4 min read
Best SIE Prep App: Prices, Practice and Course Options
Compare SIE Exam Ready with Achievable and Kaplan by price, access and study format. Kaplan packages start at $99 before discounts, not $199.
- sie-exam
- exam-prep
- study-apps
All authors
Matt Holme
Founder, SIE Exam Ready
Arvada, Colorado
FINRA SIE exam prepSecurities industry fundamentalsAccounting & investing
About Matt Holme
Matt Holme is an accountant and investor. He worked in finance for 15 years, and that career covered the ground the FINRA SIE exam asks about: accounting, investing and the fundamentals of the securities industry.
He then moved into specialist education software. Matt builds educational apps that students actually enjoy using, because study material only works when people come back to it.
Matt founded SIE Exam Ready to apply that approach to the SIE exam. He writes the educational study material on this site and shapes how the practice questions and mock exams work.
He lives in Arvada, Colorado.
Articles by Matt
9 min read
Best SIE Prep Courses by Price and Format, 2026
Compare current SIE prep course prices, access windows and formats. Options run from a free course to $895 coaching, with paid self-study from $99.
- sie-exam-prep
- course-comparison
- study-plan
7 min read
Capital Markets Basics for the SIE Exam (Section 1)
Section 1 of the SIE is 16% of the exam, or 12 scored questions. Covers regulators, market structure, offerings, participants, and economic factors.
- sie-exam
- capital-markets
- exam-sections
7 min read
The Hardest SIE Exam Questions, Worked Through
Five hard SIE practice questions with full answers. See the traps in liquidation priority, cumulative preferred, conversion parity and stock splits.
- sie-exam
- practice-questions
- exam-prep
6 min read
How to Register for the SIE Exam, Step by Step
Open a FINRA account, enroll in the SIE, pay the $100 fee, then book a Prometric seat or an online proctored slot. Here is the full process.
- sie-exam
- registration
- exam-logistics
6 min read
How to Study for the SIE Exam: A Practical Study Plan
Set an honest hour budget for the SIE, split your study time by the four section weights, and follow a six-week plan built on practice questions.
- sie-exam
- study-plan
- exam-prep
6 min read
How to Pass the SIE Exam on Your First Try
First-time tactics for the FINRA SIE exam: weight your hours to the big sections, build question volume, keep an error log, and rehearse exam day.
- sie-exam
- study-plan
- exam-day
6 min read
SIE Exam Cost in 2026: The $100 Fee and What You Really Pay
The SIE exam fee is $100 as of 2026. See what it covers, what each retake costs, and how to budget prep from free to premium.
- sie-exam
- exam-cost
- sie-prep
6 min read
SIE Exam Day: What to Expect From Check-In to Results
A walkthrough of SIE exam day: Prometric check-in, online proctoring, 80 questions in 1 hour 45 minutes, break rules, and how your result reaches you.
- sie-exam
- exam-day
- test-center
6 min read
SIE Exam Difficulty: How Hard Is the SIE Exam?
The SIE is an entry-level exam that covers wide ground at shallow depth. See what makes it hard and how it compares to a top-off exam.
- sie-exam
- exam-difficulty
- study-plan
6 min read
SIE Exam Pass Rate: Why There Is No Official Number
FINRA does not publish an official SIE exam pass rate. Learn why the unofficial numbers are unreliable, and what the passing score of 70 really means.
- sie-exam
- pass-rate
- exam-scoring
7 min read
SIE Products and Their Risks: What Section 2 Covers
Section 2 is 44% of the SIE and 33 scored questions. See the products it covers, the risks it names, and why it earns the most study time.
- sie-exam
- products-and-risks
- study-plan
7 min read
SIE Regulatory Framework Explained: Section 4 of the Exam
Section 4 of the SIE is 9 percent of the exam: 7 scored questions. It covers the regulator map, the securities laws, and the registration rules.
- sie-exam
- regulatory-framework
- finra-rules
7 min read
SIE Section 3: Trading, Customer Accounts and Prohibited Activities
Section 3 is 31% of the SIE and 23 scored questions. Order types, T+1 settlement, account types, best interest, prohibited practices and AML.
- sie-exam
- trading-rules
- customer-accounts
- prohibited-activities
6 min read
SIE vs Series 7: What's the Difference, and Do You Need Both?
The SIE is FINRA's entry exam that anyone 18 or older can take. The Series 7 is a top-off exam that needs firm sponsorship. See how the two compare.
- sie-exam
- series-7
- sie-license
6 min read
What Happens If You Fail the SIE Exam
FINRA's SIE FAQ gives 30/180-day retake waits, while its amended rulebook shows 15/60. Understand the implementation distinction before booking.
- sie-exam
- sie-retake
- exam-rules
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