | Affordable; pass guarantee |
| TrueLearn | Not offered | — | — | — | — |
| Lecturio | Not offered | — | — | — | — |
| USMLE-Rx | Not offered | — | — | — | — |
Note: AMBOSS pricing reflects their all-inclusive bundle that covers all Steps plus library access. Prices and question counts are current as of December 2025 and subject to change. Always verify pricing on official websites before purchasing.
Is UWorld Really Worth the Money?
Short answer: yes, but with caveats.
UWorld remains the gold standard for USMLE prep and has been for over a decade. Over 90% of US medical students use it, and there's a reason for that—the explanations are exceptional. They don't just tell you what the right answer is; they teach you how to think through clinical vignettes the way the actual exam expects you to.
That said, UWorld's reputation has created a near-monopoly that allows them to charge premium prices. At $559 for 12 months of Step 1 access, it's the most expensive option by a significant margin.
What makes UWorld stand out:
The explanation quality is unmatched. Every answer choice (right and wrong) gets a detailed breakdown with tables, diagrams, and clinical pearls you'll actually remember on test day. Their self-assessment exams (UWSA1 and UWSA2) are among the most reliable score predictors available—UWSA2 is widely considered the single best predictor for Step 2 CK performance.
For Step 3, UWorld is essentially non-negotiable because it includes 90 CCS case simulations that closely mirror the actual exam format. No other test bank offers anything comparable.
Where UWorld falls short:
The price is steep, and the interface feels dated compared to newer competitors. There's no integrated learning library—you get practice questions, and that's it. If you need to brush up on a concept, you're on your own to find supplementary resources.
Bottom line: If you can afford it, UWorld should be your primary question bank during dedicated study. But don't feel pressured to start it too early—saving it for your dedicated period also has its value.
UWorld vs. AMBOSS: Which One Should You Choose?
This is the most common question students ask, and the answer depends on where you are in your training.
AMBOSS has emerged as UWorld's strongest competitor, offering a compelling package at a lower price point. For $448 per year, you get unlimited access to their Qbank plus their comprehensive medical library with over 1,400 peer-reviewed articles.
The key differences:
AMBOSS excels at building foundational knowledge. Their integrated library means you can click on any term in a question explanation and instantly access a detailed article about that topic. This makes AMBOSS particularly valuable during preclinical years when you're still learning the material.
Their "hammer" difficulty rating (1–5 hammers) lets you filter questions by complexity—something UWorld doesn't offer. Five-hammer questions are notoriously difficult and go beyond typical exam content, which some students love for the challenge, and others find frustrating.
AMBOSS also consistently outperforms UWorld in specific content areas: ethics, biostatistics, quality improvement, and patient safety. If you're weak in these areas, AMBOSS questions will serve you better.
UWorld's advantages:
UWorld's question style more closely mimics the actual USMLE format. Students consistently report that UWorld "feels like the real thing" in a way that AMBOSS doesn't quite match. The explanations are more concise and exam-focused, while AMBOSS explanations sometimes dive deeper into mechanisms than you need for test day.
The smart approach:
Use AMBOSS during preclinical years to build knowledge and reinforce coursework. Switch to UWorld during your dedicated study period. If budget allows, use both—AMBOSS for weak areas and concept review, UWorld as your primary practice question source.
What's the Best Question Bank for Step 1?
Since Step 1 became pass/fail in January 2022, you might think preparation has gotten easier. The opposite has happened—pass rates have actually declined from 95% to 90% for US MD students. Choosing the right question banks for USMLE Step 1 has never been more important.
For Step 1, the community consensus is clear:
UWorld remains essential for dedicated study. Complete it at least once, thoroughly reviewing every explanation—including the wrong answer choices. Research suggests that for every percentage point improvement on UWorld, students saw roughly a 0.45-point increase on their actual Step 1 score (back when it was scored).
AMBOSS works well as a secondary resource or as your primary Qbank if you're budget-constrained. The integration with their library makes it particularly valuable for understanding why you got something wrong.
USMLE-Rx (First Aid Q&A) deserves consideration if First Aid is your primary study guide. Each question references specific First Aid page numbers, reinforcing that resource. However, it's better suited for early studying than close to your exam date.
Kaplan Qbank has strong physiology and behavioral science content, but receives mixed reviews on question quality. Some students find the questions overly pedantic or worded confusingly.
TrueLearn offers a solid Step 1 bank with over 3,200 questions and a first-time pass guarantee. Their SmartAnalytics provides real-time national benchmarking, which some students find motivating.
What's the Best Question Bank for Step 2 CK?
Here's where things get interesting. With Step 1 now pass/fail, Step 2 CK scores have become the primary differentiator in residency applications. A full 83% of residency programs now consider Step 2 CK scores when selecting applicants.
This makes selecting question banks for USMLE Step 2 CK arguably more important than your Step 1 choice.
UWorld remains the top recommendation, with over 4,250 questions and the same high-quality explanations that made it famous. Students consistently report that UWorld practice questions closely match the clinical reasoning required on the actual exam.
TrueLearn deserves serious consideration for Step 2 CK. Their bank contains over 4,300 questions—the highest count of any platform for this exam. They also bundle shelf exam content, making it a strong choice if you want one subscription to cover clerkship studying and Step 2 CK prep.
AMBOSS continues to excel in ethics, biostatistics, and quality improvement content that appears frequently on Step 2 CK. Many students use it as a supplement to UWorld, specifically for these topics.
The winning strategy:
Most successful students use UWorld as their primary resource and supplement with AMBOSS or TrueLearn for additional exposure to unique question stems. The more practice questions you complete, the better—a user in the Student Doctor forum said that score increases correlate with the total number of unique questions completed.
What's the Best Question Bank for Step 3?
Step 3 is a different beast. It includes CCS (Computer-based Case Simulations) that require you to manage virtual patients in real-time, ordering tests, prescribing medications, and making clinical decisions.
UWorld is non-negotiable for Step 3 because it's the only major test bank that includes comprehensive CCS case simulations (90 cases) that mirror the actual exam format. No other question bank comes close in this regard.
BoardVitals offers a budget-friendly Step 3 option starting around $109 and includes over 1,500 questions. However, they don't offer CCS practice, so you'd need to supplement.
Kaplan has a Step 3 bank, but with only 900+ questions, it's significantly smaller than competitors.
The bottom line:
Get UWorld for Step 3. Supplement with CCScases.com for additional CCS practice if needed, and consider Divine Intervention podcasts for high-yield content review.
How Many Questions Should I Do Per Day?
This depends on whether you're studying alongside coursework or in a dedicated study period.
During classes: 8–12 questions daily is sustainable and reinforces what you're learning in real-time. Focus on topics you're currently covering in your coursework.
During dedicated study: Aim for 80–120 questions daily, which typically works out to 2–3 40-question blocks. Students spend 5–8 hours daily during dedicated periods, with a thorough review of explanations taking 1–3 hours per block.
The critical point: Reviewing explanations matters more than the number of questions you complete. Rushing through 200 questions while barely reading the explanations won't help you. Completing 80 questions with a thorough review will.
When Should I Start UWorld?
This question sparks endless debate on Reddit and Student Doctor Network. Here's what the evidence suggests:
The traditional advice: Save UWorld for dedicated study to keep questions fresh and maximize score prediction accuracy from self-assessments.
The counter-argument: Some students benefit from starting UWorld earlier to build clinical reasoning skills and identify weak areas before dedicated study begins.
A practical middle ground:
Use AMBOSS, USMLE-Rx, or Kaplan during preclinical years aligned with your coursework. Start UWorld 6–8 weeks before your exam date. Reset the Qbank if you completed questions earlier, as the benefit comes from seeing questions fresh during dedicated study.
For Step 2 CK, many students start UWorld during clerkships (in tutor mode, untimed) to reinforce clinical learning, then do a full reset for dedicated study.
Are There Any Free Question Banks Worth Using?
Yes, and you should take advantage of them:
NBME Free 120: Official practice questions from the exam makers. This is required studying.
MedAll: Over 750 free questions with reasonable quality.
AMBOSS 5-day trial: Full access to their question bank and library. Time it strategically during a study week.
TrueLearn 120-question trial: Free questions plus their analytics features.
Lecturio free tier: Roughly 1,000 free questions plus video content.
Check your institutional access: Many schools provide free UWorld, AMBOSS, or BoardVitals subscriptions. Ask your library or student affairs office before paying out of pocket.
How Do These Question Banks Compare on Score Prediction?
Accurate score prediction helps you know when you're ready to sit for your exam.
UWorld's self-assessments (UWSA1, UWSA2) remain the gold standard for score prediction. UWSA2 is particularly reliable—most students score within 5–10 points of their UWSA2 score on the actual exam.
AMBOSS Score Predictor uses Bayesian statistics to predict USMLE scores within 7–10 points of actual results. It integrates data from NBMEs, UWorld self-assessments, and AMBOSS performance for a comprehensive prediction.
TrueLearn's SmartAnalytics provides real-time national benchmarking, showing how you compare to other students using the platform. They report that learners improve an average of 19.9% on Step 1 and 20.9% on Step 2 CK.
BoardVitals offers a 100% pass guarantee on 3+ month plans—if you fail, you get a free subscription extension.
A word of caution about Kaplan: They claim "93% of IMGs Pass," but this is based on an internal study of 100 students who completed minimum course requirements and passed Kaplan's own internal exam—not the actual USMLE. Take that statistic with a grain of salt.
When a Question Bank Isn't Enough
Here's something the Qbank companies won't tell you: practice questions alone don't work for everyone.
Some students can grind through thousands of questions, review the explanations, and watch their scores climb steadily. But others hit a plateau. They're completing blocks, reading every explanation, and still missing the same types of questions. They understand the individual facts but struggle to connect concepts across organ systems. Or they know the material cold but freeze up under timed conditions.
If that sounds familiar, the problem isn't your question bank—it's that you need a different kind of support.
That's where MedBoardTutors comes in.
Our USMLE tutors are MD candidates, physicians, and medical educators who have not only passed these exams but have helped hundreds of students do the same. We don't just tell you what the answer is—we help you understand how to think through questions so you can tackle anything the exam throws at you.
Whether you're struggling with Step 1 foundations, need to maximize your Step 2 CK score for competitive residency applications, or want efficient Step 3 prep during a demanding intern year, we build a personalized study plan around your schedule, your weak areas, and your goals.
What makes our tutoring different:
One-on-one sessions with tutors who know the USMLE inside and out
Customized study plans based on your practice exam performance and timeline
Question-based teaching that shows you how to approach any clinical vignette
Flexible scheduling that works around rotations, classes, and life
You've already invested in the best question banks. Make sure you're getting everything out of them.