Free NCLEX resources: official and vendor options

Short answer: The most reliable free NCLEX resources come from the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN): the 2026 test plans, the Candidate Tutorial, the Exam Preview and a Sample Pack with 3 RN case studies and 2 PN case studies, all on nclex.com. Prep companies add free trials that last from 3 to 30 days or give a set number of questions, but these are samples of paid products, not full courses.

Start with the official resources. NCSBN writes the NCLEX, so its free material shows the real exam software, the real item formats and the real test plan. NCSBN also says it "does not recommend or endorse any review courses or study materials", so it does not rank the vendor options below.

Official free resources from NCSBN

All of these are on NCSBN's Prepare page on nclex.com:

1. Test plans. The 2026 NCLEX-RN and NCLEX-PN test plans are in effect from April 1, 2026 through March 31, 2029. They list every content area with its percentage and explain clinical judgment. NCSBN says candidates "are encouraged to review the NCLEX test plans before their exam appointment."
2. Candidate Tutorial. It helps you "become familiar with the Pearson exam software", in English and in French.
3. Sample Pack. NCSBN says it "Includes 3 RN case studies, 2 PN case studies and additional examples."
4. Exam Preview. It shows how the item types fit into the whole exam.
5. 2026 Candidate Bulletin and NCLEX Information Flyer. These are not practice, but they explain registration, the rules and results.

NCSBN does not sell an official practice exam on nclex.com today. If another site sells an "official NCSBN practice test", check the Prepare page on nclex.com first: it lists only the free resources above.

Free options from prep companies

These are the free offers we read on each company's own page on November 15, 2026. Each is a sample of a paid product.

The limits of free vendor options

• They are short. A 3-day or 7-day trial is enough to judge a product, not to prepare for the exam.
• Some turn into paid plans. Klimek's Starter trial is for a plan that costs US$49 a month. Read the trial terms and set a reminder to cancel if you do not want to pay.
• They ask for your details. Most trials need an account. Hurst's trial form asks for your graduation date and your school's country.
• They show the vendor's style, not NCSBN's. Only NCSBN's Sample Pack and tutorial are written by the body that writes the exam.
• Beware of free copies. Klimek Reviews says content sold outside its own site is pirated and outdated. The same caution applies to any "free PDF" of a paid book or course.

A free study plan that uses these resources

1. Read the test plan for your exam and mark the areas you feel weakest in.
2. Do the Candidate Tutorial once, so the exam screen holds no surprises.
3. Work through the Sample Pack case studies slowly, then again under time.
4. Use one vendor trial at a time, near the end of your plan, to test yourself on new questions.

To decide if and when to pay, see How to choose an NCLEX prep course and NCLEX review courses compared. For exam length and timing, see How many questions are on the NCLEX?.

What to do next

1. Open nclex.com, go to Prepare, and download the test plan and Sample Pack today.
2. Book your free trials for the weeks you can study every day, so no trial days are wasted.
3. Keep a list of the topics you miss in each trial; that list tells you what to buy, if anything.

Common questions

Is the free NCSBN Sample Pack enough practice?

It is a sample, not a full bank. It shows the format; most students need more questions after it.

Are free YouTube videos useful?

They can help with content. Check that the channel belongs to a real company or teacher, such as the Klimek Reviews channel, and that it mentions the 2026 test plan.

Does any free resource predict my result?

No free resource predicts your NCLEX result. NCSBN explains the real scoring in How is the NCLEX scored?.

Prep from our team

NCLEXPace has 3,200+ NCLEX-RN practice questions with rationales, Next Generation NCLEX case studies, CAT Readiness Exams and a personal Study Plan. Plans start from US$59 paid once, nothing renews, and you can try 10 free questions without payment. All Nursing Exams, NCLEXPace and NPractitioner are run by the same team. See NCLEXPace.

Sources

• NCSBN, Prepare for the NCLEX: https://www.nclex.com/prepare.page (checked November 15, 2026)
• NCSBN, Test plans: https://www.nclex.com/test-plans.page (checked November 15, 2026)
• NCSBN, NCLEX frequently asked questions: https://www.nclex.com/faqs.page (checked November 15, 2026)
• NCLEXPace (our own product): https://www.nclexpace.com/pricing (checked November 15, 2026)
• UWorld Nursing, NCLEX-RN Prep Course page (read November 15, 2026)
• Kaplan Test Prep, NCLEX review page (read November 15, 2026)
• Hurst Review, NCLEX-RN page (read November 15, 2026)
• Archer Review, NCLEX-RN page (read November 15, 2026)
• Klimek Reviews, home page and Starter plan page (read November 15, 2026)