An NCLEX prep app gives you practice questions, video lessons and mock exams for the NCLEX-RN or NCLEX-PN on your phone. Some are built around daily questions, some around videos and memory tricks and some are companions to full courses. Ten options follow, in no particular order.
Nursing graduates often come out of school with plenty of knowledge and very little practice at the kind of thinking the NCLEX rewards. That's the gap a good prep app fills: lots of questions, explained well, in the minutes you have between shifts.
The apps below are listed alphabetically and in no particular order, and each description comes from the provider's own App Store listing, read this week. If you're also thinking about work after you pass, my guide to registered nurse remote jobs covers what's out there.
NCLEX prep apps at a glance
I checked the free plan column on each provider's own App Store listing, as of Oct 2026. Yes means the page names a free plan, a free version, a free tier of questions, free membership or free listing. Trial only means a time-limited trial. Not stated means the page I read named neither, even where there's a download button or a button inviting you to start, so check the provider's own page before you sign up.
| Tool | Type | Good for | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archer Review NCLEX | Next Generation NCLEX prep app | Focused, high-yield practice | Not stated |
| Lecturio Nursing | Video and question app | Video lessons with free access | Yes |
| NCLEX 2026 Simple Exam Prep | Daily practice and study plan app | A personal study plan | Not stated |
| NCLEX RN Mastery | Daily question app | Ten free questions every day | Yes |
| NURSING.com | Nursing school and NCLEX app | Nursing school grades and the NCLEX | Not stated |
| Picmonic Nursing | Mnemonic video app | Remembering facts with pictures | Trial only |
| Pocket Prep NCLEX RN | Question bank with mock exams | Short practice in spare minutes | Yes |
| Saunders Comprehensive Review NCLEX-RN | Review book app | The classic review book on a phone | Yes |
| SimpleNursing | Video-led nursing study app | Memory tricks in short videos | Not stated |
| UWorld Nursing | Course companion app | Linking a desktop course to mobile | Trial only |
Ten NCLEX prep apps worth a look
Archer Review NCLEX
Best for: Graduates who want high-yield, focused prep for the Next Generation NCLEX from a provider built around keeping prep within reach.
Lecturio Nursing
Best for: Learners who want to start with free access to hundreds of videos and recall questions, then add more as exams get close.
NCLEX 2026 Simple Exam Prep
Best for: Planners who want daily questions, practice quizzes and a personal study plan written by licensed nurse educators.
NCLEX RN Mastery
Best for: Graduates who'd like to begin with 10 free NCLEX-style questions a day, written by US registered nurses, before going further.
NURSING.com
Best for: Students still in nursing school who want help with class grades now and the NCLEX later, in the same app.
Picmonic Nursing
Best for: Visual learners who remember better with picture mnemonics and spaced repetition quizzes, with 5 days of free access to start.
Pocket Prep NCLEX RN
Best for: Busy nursing students who study in spare minutes and want free practice questions to start, then full-length mock exams later.
Saunders Comprehensive Review NCLEX-RN
Best for: Fans of the well-known Saunders review book who want its content and questions on a phone, starting with free sample chapters.
SimpleNursing
Best for: Students who learn through fun, visual videos full of test tips and memory tricks, alongside study guides and questions.
UWorld Nursing
Best for: UWorld nursing students who want their course on their phone, with free trials named for the NCLEX-RN and NCLEX-PN.
Matching an app to how you study
- You want to start free: NCLEX RN Mastery, Pocket Prep NCLEX RN, Lecturio Nursing.
- You remember pictures better than text: Picmonic Nursing, SimpleNursing.
- You already use a review book: Saunders Comprehensive Review NCLEX-RN.
- You're still in nursing school: NURSING.com.
- You want focused Next Generation NCLEX prep: Archer Review NCLEX.
How the Next Generation NCLEX works
The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) says the Next Generation NCLEX launched on April 1, 2023. It was built to better measure clinical judgment and decision making, using new item types and real-world case studies.
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The exam is also adaptive. NCSBN explains that each question is targeted to your ability, and for most candidates the computer stops once it's 95% certain whether you're above or below the passing standard. That's why two people can finish after very different numbers of questions.
What that means for your app
Quick recall questions still help, but they're not enough on their own. Look for an app with case-study style questions that walk you through a patient and ask what you'd notice, prioritise and do.
Because the exam adapts, every question will feel hard. Practise staying calm through a run of tough questions, and don't read too much into how many you get before the exam ends.
A six-week plan
- Weeks 1 and 2: daily topic questions in your weakest areas.
- Weeks 3 and 4: mixed questions and case studies every day.
- Week 5: two full mock exams, reviewing every answer.
- Week 6: light review, sleep and one last confidence-building mock.
Heading toward medical school instead? Pre-med students are covered in a roundup of MCAT prep apps.
Features worth checking
- Case study questions. The listing should mention the Next Generation NCLEX or clinical judgment.
- RN or PN. Make sure the app covers the exam you're sitting.
- Detailed rationales. You learn most from why an answer is right or wrong.
- Mock exams. Full-length practice builds stamina.
Do you make nursing education or exam prep apps? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My plain advice on NCLEX prep apps
Choose one question app with strong rationales and case studies, use it every day and take at least two full mocks before your date. If you're a visual learner, add a video or mnemonic app, but keep the question bank as the centre of your prep.
Short on resources? My guide on how to find free exam study materials lists more places to look.
Frequently asked questions
When did the Next Generation NCLEX start?
NCSBN says the Next Generation NCLEX launched on April 1, 2023.
How does the NCLEX decide if I pass?
It's adaptive: for most candidates it stops once it's 95% certain whether you're above or below the passing standard.
Are there free NCLEX prep apps?
Several apps here name free daily questions, free sample chapters or free access to some content, so check the free plan column.
Do these apps cover the NCLEX-PN?
Some do, so check each listing names the exam you're sitting.
What kind of questions should I practise?
Practise case-study style questions that test clinical judgment, as well as quick recall questions.
How many practice questions should I do?
Aim for daily practice plus full mock exams, and review every rationale rather than chasing a number.
