When you’re ready to become a real estate agent, Real Estate Express and The CE Shop offer great options. These are two of the best online real estate schools to consider. Both offer affordable pre-licensing education, and much more.
Even if you’re already a real estate agent and you need continuing education courses, you can find them from both of these schools. Before you choose, a full comparison is necessary.
Real Estate Express and The CE Shop can provide just what you need. However, they are different and offer different options. Let’s compare these two online real estate schools.
Real Estate Express Overview
Known as one of the most popular online real estate schools, Real Estate Express has been around since 1996. They were considered to be one of the first online real estate education options.
Real Estate Express offers tens of thousands of new real estate agents what they need every year. They are a part of the Colibri Group, which offers learning solutions to all types of professionals.
Pros
- Offers accreditation from the Association of Real Estate License Law Officials (ARELLO)
- Offers accreditation from the International Distance Education Certification Center (IDECC)
- Provides very experienced and state-approved teachers
- Offers both a self-paced and a Livestream option in most states for pre-licensing education
- Some packages come with a live Q&A with instructors
- Offers a Pass Guarantee for the exam with some packages
- Courses can be taken on tablets, computers, or smartphones
- One of the most affordable online real estate schools
Cons
- Only gives you access to the course material for six months
- Some student reviews state the material is boring
The CE Shop Overview
The CE Shop has been providing new real estate agents with a great online option for many years. They have a solid reputation and have become one of the most trusted options for real estate education.
The pre-licensing programs have won several awards, too. If you’re looking for a top option, The CE Shop is a good option.
Pros
- Offers accreditation from the Association of Real Estate License Law Officials (ARELLO)
- Comes with a five-day free trial
- Offers a 30-day money-back guarantee
- Some packages include an Exam Pass guarantee
- Gives you 24/7 customer support
- Content is interactive and engaging
- Offers supplemental material to help new agents start their career
Cons
- Only provides exam prep at the state level in some states
- Comes in at a higher price than some other online real estate education providers
Real Estate Express vs The CE Shop: Availability
Both Real Estate Express and The CE Shop offer pre-licensing courses in many states. Real Estate Express offers pre-licensing courses in 34 states. The CE Shop has just a few more states at 39. Both offer courses in the District of Columbia.
The states where Real Estate Express offers pre-licensing education include:
- Alaska
- Arkansas
- Arizona
- California
- Colorado
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Jersey
- New York
- Oklahoma
- Pennsylvania
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- Wyoming
You can complete all your pre-licensing courses in any of these states with Real Estate Express.
If you choose The CE Shop, you will have access to pre-licensing courses in the following states:
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- Arizona
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Nevada
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- Wisconsin
These are the states The CE Shop covers for pre-licensing education.
While both Real Estate Express and The CE Shop cover quite a few states, neither covers all 50. They have many states in common, but both offer pre-licensing education in states the other one doesn’t.
Since The CE Shop offers pre-licensing education in more states, it’s the winner in this category.
Real Estate Express vs The CE Shop: Types of Courses Offered
While we already know Real Estate Express and The CE Shop both offer pre-licensing courses, they also offer other forms of real estate education. When you enter this industry, you’ll need to remain educated. Both Real Estate Express and The CE Shop offer the following course options:
- Pre-licensing
- Post-licensing
- License Upgrade
- Continuing Education
Both offer these options in most states, so it’s a tie between Real Estate Express and The CE Shop in this category.
Real Estate Express vs The CE Shop: Features of Pre-Licensing Education
When you compare the features of the pre-licensing courses from Real Estate Express and The CE Shop, it will vary a bit from state to state. Let’s look at the features offered in Texas from both.
Real Estate Express Pre-Licensing Features
Real Estate Express offers both online and Livestream packages. The online packages will be self-paced, while Livestream packages will come with a schedule.
The features of these pre-licensing courses include:
- Complete pre-licensing education courses
- Digital flashcards
- Instructor support
- Real Estate eBooks
- Pass or Don’t Pay Guarantee
- Exam Prep
- Real Estate Dictionary
- Q&A with instructors
- Exam Cram webinar
- 90-day Boot Camp
Some of these features require an upgraded package, however.
The CE Shop Pre-licensing Features
The pre-licensing options from The CE Shop are only self-paced. There is no Livestream option. You will get the following features from The CE Shop:
- Complete pre-licensing course
- Business eBooks from experts
- Career resources
- Downloadable resources
- Study schedule
- Digital flashcards
- Real estate glossary
- Exam prep edge
- Pass guarantee
- Business building courses
Some of these features are not available in all packages.
Overall, the features from both Real Estate Express and The CE Shop are very good. They are pretty similar with a few small differences. However, since Real Estate Express offers a Livestream option, they win this category.
Real Estate Express vs The CE Shop: The Cost
Whether you choose Real Estate Express or The CE Shop, you will probably look at the cost. Both offer affordable options and the cost will vary from one state to another. Some states require more pre-licensing education, making the cost higher. Let’s look at the state of Texas for the cost of pre-licensing education.
Real Estate Express Pre-Licensing Cost
The pre-licensing course packages from Real Estate Express range from $549 to $859. This is the regular price, which is often discounted up to 25%. If you prefer the Livestream course, it will cost $859.
The CE Shop Pre-licensing Cost
The CE Shop has packages ranging from $629 to $829 for pre-licensing courses in Texas. You can choose to pay per month and spread out the cost a bit.
Cost of Post-Licensing Courses
In Texas, you will need to complete a 90-hour post-licensing course. Not all states require this course, but some will have a post-licensing course. Usually, this has to be done in your first year as a real estate agent.
If you choose to buy this course from Real Estate Express, the cost will be $249. However, you can also get it included in the highest-level pre-licensing education package.
With The CE Shop, you can get the same package for $389. They also offer a package with the Legal Updates I and II for $429 or one that also includes Broker Responsibility for $455.
All the individual courses are also available from The CE Shop. They will either cost $39 or $135, depending on the course.
Cost of Continuing Education Courses
Real Estate Express doesn’t offer continuing education courses in Texas and many other states. Instead, they have partnered with McKissock Learning. You can take the courses you need with 18-hour renewal packages for $139.95 or you can get a CE Plus Membership for $182. Both options can be used to renew your real estate license.
McKissock Learning also offers individual courses at different prices. The prices range from about $26 to $60 per course.
The CE Shop offers several packages to choose from for continuing education. These packages range from $55 to $129 in Texas and include from 8 to 18 hours of CE credits. You can also get individual courses ranging from $29 to $59.
While both Real Estate Express and The CE Shop are rather affordable, one is a bit more affordable. Real Estate Express edges out The CE Shop when it comes to the cost.
Real Estate Express vs The CE Shop: Student Reviews
Looking at what past students have to say makes a big difference. It can help you decide between Real Estate Express and The CE Shop.
The student reviews on Indeed.com for Real Estate Express are mostly positive. They have a 4.2/5-star rating, overall. However, the recent reviews show several not-so-happy customers.
The CE Shop has excellent reviews found on Trustpilot. They have a 4.5/5-star rating with thousands of reviews. About 84% of the reviews rated The CE Shop as excellent with another 10% rating them as great. Only about 4% of the reviews are not so great.
When it comes to student reviews, the clear winner is The CE Shop. While Real Estate Express does have a high rating, they don’t have that many reviews and it’s pretty easy to find a bad review.
Real Estate Express vs The CE Shop: Which One is the Best?
It’s common to read a comparison of two real estate schools without a clear answer to this question. Sometimes, it’s like comparing apples to oranges. One school might fit better for a specific learning style, while another might fit better for a different style.
In the case of Real Estate Express vs The CE Shop, there is a clear winner, sort of. It depends on what you’re looking for. Overall, The CE Shop has more to offer and better student reviews. However Real Estate Express is a little more affordable and offers a Livestream option in some states.
Both are widely available in more than 30 states. If you don’t have access to both in your state, the decision is a bit easier. However, when you have access to both, it can be a bit harder to choose.
The Case for The CE Shop
The CE Shop offers cutting-edge career resources to help you after you get your license. The Agent Essentials resource page gives you a ton of helpful tips, advice, and trending topics. This section, alone, can be worth the extra cost.
You will also get extended customer service with The CE Shop. They offer an online chat option and provide support seven days a week via phone, email, or online chat. You won’t get this type of support from Real Estate Express.
If you’re looking for a free trial, only The CE Shop offers one. They offer a five-day free trial to check out the program before you commit. This might be the feature that has you choosing The CE Shop over Real Estate Express.
The Case for Real Estate Express
While it’s a pretty compelling case for The CE Shop, Real Estate Express has its benefits, too. If you’re looking for a Livestream option, you won’t find one from The CE Shop. While it’s not available in every state from Real Estate Express, you can get a Livestream package in some states.
Real Estate Express also comes in at a lower cost. They do offer plenty of options to help you prepare for the exam, too.
While there is a case for both Real Estate Express and The CE Shop, the winner is The CE Shop. For most people trying to get their real estate license, The CE Shop is the better choice. They offer better resources and a better overall reputation compared to Real Estate Express.
However, when The CE Shop isn’t available in your state, Real Estate Express offers a great choice. It’s also a good option for those on a tighter budget or for those seeking a Livestream version of the pre-licensing course.
Overall, both of these online real estate schools are great. However, if you have the choice between Real Estate Express and The CE Shop, you probably want to choose The CE Shop.
