UWorld vs AMBOSS vs MedPrep: Which Qbank?

UWorld and AMBOSS are the two names every student hears first. Both are good. Both are also expensive, and neither one's official pages describe scheduling reviews of the concepts you keep missing for you. MedPrep Institute does, costs less than both for any plan of up to six months, and starts with a 7-day free trial. Here is how all three compare.

The short answer: which one should you pick?

Pick MedPrep Institute if you want the lowest price, adaptive practice and spaced repetition built in, with a free trial to prove it works for you.
Pick UWorld if you need its official self-assessments or Step 3 CCS cases and can pay for them.
Pick AMBOSS if you want a medical library and score predictor in the same subscription.

You do not have to spend $459 to study well. Start with MedPrep, and add a self-assessment later only if you want a scored readiness check.

UWorld vs AMBOSS vs MedPrep side by side

MedPrep Institute vs UWorld vs AMBOSS

Feature	MedPrep Institute	UWorld	AMBOSS
Price	$40 per month, $110 per 3 months, $400 per year	$349 (30 days) to $749 (730 days); 90 days is $459	$378 (6 months), $448 (12 months), $1,199 (Student Life)
Free trial	7 days, plus free sample questions with no account	Listed on its Step 1 page; check its site for terms	5-day free trial; 30-day money-back guarantee on direct purchases
Adaptive practice	Yes: misses are flagged and brought back	Fixed bank of pre-written questions	Not confirmed on the pages we checked
Spaced repetition	Built in, scheduled for you	Not confirmed on the pages we checked	Anki integration
Exams covered	Step 1, Step 2 CK, Step 3 and ABIM	Step 1, Step 2 CK and Step 3	USMLE Steps
Questions	7,500+ Step 1 topics; each generates a full vignette	3,600+ (Step 1), 4,250+ (Step 2 CK), 2,100+ plus 90+ CCS cases (Step 3)	5,800+ Step questions across the Qbank
Self-assessments	Not included	Up to 3 for Step 1 and Step 2 CK, 2 for Step 3, depending on plan	Score predictor included
Extras	Clinical images, physician-reviewed explanations	Medical videos with QBank Plus (+$99)	Library, study plans, clinical tools

MedPrep counts question topics; each topic produces a full clinical vignette when you reach it, so its figure is not directly comparable to a fixed, pre-written bank.

What each one really costs per month

Per month of access, MedPrep wins on every plan up to six months. MedPrep is $40 for one month and $110 for three (about $37 a month). UWorld's 90-day plan is $459, about $153 a month, and AMBOSS's six-month plan is $378, about $63 a month. Over a full year, MedPrep is $400 (about $33 a month), against $448 for AMBOSS (about $37) and $579 for UWorld (about $48).

That is roughly $350 saved against UWorld's 90-day plan, enough to add UWorld's $50 assessment forms later if you decide you want a scored check.

Why students choose MedPrep Institute

Adaptive practice. Miss a question and the engine flags the concept, then brings variations back over the following days.
Spaced repetition built in. No decks to build and no review calendar to manage.
NBME-style vignettes with clinical images, by topic or mixed across systems.
Physician-reviewed explanations.
Four exams, one subscription: Step 1, Step 2 CK, Step 3 and ABIM.
The lowest price for any plan of up to six months, with a 7-day free trial.

Where UWorld or AMBOSS still wins

We will be straight about the gaps. MedPrep has no official-style self-assessments, no Step 3 CCS cases and no score predictor. If you want those, UWorld is the better source for assessments and CCS, and AMBOSS is the better source for a bundled library. Many students use MedPrep for daily practice and spaced review, and add an assessment form in the final weeks. Either way, you spend far less than a UWorld-only plan.

For wider comparisons see the full question bank guide, our UWorld alternatives list and the MedPrep vs UWorld breakdown.

Try MedPrep free in two minutes

Try the free sample questions: Step 1, Step 2 CK and Step 3. Five questions each, a full explanation for every answer choice, no account needed.
Start the 7-day free trial and do a block from your weakest system.
Check that the concepts you missed come back when you expect them to.

If it does not fit how you study, cancel before day 7 and pay nothing.

Frequently asked questions

Is MedPrep cheaper than UWorld and AMBOSS?

Yes, for any plan of up to six months. MedPrep is $40 per month or $110 per three months, against $459 for UWorld's 90-day plan and $378 for AMBOSS's six-month plan. Every MedPrep plan starts with a 7-day free trial.

Is MedPrep better than UWorld or AMBOSS?

It is built differently. MedPrep is adaptive and schedules reviews of your missed concepts, at a lower price. UWorld is the standard for official self-assessments and Step 3 CCS cases, and AMBOSS bundles a library and score predictor.

Does MedPrep have a free trial?

Yes, 7 days on every plan, and you pay nothing if you cancel before day 7. There are also free Step 1, Step 2 CK and Step 3 sample questions with no account required.

Is AMBOSS better than UWorld?

Neither is better for everyone. UWorld is the standard for exam-style volume and official self-assessments, while AMBOSS bundles a library and score predictor at a lower price.

Which has more questions, UWorld or AMBOSS?

AMBOSS lists 5,800+ Step questions across its Qbank. UWorld lists 3,600+ for Step 1 and 4,250+ for Step 2 CK. MedPrep counts 7,500+ Step 1 topics, each producing a full vignette. The counts are not directly comparable.

Which is best for Step 3?

UWorld if you need its 90+ CCS case simulations. MedPrep covers Step 3 with 10,400+ question topics at a lower price, and you can pair it with CCS practice elsewhere.

Sources and disclaimers

Prices, question counts and plan details for other companies come from their official pages as we last checked them. They change often, so confirm current details on each company's site before you buy. MedPrep Institute is our own product. MedPrep Institute is not affiliated with or endorsed by UWorld, AMBOSS, TrueLearn, BoardVitals, Lecturio, USMLE-Rx, Kaplan, NBME, FSMB or USMLE. All trademarks belong to their owners.