Validates foundational knowledge of HR talent acquisition, learning and development, compensation and benefits, employee relations, and compliance.
The aPHR is 90 questions in 1 hour 45 minutes, 25 of them unscored, mostly multiple choice across five functional areas with a few fill-in-the-number items. We compared the main options on question volume, timed exams and price.
HRCI offers no free sample, so most people should start with Mometrix's free test, use Pocket Prep for daily volume, then take HRStudyPro's or HRCI's exam late to check wording.
| Practice test | Best for | Questions | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
 HRCI aPHR Exam Prep | Daily question bank | 500 | $21/month |
 aPHR Exam Prep: Practice Exams | Timed full exams | 180 | $69 |
 aPHR Practice Exam | Official question style | 50 | $50 |
 2026 aPHR HRCP Program (Online Edition) | Large exam volume | 1,440 | $175 |
A free practice test across the five aPHR functional areas, taken in the browser without an account. Mometrix sells its larger question sets only inside a paid course.
Great fit if you want a free first look at the five aPHR functional areas before paying for anything.
Poor fit if you need full-length exams or scores by area; use Pocket Prep or HRStudyPro.
Short quizzes by functional area, with weakest-subject, missed-question and timed modes, on phone or web. Passers often name it as their main question bank for the aPHR.
Great fit if you want daily practice in short sessions and progress tracking by functional area.
Poor fit if you want full-length timed exams; add HRStudyPro's two 90-question exams.
Two full-length timed exams that mirror the 90-question format, with detailed explanations, a breakdown by area and randomized retakes. A larger bundle adds a question bank and study guides.
Great fit if you want exam-length timed practice for a one-time fee instead of a subscription.
Poor fit if you want hundreds of short daily questions for the price; use Pocket Prep or the larger bundle.
HRCI's own 50-question timed exam, with a score report by content area. You can reset and retake it, but the same 50 questions come back each time.
Great fit if you want to see how HRCI words its questions before booking, and have a bank like Pocket Prep for volume.
Poor fit if you need many questions; 50 repeat quickly, so use Pocket Prep or HRStudyPro.
A study program with 13 online exams, from a starting assessment to practice, timed and mock exams. The exams are only sold inside the program, with study text and flashcards.
Great fit if you want a study text and a long run of timed exams in one purchase.
Poor fit if you only need practice questions; use Pocket Prep or HRStudyPro.
HRCI: aPHR exam page ↗HRCI: aPHR exam content outline ↗HRCI: how the exams are structured ↗Reddit: aPHR passer on exam format ↗Reddit: aPHR practice tests vs real exam ↗
HRCI does not publish a free sample test or practice exam. Mometrix has a free practice test with no account, and Pocket Prep includes 30 free questions.
It depends on the product. Several passers say their book and course practice tests were harder than the real exam, while others found the real questions vaguer than any practice. Use practice scores to find weak areas, not to predict the result.
There is no set number. Two or three full timed runs on questions you have not seen, each followed by a full review, is a sensible target, and short quizzes by functional area beat repeating an exam you remember.
Mostly multiple choice, plus multiple response, fill-in-the-blank with a number, drag and drop and scenarios. The exam has 90 questions, 25 of them unscored, in 1 hour 45 minutes.