The DSST Principles of Finance prep course can be worth $19, but not for every student. If you only need a clean review of the tested topics, the $5 study guide may be enough.
If you want more step-by-step practice, the course gives you 11 chapters, 146 lessons, and 93 quizzes for $14 more. This post compares the guide, the course, the free practice test, and the plans that include both. It also keeps the exam cost in view: a DSST exam costs $100, plus any fee the test center charges. Since that fee is separate, it makes sense to pick prep that fits how much help you actually need.
Start with what you need, not just the price
The best choice depends on how you study. Some students want one printable file they can mark up in a week or two. Others want more structure, more checks for understanding, and more chances to catch weak spots before test day. For this exam, TransferCredit gives you both options, plus a free way to sample the style first.
The free practice test is the easiest starting point. It has 25 original questions that follow the official exam outline, and every answer has an explanation. If that set feels easy, or you only miss a few questions in one or two topics, paying $5 for the guide may be enough. If you miss questions across several topics, the course starts to make more sense.
The price gap is small in one way and real in another. The guide is $5. The course is $19. That means the course costs $14 more. If that extra $14 gets you to study more consistently, it can be worth it. If you know you will actually use a short PDF and ignore a full course, then the cheaper option is the smarter one.
Also keep the exam facts in mind. DSST exams are given year-round by Prometric. On an internet-based exam, you see your result right after the exam. Your school should receive your score report within 90 days of your test date. If your school awards credit, that is always your college's decision.
When the $5 guide is enough
The $5 printable guide is the better pick when you already know most of the material and need a focused review. It is a 38-page PDF, so it is made for students who want to study on paper, move fast, and spend almost nothing.
What you get is specific. The guide has one chapter per official content area, and it puts the heaviest-weighted topics first. That matters on this exam, because two areas carry 20% each: Financial Statements and Planning, and Time Value of Money. Then come Risk and Return at 12%, Capital Budgeting at 12%, Cost of Capital at 11%, Working Capital Management at 10%, Valuation and Characteristics of Stocks and Bonds at 8%, and International Financial Management at 7%.
| Option | Price | What you get | Good fit if |
|---|---|---|---|
| DSST Principles of Finance study guide | $5 once | 38-page PDF: 183 terms, 46 practice questions, cram sheet, 2/4/8-week plans | You study well from a printed summary and want the lowest cost |
| DSST Principles of Finance prep course | $19 once | 11 chapters, 146 lessons, 93 quizzes | You want lessons and quizzes, not only a summary |
| DSST Monthly | $29 a month | all 8 DSST prep courses and all 38 DSST study guides | You plan more than one DSST exam soon |
| DSST Semester | $69 for 4 months | all 8 DSST prep courses and all 38 DSST study guides | You want 4 months to work through a few exams |
| CLEP + DSST Lifetime | $149 once | 23 CLEP + 8 DSST prep courses and all 72 CLEP and DSST study guides, for life | You will mix CLEP and DSST exams over time |
| All-Access Bundle | $455 once (list price $700; launch discount applied at checkout) | every CLEP and DSST prep course, 36 AP prep courses and every AP, CLEP and DSST study guide, for life | You want every CLEP and DSST course, 36 AP prep courses and every AP, CLEP and DSST guide |
| Free practice test | Free | 25 practice questions, each explained | You want to see where you stand first |
The table above helps with the big tradeoff. The guide gives you less volume than the course, but it packs in high-value review tools: 183 key terms, each with an example, 46 practice questions with every answer explained, common exam traps flagged, a 2-page cram sheet for the night before, and 2-, 4-, and 8-week study plans built from the exam weights.
For many students, that is enough. If you took a finance class before, work with numbers comfortably, or mainly need a last review before booking the exam, the guide has a strong price-to-use ratio. You can even test the fit before buying, because the guide includes 10 free sample questions on the guide page.
The DSST Principles of Finance study guide: $5, instant PDF
38 printable pages built from the official outline, heaviest first: 183 key terms with examples, 46 practice questions with every answer explained, a 2-page cram sheet and 2-, 4- and 8-week study plans. Try 10 free sample questions on the page first.
See the DSST Principles of Finance guide →When the $19 course earns the extra $14
The $19 prep course makes more sense when you do not want to teach yourself from a PDF. The course gives you 11 chapters, 146 lessons, and 93 quizzes, with a quiz after every subchapter. That setup is the main reason to pay more.
This is where the DSST Principles of Finance prep course has a clear edge. Finance topics often build on each other. If you are shaky on time value of money, that can hurt you again when you get to capital budgeting or bond valuation. A lesson-by-lesson format helps you catch those gaps earlier than a short cram review can.
The course is also better if you need accountability built into the material. A quiz after every subchapter gives you many small checkpoints instead of one big review at the end. If you tend to read notes without really testing yourself, that alone can justify the extra $14.
Another point is access. The course is paid once and comes with lifetime access. That is useful if you want to spread your study over a longer period, or circle back after a slow week without feeling rushed.
Still, be honest with yourself. If you know you will never finish 146 lessons, the course is not automatically a better value just because it includes more. The better value is the product you will actually use all the way through.
When a plan costs less than buying one by one
Plans are not the best deal for everyone. They are best when you expect to take several exams in a short stretch, or when you want access to many DSST titles at once. If this is your only exam, buying one product at a time is usually simpler.
For one DSST Principles of Finance exam, the math is easy. The guide is $5. The course is $19. Bought together, that is $24. A plan only beats that if you will use more than one exam's materials.
Here are the plan prices that include this exam's guide and course. DSST Monthly is $29 a month and includes all 8 DSST prep courses and all 38 DSST study guides. DSST Semester is $69 for 4 months and includes the same DSST set. CLEP + DSST Lifetime is $149 once and includes 23 CLEP plus 8 DSST prep courses and all 72 CLEP and DSST study guides for life. The All-Access Bundle is $455 once and includes every CLEP and DSST prep course, 36 AP prep courses and every AP, CLEP and DSST study guide, for life.
If you are taking two or more DSST exams soon, the DSST Monthly plan can already make sense because it costs only $5 more than buying this guide and course alone. If you want a few months to work through multiple DSST subjects, the DSST prep hub page and plan prices are worth a close look.
Every plan also includes access to UPI Study's 90+ ACE & NCCRS courses for the time the plan states. Single $19 courses and $5 guides are not plans and do not include this. Plans cover prep only. Exam fees are paid separately when you register.
A simple way to choose today
If you are still unsure, use a short decision rule.
- Pick the free practice test first if you have not looked at this exam yet.
- Pick the guide if you want the cheapest useful option and like printable review.
- Pick the course if you need more teaching, more quizzes, and a slower step-by-step format.
- Pick a plan if you expect several DSST exams, or DSST plus CLEP, within a few months.
That rule works because each product does a different job. The free practice test shows you the style and lets you check your baseline without paying. The guide compresses the exam into a 38-page review built from the official content areas and weights. The course stretches the same exam into 11 chapters and 146 lessons, which helps if you need repetition. Plans lower the per-exam cost only when you use more than one exam's materials.
One more practical point: DSST exams have a 30-day wait before a retest. That is a good reason to choose enough prep before your first attempt, not after. Since the exam itself costs $100 plus any test center fee, many students decide that paying either $5 or $19 up front is better than going in underprepared.
If you want a quick first move, open the free practice test, score your weak areas, then compare those results with the topics covered in the guide. That will tell you fast if a short review is enough or if the full DSST Principles of Finance prep course is the better fit.
Frequently Asked Questions about DSST Finance Prep
It is a 38-page printable PDF. You get one chapter per official content area, the heaviest-weighted topics first, 183 key terms with examples, 46 practice questions with explained answers, common exam traps, a 2-page cram sheet, and 2-, 4-, and 8-week study plans.
The course includes 11 chapters, 146 lessons, and 93 quizzes. There is a quiz after every subchapter, and access is for life. It is a better fit than the guide if you want more step-by-step teaching and more chances to check your understanding as you go.
Sometimes, yes. Together they cost $24. That can make sense if you want the full course for learning and the printable guide for final review. If your budget is tight, start with the free practice test, then choose one product based on how many weak areas you find.
A plan makes more sense when you expect to use prep for several exams. DSST Monthly is $29 a month and DSST Semester is $69 for 4 months, and both include all 8 DSST prep courses and all 38 DSST study guides. For one exam only, buying one by one is often cheaper.
Financial Statements and Planning is 20 percent, and Time Value of Money is 20 percent. Working Capital Management is 10 percent. Valuation and Characteristics of Stocks and Bonds is 8 percent. Capital Budgeting is 12 percent. Cost of Capital is 11 percent. Risk and Return is 12 percent. International Financial Management is 7 percent.
On an internet-based DSST exam, you see your result right after the exam. Your school should receive your score report within 90 days of your test date. More than 1,900 colleges accept DSST, but each college sets its own credit policy, so credit is always your school's decision.
Final Thoughts on DSST Finance Prep
If you want the cheapest solid prep, start with the $5 study guide. It is enough for many students, especially if you already know the basics and want a printable review. If you need more teaching and more built-in checks, the $19 prep course is a fair upgrade for $14 more. If you plan to take several exams, compare plan prices before buying one by one. Your next step is simple: take the free practice test, see where you are weak, then choose the guide, the course, or a plan based on that result.
Start your DSST Principles of Finance prep today
$5 study guide · $19 prep course · DSST Monthly $29 a month (every DSST course and guide)