Brain Sensei and PM PrepCast are popular Project Management Professional (PMP) Exam training providers. If you are looking for a training program to earn 35 contact hours and struggling to select one of these two, this Brain Sensei vs PM PrepCast comparison will help you decide.
In this article, I will compare these two platforms to provide helpful information about which training provider to select.
Before I start my comparison, please note that Brain Sensei offers a package with PMP training and practice questions. PM PrepCast offers several packages: PM PrepCast Basic, which provides only training; PM PrepCast Elite, which adds the PM Exam Simulator to the training; and PM PrepCast Elite Plus, which includes training sessions, an exam simulator, a formula guide, and study coach.
Therefore, I will compare Brain Sensei Vs PM PrepCast Elite Plus to make this comparison fair.
Brain Sensei Vs PM PrepCast
Let’s start with a bit of background information on Brain Sensei.
Brain Sensei offers a cutting-edge, non-traditional study method focusing on animations, fun, engagement, and interaction while preparing its students for the PMP examination. It offers a robust 35 hours of teaching necessary to pass the exam through the story of a Samurai.
The creators, John Estrella and Chris Stafford, who have over 20 years of experience in project management, developed a narrative teaching method after they observed that existing online PMP exam courses were too boring.
The available courses were lacking life, which they aimed to change. As their tagline says, “eLearning with a punch” is what they have achieved by creating the Brain Sensei courses.
To transform online learning into an engaging process, they created an online learning system that empowers students to pass their examinations and makes learning enriching and interesting. They use storytelling, which has been scientifically proven to be a more effective learning method, to keep students engaged while learning.
Read my in-depth Brain Sensei Review.
Now, we come to the PM PrepCast.
PM PrepCast is a traditional approach to online teaching. It follows best practices to ensure that its students master the information. This course has existed in the market since 2006; way before Brain Sensei, PM PrepCast has helped over 62,000 project managers prepare for the PMP exam.
Cornelius Fichtner developed PM PrepCast. With over 20 years of experience in project management, Fichtner was the PMI Chapter President and is now an active member of his local PMI chapter. Not only that, but he is also the founding member of PMI’s New Media Council and Social Media Advisory Group.
The main difference between both exam preparation programs is their pedagogical method. Brain Sensei uses a modern interactive method, whereas PM PrepCast is a traditional study system. While the former focuses on interactive teaching, the latter is best suited for conventional professionals.
Read my in-depth PM PrepCast review.
BRAIN SENSEI VS PM PREPCAST | Interface
Brain Sensei
Brain Sensei’s interface and website design are clear but less detailed than PM PrepCast. Both include their product description on their sales page, but PM PrepCast includes more details. We did note that Brain Sensei clearly shows that you get one full year of access (we couldn’t find access duration on the PM PrepCast site, except 90-day access to The PrepCast PMP Exam Simulator for the Elite users).
The website follows a more modern, easy-on-the-eye design approach that gives you an idea of what you’re getting into without too much literature. We hope they add more product details on their sales page in the future, as they provide all the study material you need to pass your exam.
On the right-hand side of the site, you can see product reviews of learners who have passed the exam using Brain Sensei courses.
Click here to check out their website today.
Use coupon code PMSC10 to receive a 10% discount.
PM PrepCast
PM PrepCast has a more content-rich website that provides thorough product information.
PM PrepCast includes more information about the courses and describes everything in detail, ensuring buyers can find all the information about the product. However, I couldn’t find out how long you will have access to the course once you purchase it.
The reviews on the main page reveal what others think about the product. The blue layout color and several reference images, videos, and graphics engage the user and deliver a positive experience.
On PM PrepCast’s home page, you can also play a sample video of one module to understand the study material and the platform’s offerings.
However, PM PrepCast’s interface drags a bit, which becomes increasingly frustrating as you explore pages like the pricing page and the support forum. It seems outdated and a little too detailed.
Click here to check out their website today.
BRAIN SENSEI VS PM PREPCAST | PMP Exam Prep
Brain Sensei
Brain Sensei offers the PMP exam course with a 100% refund guarantee, success or pass rate, and risk-free investment. It includes the 35 contact hours required to take the PMP exam.
Brain Sensei has been helping people pass their project management certifications since 2013 and boasts a 99.6% pass rate on the exam for their students. They’ve helped more than 15,000 people from 76 countries pass their exams.
The course covers everything you need, including predictive, Agile, and hybrid project management methodologies. Its format and syllabus ensure you are well-prepared for the latest exam. It has all the content you would expect from a traditional PMP exam prep company, plus the added benefit of animation, interactivity, and science-based memorization tools (they call this Spaced Repetition Sequence or SRS).
Brain Sensei’s exam questions are psychometrically adjusted. This means that questions are constantly assessed for being either too difficult or too easy and adjusted accordingly, ensuring that the learner can more accurately gauge their understanding of the material. With their practice questions, Brain Sensei opts for quality over quantity.
Here is what this PMP exam course offers:
- Your 35 contact/education hours
- Nine story-based interactive eLearning modules
- A personal instructor in the form of an animated “sensei”
- Unlimited full practice exams (exam simulators)
- 1,500 psychometrically adjusted practice questions
- One full year of access
- Base knowledge assessments
- Discovery questions to reveal your problem areas in the syllabus
- Thirteen exciting and fun storyline challenges
- Key knowledge point summaries for each process
- Facebook support group
- Follow up emails
- Proactive and speedy customer support
- Formula guide
- PMBOK guide process chart
- Flashcards
- SRS (Spaced Repetition System) Memory map
- Glossary, Tips & Tricks, study assistance
Use coupon code PMSC10 to receive a 10% discount.
PM PrepCast
PM PrepCast promises you will ace the PMP examination with one of the world’s most popular video training courses. Like Brain Sensei, PM PrepCast has a dedicated 35 contact hours that you need to prepare for, sit, and pass the examination. It has over 50 hours of video sessions.
It reduces in-person training costs by providing excellent teachers and resource materials online.
Their course is trusted by over 62,747 project managers across 160+ countries. It allows you to study from anywhere through your phone, PC, or tablet.
Now, we come to sample questions.
This PMP Exam Simulator features over 2,070+ PMP exam sample questions. You can take four practice exams, each consisting of 180 and 720 questions, and there is a separate pool with 1,350 practice questions.
Read my in-depth review of the PMP Exam Simulator by Cornelius Fichtner.
I have tried questions from both simulators. Brain Sensei has a great collection of questions, but the PMP Exam Simulator provides more questions, better appearance, reporting, and feedback. The PM Exam simulator offers 2,070+ questions, more than double that of Brain Sensei.
However, as mentioned, Brain Sensei’s questions are psychometrically adjusted and constantly updated. And It’s not just about quantity, after all.
The live feedback feature in the PM Exam Simulator is especially helpful. It allows you to ask for help in the same window when you encounter difficulty with a question.
Here is what the PM PrepCast Elite Plus offers:
- 35 contact hours certificate
- 25 Agile and hybrid project management concepts
- Over two thousand practice questions
- Time flexibility
- Over fifty hours of webinars
- Real-life examples to suit the course concepts
- Knowledge area overview lessons and articles
- Lessons based on the role of the project manager
- All tools, techniques, outputs, and input reviews
- 2,070 practice questions
- Four practice tests
- Live feedback
- PMP Exam Formula Study Guide
- PM StudyCoach Guidebook
Overall, I find PM PrepCast’s offering to include more practice questions than Brain Sensei’s, but beyond that, it comes down to a learner’s personal preference on approach.
BRAIN SENSEI VS PM PREPCAST | CAPM Exam Prep
Despite the primary focus of both platforms on PMP exam prep, they also provide training for the Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM). Let us review both platforms.
Brain Sensei
Brain Sensei offers comprehensive training for the CAPM exam with guides and questionnaires that prepare you for the certification. They ensure that you cover all the blind spots and prepare you to answer all questions in the examination. They offer up-to-date course material so you do not miss out on anything, and they provide you with 23 contact hours required for exam preparation.
Brain Sensei promises the same things for its CAPM course as the PMP: a full refund guarantee, certification pass, and risk-free investment. If you are unsatisfied with the platform’s services, you can ask for a full refund within 30 days, which they will happily provide with no questions.
Here is what the CAPM exam prep course offers:
- Nine interactive eLearning modules
- Four full practice exams (exam simulators)
- One year of access
- Your 23 contact/education hours
- 1,500 practice questions
- Basic knowledge assessments
- Discovery questions
- Facebook support group
- Key knowledge point summaries
- Exciting storyline challenges
- Self-assessments to track progress
- Follow up emails
- Speedy customer support
- 13 exciting storyline challenges to complete
Learn more by clicking here.
Use coupon code PMSC10 to receive a 10% discount.
PM PrepCast for CAPM
PM PrepCast for CAPM empowers you to stand out from the crowd by teaching the skills, tools, techniques, and knowledge you need to become a certified associate in project management.
It provides video-based training to master the concepts, using the PMBOK guidebook to ensure you have everything you need. It gives realistic and relatable examples to make studying easier and prepare you to surpass the competition.
All study materials are downloadable, so you can access them offline and on any device.
Here is what this course offers:
- 570 CAPM exam sample questions prep questions
- 3 complete exams with 150 questions each
- Separate quiz pool with 120 questions
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Over seven additional bonus items to keep you engaged and motivated
- 23 contact hours certificate
- 19 Agile & Hybrid lessons
- Self-assessment questions
- Instant access to the course
- Advanced concepts
- Downloadable lessons
Like the PMP exam course offered by PM PrepCast, the CAPM exam course comes in two different versions. It lets you choose according to your level of preparedness and only pay for what you need.
For example, choose their basic subscription if you only need a basic course. Select the elite course if you wish to have 90-day access to their CAPM exam simulator and training lessons.
BRAIN SENSEI VS PM PREPCAST | Pros
Brain Sensei
- Engaging narrative-based lessons with an interactive wand
- The required 35 contact hours
- 100% pass guarantee.
- 100% risk-free investment with a 100% refund policy
- One year of access
- Robust and dynamic practice questions, mock exams, and quizzes
- Mobile-friendly (requires Internet) and some downloadable content
- Personal and amusing online animated instructor
- Real-time detailed tracking
- Six modules on how to be the perfect project manager
- Free access to the first module
- Dedicated blog and podcast to solve all the common queries and questions
- Exam outlines available on the platform
- Certification guides and handbooks
- Speedy customer support
- Military scholarship of 10% for retired or current military personnel
Get access to their course here.
Use coupon code PMSC10 to receive a 10% discount.
PM PrepCast
- Over 50 hours of video content
- Opportunity to save money with their course subscription, based on knowledge levels
- Mobile-friendly and downloadable content
- 35 contact hours certificate provision
- Top consumer reviews by names like Google, Facebook, and more
- Allows you to move at your own pace
- Covers complex and advanced concepts
- User-friendly course interface
- Comprehensive webinars
- Free email courses
- Exam simulators for both PMP and CAPM
- Free forum access
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Definitive formula directory
- PMP prep lessons and interviews for better preparedness
Get access to their course here.
BRAIN SENSEI VS PM PREPCAST | Cons
Brain Sensei
- Less detailed website layout
- Fewer practice questions
- It is not ideal for students who prefer the traditional learning style
PM PrepCast
- No progress tracking for training sessions
- The course is not interactive at all and follows the online pre-recorded video method for teaching
- It is not ideal for students who desire engaging study material
BRAIN SENSEI VS PM PREPCAST | Support
Brain Sensei
Brain Sensei has a proactive support team of experts and professionals who are always ready to solve your queries. The founders sometimes jump in to help students with their questions. They reply in less than one hour and are available Monday through Friday.
Brain Sensei also has a Facebook support group where members can ask questions, and the community members will answer them promptly.
Use coupon code PMSC10 to receive a 10% discount.
PM PrepCast
PM PrepCast also has a team of professionals to work with you to solve your queries. They have a discussion forum where you can share your issues.
If you wish to connect with one of their professionals online, contacting them by email is a good option. They respond promptly with suitable solutions.
BRAIN SENSEI VS PM PREPCAST | Pricing
Brain Sensei
Brain Sensei’s complete PMP course costs a flat rate of 349.99 USD for one year of access. At the same time, its complete CAPM course prep costs 349.99 USD. They frequently have promotions on their site to ensure they have the best value/price over their competitors.
Use coupon code PMSC10 to receive a 10% discount.
PM PrepCast
PM PrepCast’s Basic training course for the PMP exam costs 279 USD. Its Elite training course costs 349 USD, including an exam simulator (149 USD) and the Elite Plus package (389 USD).
Conclusion
I have compared Brain Sensei and PM PrepCast in every aspect. Each platform is targeted at and more suitable for a specific type of student.
Brain Sensei is designed for a modern generation that likes to interact, engage, and have fun while studying. The animations, click-heavy course materials, Samurai instructor, and clear interface make Brain Sensei ideal for students weary of sitting in front of their computers and listening passively to an automated voice video. Its modern teaching approach addresses modern learning challenges—such as short attention spans and distractions.
Even though Brain Sensei is more expensive than PM PrepCast, its excellent self-study material, challenges, tips, tricks, and thorough modules make it worth every penny. The trial and the 100% satisfaction guarantee refund ensure you are in safe hands. On the other hand, PM PrepCast follows traditional online teaching. Their modules offer more instruction hours and teach everything from basic to advanced project management.
PM PrepCast is cheaper than Brain Sensei and offers more practice questions. If you are a traditional learner, this is a perfect choice. But, if you wish to have engaging training, I suggest you choose Brain Sensei.
I have thoroughly covered the comparison between Brain Sensei and PM PrepCast. I hope it was useful to you.
Some links in this post are affiliate links, and I will earn a commission if you purchase after clicking. Please understand that I recommend these resources because they are useful, not just because of my commissions. Please do not purchase unless you need the materials to achieve your goals. Read the disclaimer.
I am Mohammad Fahad Usmani, B.E. PMP, PMI-RMP. I have been blogging on project management topics since 2011. To date, thousands of professionals have passed the PMP exam using my resources.
