Choosing an ExAC study tool comes down to a simple question: does it actually teach you the material and let you test it the way the exam will, or does it just give you something to click through? Here we compare the approach of Intern Exam Prep (IEP) with Simply Exam so you can match a tool to how you study.
We will be upfront about one thing. We can describe IEP's product in detail because it is ours, and our notes on Simply Exam reflect the product as we have reviewed it. Tools are updated over time, so confirm the current details on their own site before you buy.
What Intern Exam Prep offers
IEP is built only for the ExAC. It combines comprehensive, curated and guided study notes that explain each topic in plain language, a bank of 400+ practice questions with detailed reasoning for every answer, and audio products so you can study away from a screen. Coverage is mapped across all four ExAC sections and the Canadian references behind them, including the NBC 2020, NECB 2020, CHOP, the CCDC contracts, and the RAIC documents.
What Simply Exam offers
Simply Exam is built specifically for the ExAC, which is a real point in its favour. Its format is lecture-led: the content is curated and guided, and audio comes bundled inside those lectures rather than as a standalone audio product. The trade-offs are that it does not provide written, standalone study notes or a practice-question bank with reasoning, its coverage of the Canadian references can be outdated, and the lecture material can feel dry. If you learn well by sitting through lectures and do not mind a slower pace, that format may still suit you.
IEP vs Simply Exam at a glance
| What to compare | Intern Exam Prep | Simply Exam |
|---|---|---|
| Built specifically for the ExAC | Yes | Yes |
| Curated, guided study notes | Yes, core focus | No |
| Practice questions with reasoning | 400+, detailed for every answer | No |
| Audio learning products | Yes | Within a lecture product, not pure audio |
| Canadian codes & references (NBC, NECB, CHOP, CCDC, RAIC) | Yes, mapped to all 4 sections | Yes, but outdated |
| Content style | Expert-curated and guided | Curated and guided, but boring |
This comparison reflects our review of Simply Exam and publicly available information at the time of writing. Products are updated over time, so check the current offering on their own website before you decide.
How to make the decision
Both IEP and Simply Exam are built for the ExAC, so the choice comes down to format. If you prefer to learn by sitting through lectures and do not need a question bank, Simply Exam's approach may appeal. If you want written guided notes you can scan and revisit, 400+ practice questions that explain the reasoning behind every answer, reference coverage that is kept current, and audio you can take anywhere, that is where IEP is built differently. Many candidates find that reading, testing, and listening together beats lectures alone.
Key takeaways
- Both IEP and Simply Exam are built for the ExAC, so the difference is in format.
- Simply Exam is lecture-based, with audio inside its lectures, but no written notes and no reasoned question bank, and some reference coverage is outdated.
- IEP offers written guided notes, 400+ questions with reasoning, current references, and standalone audio.
- Choose lectures if that is how you learn best, or IEP if you want notes, reasoned practice, and audio together.