Best NCMHCE exam prep: our top picks
- Our pick Licensure Lab $249 for 6 months 170 full cases in the current format, timed 11-case exams, every option explained. We make it. Try a free case
- Most used by passers CounselingExam.com $240 for 90 days Named far more than anything else in first-hand accounts. Big site; some explanations are brief. See plans
- Budget NBCC Foundation guide + an app About $85 Six official cases ($34.95) for the wording, plus Pocket Prep ($50 for 3 months) for content. NBCC prep page
Pick by situation
| If you… | Consider |
|---|---|
| Want what most passers used | CounselingExam.com |
| Are on a tight budget | Free samples, NBCC Foundation’s guide ($34.95, six cases), a question app for content |
| Learn best from a teacher | AATBS live online, PASS the NCMHCE, or a tutor |
| Want a book to read | Mometrix guide or NBCC Foundation’s guide |
| Missed by a few points | A tutor for test-taking, plus timed full cases |
| Want full-length timed exams | Licensure Lab Ours, CounselingExam.com, Clinical Exam Workshop |
All 14 products side by side
| Product | About 3 months | Full exams or cases | Guarantee | Free sample | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CounselingExam.com | $240 (90 days) | Yes; count not stated | Free repeat subscription if you fail | 2-case practice exam | Nov 1 |
| Licensure Lab Ours | $249 (6 months) | 11-case timed exams from 170 cases | None | 1 full case, no account | Nov 1 |
| Mometrix course | $300 ($99.99/month) | 4 full tests, 870+ questions | 7-day refund | None | Nov 1 |
| Mometrix book | $55 one-time | 2 practice tests | 1-year refund | Not shown | Nov 1 |
| AATBS self-study | $279 (3 months) | 2 full exams + 11 cases | Free 3-month extension (6 and 9-month plans) | ~20-minute test | Aug 12 |
| AATBS live online | $329 (3 months) | 2 full exams + 11 cases | Free 3-month extension (6 and 9-month plans) | ~20-minute test | Aug 12 |
| Clinical Exam Workshop | $249 on sale, $299 list (6 months) | 3 full 225-minute exams | Refund if you fail; send your score sheet | Free practice exam | Nov 1 |
| Tests.com | $49.95 one-time, no time limit | 500 questions from 50+ cases | Pass or money back | Free sample | Nov 1 |
| PASS the NCMHCE | $240 ($79.99/month) | 3 full exams + 21 cases | Not shown | Not shown | Nov 1 |
| CounselorExams.com | $260 (60 days) | 12 or 48 cases | Not shown | 1 case | Nov 1 |
| Study.com | $180 ($59.99/month) | 1+ tests | “Risk-free” 30 days | Some questions | Aug 12 |
| Pocket Prep | $50 (3 months) | 1,000 questions | 3 more months free if you fail | 30 questions | Nov 1 |
| NCMHCE Pocket Study | $50 (3 months) | Exam simulations, count not stated | Not shown | Some features | Nov 1 |
| PASS Quick Review | $40 one-time | 68-page guide | Not shown | Not shown | Nov 1 |
All dates are 2026. Every figure is the publisher’s own claim. We did not buy these products, and a listed feature is not an endorsement. AATBS and Study.com blocked our check on November 1. 45 Day Pass was on this list until its website stopped loading on November 1. Prices change; check before you buy.
What test takers said
| Product | Named by | Liked | Complaints |
|---|---|---|---|
| CounselingExam.com | 115 who passed, 24 who failed | Cases close to the real exam, or a little harder | Big, hard-to-navigate site; brief explanations |
| Mometrix | 32 who passed, 3 who failed | Some passed with it alone | Questions unlike the exam; scores swing |
| Clinical Exam Workshop | 12 who passed, 7 who failed | Step-by-step method | Practice tests harder than the exam |
| NBCC Foundation guide | 11 who passed, 1 who failed | Wording closest to the real exam | Only six cases |
| Question apps | Pocket Prep: 9 who passed | Good for content review | Don’t practice the case format |
| Tutors | Not counted | Helped retakers with test-taking | Cost |
Opinions, not tests; some posts may be marketing. “Named by” shows what people used, not what made them pass, and someone who failed and later passed counts on both sides. The usual winning mix was one content source plus a lot of case practice.
Why Licensure Lab
The exam is cases, so the thing to practice most is cases. Here is how many practice cases each product says it includes:
Stand-alone practice cases as each publisher states them, checked November 1, 2026, except AATBS, whose page blocked our check, so its figure is from August 12. Full-length exams are listed separately. CounselingExam.com advertises full exams and case studies but no counts, and Clinical Exam Workshop lists 3 full exams but no case count.
| 170 cases, 2,105 questions | All in the current format, each in three parts that lock like the exam |
|---|---|
| Real exam simulations | 11 cases on the 225-minute clock, built from cases you haven’t reviewed |
| Every option explained | Why the best answer is best and why each other one falls short |
| Your misses come back | Wrong decisions return for focused review |
| $249 for 6 months | About $1.46 per case; try one free first |
See for yourself: one full case, every option explained, no sign-up.
Try a free caseWhat about 3 months of prep costs
People who passed usually studied about two months, often up to three, so this compares the cost of about 90 days on each product’s cheapest fitting plan.
Publisher list prices checked November 1, 2026. AATBS and Study.com blocked our check, so theirs are from August 12. Monthly plans are counted as three months. CounselorExams.com sells 60-day access only. Books cost less: the Mometrix guide is $55 and NBCC Foundation’s official guide is $34.95.
Before you buy, check
- Case format. Full 3-part cases that lock, not just single questions.
- Explanations. Why each wrong option is wrong. Try the free sample.
- Length. The plan covers your study weeks. The study plan builder counts them.
- Guarantee terms. A 2-day refund and a free extension after a fail are very different.
- Exam version. The exam changes on July 1, 2027.
NCMHCE prep FAQ
What is the best NCMHCE prep?
We found no independent ranking of NCMHCE prep products, and no publisher shares verified pass data. Choose on what you can check: whether practice is in the current case format, how many full-length exams you get, whether every answer option is explained, the price for the time you need, and the exact guarantee terms.
How much does NCMHCE prep cost?
Advertised prices for the 14 products we reviewed range from $20.99 a month for a question-bank app to $599.95 for a year of access, with many courses between about $150 and $450. These are publisher list prices as of November 2026.
Which NCMHCE prep do most people use?
In first-hand accounts from people who took the current exam, CounselingExam.com was named far more than any other product by people who passed, followed by Mometrix, Clinical Exam Workshop and NBCC Foundation's official study guide. Most people who passed combined one content source with a lot of case practice.
Not sure you need a course at all? Study materials lists the free options for each part of the exam.
The free practice case is one full NCMHCE-style case: 14 questions, about 20 minutes, no account needed.
Try the free case