What Crush The CPA Exam does

Crush The CPA Exam is a privately held affiliate-marketing and content platform (crushthecaexam.com) operated by founder Bryce Welker, a CPA, that helps prospective Certified Public Accountant candidates select a third-party exam-prep course. The site functions primarily as a research and comparison destination: it publishes long-form editorial reviews, side-by-side comparisons, and study resources covering the dominant CPA prep providers (Becker, Gleim, Surgent, UWorld Roger, Lambers), and operates a discount-code library that tracks use counts and expiration dates. Foundational resources include a CPA Study Guide, a CPA Application Guide, a '40 Formulas for the BEC Section' guide, and a CPA Career Guide, all free to consumers.

Underlying the asset is a lean WordPress-based content management platform layered with a proprietary CPA Course Comparison Framework that scores providers on quality vs. quantity, instructor qualifications, pricing, and support. Bryce Welker's 15+ years of hands-on reviewing and personally testing every major prep course underwrite the site's authority; he has been recognized by Accounting Today as one of its 'Accountants To Watch' and contributes to Forbes, Inc.com, Business Insider, and the Young Entrepreneur Council. The platform is part of the McClatchy Media Network.

The business monetizes entirely through affiliate commissions paid by partner CPA prep providers when visitors purchase through tracked links, plus exclusive promo-code economics. The customer base is horizontal — individual CPA candidates nationwide — and the company operates with a 1–10 employee footprint out of Sacramento, United States. There is no proprietary prep course, no SaaS product, no mobile app, and no paid user-facing tier.

Name

Crush The CPA Exam

Legal name

Crush The CPA Exam

Website

https://crushthecpaexam.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Crush The CPA Exam is a WordPress-based review and affiliate platform that helps individual CPA exam candidates compare third-party prep courses (Becker, Gleim, Surgent, UWorld Roger) and access exclusive discount codes, monetizing via partner referral commissions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Sacramento

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations

Revenue model

1. Affiliate Commissions: The company earns commissions when visitors click through to CPA review course providers and make purchases. Partners compensate Crush The CPA Exam for referrals, forming the primary revenue stream.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Crush The CPA Exam is a free online review and discount aggregation platform that helps CPA exam candidates choose the right prep course, pass the exam, and save money. It publishes expert reviews and side-by-side comparisons of major CPA review providers, distributes exclusive promotional discount codes, and offers free downloadable study tools (CPA Study Guide, CPA Application Guide, BEC formulas guide, CPA Career Guide), monetizing via affiliate commissions from referred course purchases.

Product overview

Crush The CPA Exam operates as a review and discount aggregation platform rather than a direct course provider. The company offers study guidance tools including a CPA Study Guide, CPA Application Guide, 40 Formulas for BEC Section, and a CPA Career Guide. The core platform aggregates reviews and provides exclusive discount codes for third-party CPA exam preparation courses including Becker CPA Review, Gleim CPA Review, UWorld CPA Review (Roger), Surgent CPA Review, Lambers CPA Review, and other supplementary study materials.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Crush The CPA Exam Website and Review Platform Free content and review platform aggregating expert reviews, side-by-side comparisons, and exclusive discount codes for major CPA review course providers (Becker, Gleim, Surgent, UWorld Roger, Lambers). Targeted at individual CPA exam candidates seeking decision support for course selection and study strategy.
• CPA Study Guide Free downloadable study guide resource provided to CPA exam candidates through the Crush The CPA Exam platform.
• CPA Application Guide Free downloadable guide walking candidates through the CPA exam application process, including state-by-state eligibility requirements.
• 40 Formulas for BEC Section Study Guide Free downloadable resource covering the 40 key formulas that CPA candidates must memorize for the BEC (Business Environment and Concepts) exam section.
• CPA Career Guide Free downloadable career guide for aspiring and current CPAs covering accounting career paths, salary benchmarks, and progression advice.
• Exclusive CPA Review Course Discount Codes and Coupons Negotiated promotional codes and coupons providing exclusive discounts on partner CPA review courses (e.g., $1,350 off Becker, $1,250 off Gleim, $629 off Surgent, $1,800 off UWorld Roger), distributed via tracked affiliate links to drive referred course purchases.

Quantifiable outcome

• 49% CPA exam pass rate - Crush The CPA aims to help candidates beat these odds through proper preparation and course selection
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Becker CPA ReviewcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerBecker CPA Review is featured as the #1 recommended CPA review course on Crush The CPA Exam. The platform provides exclusive discount codes ($1,350 off + $300 Amazon gift card) and detailed reviews driving referrals to Becker's CPA exam prep courses.
• Gleim CPA ReviewcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGleim CPA Review is featured as the #2 recommended CPA review course. Crush The CPA Exam offers exclusive discount codes ($1,250 off) and provides comprehensive reviews of Gleim's test bank and adaptive learning features.
• Surgent CPA ReviewcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSurgent CPA Review is featured as a top recommendation, particularly for its adaptive learning technology. Crush The CPA Exam offers exclusive discounts ($629 off Ultimate Pass) and provides detailed feature comparisons.
• UWorld Roger CPA ReviewcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerUWorld Roger CPA Review is featured with exclusive discounts ($1,800 off Elite-Unlimited+ course). The partnership highlights Roger Philipp's video lectures and the platform's SmartPath predictive technology.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• UWorld Roger CPA Review: CPA review course provider built around Roger Philipp's video lectures and UWorld's SmartPath technology. Sits in the same comparison set Crush The CPA Exam reviews, making it a directly adjacent incumbent.
• Becker CPA Review: Largest incumbent CPA exam prep course provider and a core affiliate partner of Crush The CPA Exam. Comparable because it competes for the same candidate's prep dollars, but operates as a direct course provider rather than an affiliate reviewer.
• Investopedia: Large financial education site monetized through affiliate partnerships and advertising. Comparable as a high-traffic affiliate-driven education publisher, though it spans finance broadly rather than focusing on CPA prep.
• Wiley CPAexcel: Wiley's branded CPA review course line, frequently listed in third-party CPA prep comparisons. Comparable as a CPA-specific course provider competing for the candidate's purchase decision.
• Surgent CPA Review: Major CPA review course provider differentiated by adaptive learning technology. Operates in the same candidate funnel as Crush The CPA Exam and is both a featured partner and adjacent competitor.
• Gleim CPA Review: Established CPA exam prep course provider with adaptive learning and a large test bank. Functions as both a key affiliate partner and a downstream competitor for the same candidate wallet.

Direct peers

• Universal CPA Review: Niche CPA exam preparation and review site serving the same U.S. CPA candidate segment with study resources and course guidance. Comparable as a similarly positioned affiliate/content site in the CPA prep funnel.
• Another71: Long-running CPA exam prep community and blog founded by a CPA, monetized largely through affiliate referrals to CPA review course providers. Closest direct comparable to Crush The CPA Exam's content-plus-affiliate model in the same vertical.

Emerging players

• AccountingCoach: Free accounting education platform offering tutorials, practice questions, and study materials aimed at accounting students and candidates. Adjacent because it targets the same learner pool with educational content, though broader than CPA-specific prep.
• CMA Exam Academy: Affiliate/review-driven site covering CMA exam preparation with course comparisons and discount codes. Comparable in business model and content structure, and a natural adjacent vertical if Crush The CPA Exam expands beyond CPA.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/crushthecpaexam
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/crush-the-cpa-exam

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Crush The CPA Exam