The demand for certified Project Management Professionals (PMP) continues to grow. However, the PMP exam is a lengthy and comprehensive test to ensure that certified professionals meet industry-wide standards in the practice of project management. Using an exam simulator is an important strategy for successful preparation that boosts a professional’s chances of passing the exams on their first attempt.
Table of contents
- What is a PMP Exam Simulator
- Top PMP Exam Simulators
- Ready to try a PMP Exam Simulator?
- Featured Partners: Project Management Software
What is a PMP Exam Simulator?
The PMP exam is a 4-hour, multiple-choice, computer-based exam. The questions are mostly based on the contents of the PMBOK Guide, with the latest (7th) edition published in October 2021. A PMP exam simulator is a software-based examination accessible via a desktop or online that provides an environment similar to that of the actual PMP exam.
A PMP exam simulator gives aspiring PMPs a chance to practice taking the test in advance. It presents realistic exam questions with the same proportions as they’ll find in the real test. For instance, the latest exam content outline (ECO) has questions in three domains: People (42%), Process (50%), and Business Environment (8%). A simulator allows aspirants to practice, to identify areas for improvement, and gain more confidence in tackling the real exam.
Read also: How I Made Sure I Would Pass The PMP Exam
Top PMP Exam Simulators
Here are ten PMP exam simulators worth checking out.
Master of Project Academy
Master of Project Academy is an e-learning company based in New York. It offers its PMP Exam Simulator consisting of nine simulation exams—with more than 1,600 PMP exam questions. It claims to update realistic online exam questions regularly based on the latest PMI-issued exams.
Students access the practice exams from any Internet-connected device. After completing each exam, students can immediately see the results with a detailed explanation of questions and rationales. The Lifetime Access Plan is $177.
Pros
- Free demo
- Well-written, updated questions
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Cons
- Misleading statement of earning 35 contact hours when using the simulator
- Many questions are still focused on processes, not principles
RMC PM Fast Track
RMC Learning Solutions is a PMI Registered Education Provider that offers several learning packages including live classes, a virtual classroom, e-learning, and self-study through exam prep, exam simulator, and workbooks. It offers several PMP exam simulation cloud subscription products for on-demand use.
PM Fast Track Cloud Version 10 comes in several packages. A 3-month access package, priced at $149, includes fully balanced, randomized, and timed exam simulations comprised of 180 questions. Users can take unlimited simulation exams, and no-repeat questions from the previous four simulations will appear. PM Fast Track Cloud also has integrated 10-minute breaks and a review mode with brief explanations of the correct answer.
Pros
- Available in English, Spanish, and Portuguese
- Clean UI
- Free demo
Cons
- As practice time increases, the same questions appear
- Occasional issues during registration
PMTraining
PMTraining is a PMP training and exam preparation class provider founded by Christopher Scordo. The company’s Professional PMP Practice Exams follow the latest 2022 PMP Exam Content Outline. Students have access to more 1,100 realistic practice exam questions. Each question comes with explanations and the corresponding page reference to the PMBOK Guide 7th Edition and Agile Practice Guide.
PMTraining’s PMP Practice Exams cost $68 for 90 days of access and include 25 condensed mock exams, performance domain tests, and focus area tests. Users can create their own tests using its database of test questions as well as access personalized reports, exam dashboards, tips, and video tutorials.
Pros
- Free demo
- Analytical questions
- Performance measurement tool
Cons
- Issues with after-sales service
- Lacking in the latest style of exam questions like limited fill-in-the-blank questions
Prepcast
The PrepCast PM Exam Simulator gives users access to 2,280 exam questions with detailed explanations. It has been fully updated for the latest PMP ECO. At $149, users get 90 days of unlimited access. They also get detailed explanations alongside answers so users get to understand the rationale behind the correct answer.
The PrepCast exam simulator includes four full exams and one input, tools, techniques, and outputs (ITTO) exam. The simulator also includes a separate pool of questions for quizzes, a mark-for-review feature, and several modes including exam, timed, and review modes. An Elite bundle at $349 offers users both the simulator and exam prep training.
Pros
- Hint feature
- Detailed explanations for all answers, right and wrong
- Subject matter expert assistance
Cons
- Users wish for a bigger font size
- Some users encountered agile questions that are too focused on minor details
PM Master Prep
PM Master Prep is a provider of a 7-day PMP accelerator program developed by Scott Payne. Its PMP Exam Super Simulator offering is an online simulation platform that includes quizzes that help identify and eliminate test takers’ weak areas.
PM Master Prep simulator includes more than 2,100 realistic questions aligned to the new 2021 exam covering agile, waterfall, and hybrid topics, among others. Priced at $149 with lifetime access, users get unlimited full-length exams, detailed explanations for every answer, and additional study tools.
Pros
- Lifetime access with updates
- Additional study tools
- Very high customer ratings
Cons
- No free demo
- Information on website could be better organized
BrainBOK
BrainBOK is a PMP and CAPM certification online training course provider. It also offers a full-featured Exam Simulator that includes 6 full-length exams, more than 1260 questions, one dedicated formula-based exam, and one exam based on direct questions from the PMBOK Guide.
Priced at $89.99, the PMP exam pack is accessible for 90 days. It includes a mastery builder that tracks exam performance and identifies questions that require more practice. Each question comes with a detailed answer explanation and reference links to help reinforce concepts. Other features include a review grid, unanswered mode, save and resume session, score report, and student feedback system.
Pros
- Affordable plans including a free basic plan
- Fully featured simulator
- Effective Mastery mode feature
Cons
- No live online support
- No mention of exams getting updated with the latest ECO and question styles
Brain Sensei
Brain Sensei provides PMP and CAPM online, self-paced exam prep courses. Its PMP Exam Simulator is priced at $119.99 accessible for 6 months. The simulator includes 3 full practice exams, and more than 1,500 questions updated for the 2022 exam. Questions also include material from the latest PMBOK Guide 7th Edition.
Brain Sensei PMP Exam Simulator allows users to take unlimited practice. It also has a glossary review, acronym review, and customer support.
Pros
- Affordable plan
- Provides answer explanations
- Unlimited retakes
Cons
- No free demo
- Some customers feel questions need updating
Simplilearn
Simplilearn offers online certification training courses for professionals, and PMP certification is one of its popular courses. It offers a lifetime PMP Exam Practice Test priced at $149. It includes four simulation exams of 180 questions each for a total of 720 questions.
The Practice Test provides similar test environment in its online PMP mock test. All practice test solutions come with detailed reasoning. Although no free demo is available, the site includes an article that gives 20 examples of the top PMP questions and their answers.
Pros
- Lifetime access
- Self-paced
- 24×7 assistance and support
Cons
- No free demo
- Limited tries
EduHubSpot
EduHubSpot is a professional training provider of PMP and CAPM for both classroom and online setting. It also offers several PMP Practice Test simulator packages. The Test Package, priced at $119.99, includes 720 scenario-based practice questions or an equivalent of 4 full-length tests.
EduHubSpot’s PMP exam simulator also contains 406 situational practice questions and 100 PMP maths and numerical-type questions. The Test Package comes with over 750 question explanation videos. Access to the exam simulator is good for 90 days.
Pros
- Affordable plan
- Simple interface
- Includes the latest ECO with predictive, agile, and hybrid topics
Cons
- No free demo
- Limited question database
Grey Campus
GreyCampus is a provider of online professional certification training through instructor-led boot camps, self-paced courses, expert sessions, and masterclasses. It also offers free practice tests from its resource library on professional certifications. Its free PMP practice exam includes one full-length simulated exam with 200 questions.
The GreyCampus PMP practice exam aligns with the latest PMBOK and 2021 PMP ECO. Users get a real exam experience through its interface and quality of questions. It also provides complete solutions to all the questions as well as a detailed analysis of users’ exam attempts.
Pros
- Free exam
- Complete explanation of solutions
- Exam performance analysis
Cons
- Single exam
- Limited support
Read also: Top 7 Reasons Why Aspirants Fail In The PMP Exam
Ready to try PMP Exam Simulators?
Successful PMP exam passers attest to the value of taking mock questions and practice exams. A PMP exam simulator is a critical tool for proper test preparation because it raises your confidence, along with increasing the chances of success for the real test. The best exam simulators give students the ability to work through questions within a time limit. Simulators that give varying degrees of difficult questions and detailed explanations of the correct answer are also the most helpful in preparing test-takers.
