You’re here because you’re looking for the best way to get CAPM certification (Certified Associate in Project Management – CAPM®) without having to invest in a load of study guides.

Well, you’re in the right place. We’ve reviewed a range of the best CAPM exam prep materials on the market and you can read our assessments below. If you’re short on time, here are our recommendations:

➡ Best CAPM prep course: Brain Sensei CAPM Exam Prep course

➡ Best CAPM exam simulator: Brain Sensei CAPM Exam Simulator

➡ Best CAPM exam prep book: CAPM Exam Prep by Rita Mulcahy

Note: The PM PrepCast, which used to be my top pick for CAPM, closes on 4 December 2026. Read what that means if you’re a current student.

Read on if you’d like to learn why those recommendations top our list and to see the other study materials that will help you gain your CAPM credential.

CAPM Study Materials

The CAPM certificate from PMI is an entry-level qualification for people who want to evidence they have the knowledge to work in a project environment. Recognized by organizations around the world, it involves a relatively lengthy application process and a 3-hour exam. You also have to show that you have completed 23 hours of project management education – and that’s where the study materials come in.

While you can claim any relevant training you’ve had in the past, for example, modules of your project management degree, in-house courses laid on by your employer, most people seem to opt for a CAPM prep course.

In this article, we’ll look at the best exam prep courses for CAPM, plus exam simulators to help you prepare for the test and study books.

CAPM Exam Simulators

If you only buy one CAPM study tool, make it an exam simulator. Practising with full-length timed exams is the best way to get used to sitting for three hours and to find the topics you need to revise.

1. Brain Sensei CAPM Exam Simulator

The Brain Sensei simulator has over 1,500 realistic exam questions and gives you six months of access. It’s included with the Brain Sensei CAPM course, or you can buy it on its own if you’ve already got your 23 hours.

Pros

Over 1,500 questions, so you won’t run out!
Six months of access, long enough for most study plans
Included free with the Brain Sensei CAPM course

Cons

Doesn’t give you contact hours on its own (but no exam simulator does)

Best for: Anyone who’s done their training and wants to practise until they’re consistently passing.

The Brain Sensei PM Exam Simulator came top in my reviews for Project Management Professional (PMP)® test questions too. Read why.

CAPM Practice Exams

By James L. Haner and Cate McCoy

A book in the simulator section? Yes. This book contains over 1,000 exam questions and you get access to an online test tool as well. I think it’s worth having a full digital simulator to help you get used to having to sit for 3 hours doing a test (I never sit that long for any stretch normally, being constantly interrupted or having meetings), which is why this isn’t my top pick.

However, there is definitely value in having a book you can carry around, flip through, make notes in the margins off, and then follow up with online learning too. It’s a hybrid kind of product – and reviews from past students show it has helped them pass the test, so it definitely works!

Pros

Print and online practice in one
Lots of questions for the price

Cons

The online tool isn’t as realistic as a full exam simulator

Best for: People who like to study from a book but still want to practise online.

CAPM Prep Courses

While test questions are a must-have to feel prepared and confident on exam day, many students opt for a training course too. You need 23 hours of project management education before you sit the CAPM exam. A prep course is the simplest way to get them, and it gives you a certificate to keep in case PMI audits your application.

Brain Sensei CAPM Exam Prep Course

Brain Sensei’s self-paced CAPM course gives you your 23 education hours and includes the exam simulator above. It’s story-based and set in feudal Japan, which makes it very different from the usual slide-and-voiceover courses. It’s still one of my favourite ways to study for the CAPM. Read my full Brain Sensei CAPM review.

It comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee and a pass guarantee (terms apply). You can pay monthly or buy a year’s access. Use code RGPM10 for 10% off.

Pros

Gives you your 23 hours
Exam simulator included
Engaging, story-based format that makes the content stick
Pass guarantee and 30-day refund

Cons

The story format won’t suit everyone if you prefer a straightforward lecture
No student forum

Best for: Anyone who wants their education hours and practice questions in one place, and who’d like studying to be a bit more fun.

PMI CAPM Exam Prep Course

This is PMI’s official course for the CAPM exam. It’s self-paced and interactive, it gives you the 23 hours you need for your application, and it earns 23 PDUs. Its 10 modules cover the full syllabus, including business analysis, predictive methods and adaptive approaches, with a guided review of the references behind the exam content outline.

Pros

The official course, from the organisation that sets the exam
Covers all four exam domains, including business analysis
Gives you your 23 hours and earns 23 PDUs
Also available as live training if you prefer to learn with a human instructor!

Cons

Doesn’t include practice exams, so you’ll need to get Study Hall or the bolt-on practice exam.
No pass guarantee

Best for: Candidates who want their training to come straight from PMI.

BrainBOK CAPM Exam Prep

If the Brain Sensei isn’t right for you, try this CAPM Exam training course by BrainBOK contains everything you need to pass the CAPM Exam. It includes their CAPM Study Guide created to complement the PMBOK Guide and the rest of their training materials so that you can achieve your certification in a short time frame.

Just be aware that it’s not clear whether the materials have been updated – I think you’re less likely to get process-related or ITTO questions on the exam these days.

The study bundle includes over 1,000 exam practice questions, 2100 flashcards, an ITTO guide, as well as access to their study forums. It also includes the 23 contact hours that PMI requires for the exam.

Read my more extensive BrainBOK review to learn more about this training.

I only reviewed online courses for CAPM because with people coming to this blog from all over the world, that’s going to be most relevant to most people. However, if you know you would do better in a CAPM bootcamp surrounded by ‘live’ students and a trainer, then check out reviews of courses that run close to you. Your local PMI Chapter may have a list of recommended in-person prep courses that you could investigate.

CAPM Prep Books

There are loads of CAPM study guides available via Amazon or your local bookshop, but the ones that come out top time and time again in student reviews are these.

Rita Mulcahy’s CAPM Exam Prep Book (5^th Edition)

By Rita Mulcahy

Rita has passed away now but her legacy lives on in the book series managed by her company. Her impact on project management studies cannot be underestimated: she wrote a best-selling prep book for the PMP exam too and her books get great reviews from students.

I love the writing style and it’s an accessible, comprehensive book. Make this your go-to guide.

Buy on Amazon

CAPM/PMP Project Management Certification All-in-One Exam Guide (4^th Edition)

By Joseph Phillips

Joseph Phillips is a trainer whose name comes up time and time again. He runs a popular student Facebook group and has helped lots of people pass the tests.

This book is unique in our list in that it also covers the Project Management Professional (PMP)® exam too. If you think you might go on to take that, then this book will sit happily on your shelf until you are ready to go through the application process for that certification.

It includes over 1,000 practice exam questions as well.

Buy on Amazon

Choose your study materials

Ultimately, the best study materials are going to be the ones you love using and are confident in. My top picks are all revision guides that I feel confident turning to and using as reference materials. I trust them and I understand where they’ve come from – the providers have credibility and pedigree, as well as thousands of successful students, which always helps!

While no study guide is a guarantee that you’ll pass, the best ones will prepare you for the test. The rest is down to you. Good luck!

Is the PM PrepCast for CAPM still available?

Not for long. The last day to buy it is 31 October 2026, and all access ends on 4 December 2026. Here’s what to use instead.

Best CAPM Exam Prep Tools for 2026

CAPM Study Materials