Professional in Human Resources (PHR) Practice Tests

Validates knowledge of US employment law and operational HR, including workforce planning, total rewards, engagement and labor relations.

The PHR is 115 questions in 2 hours, mostly single-answer multiple choice plus scenario sets that ask for the best, legally compliant HR action. We compared the main options on exam-style wording, scenario questions and price.

HRCI offers no free sample test, so start with Mometrix's free 35 questions, use Pocket Prep for daily volume, then take HRCI's own practice exams late to check its question wording.

Practice test	Best for	Questions	Price
Free PHR Practice Test	Free first look	35	Free
HRCI PHR Exam Prep	Daily question bank	1,500	$21/month
PHR Timed and Untimed Practice Exams	Official question style	80	$150
Big Book of HR Exam Practice Questions	Situational questions	1,000+	$63
2026 Complete HRCP Program (Online Edition)	Large exam volume	2,150	$270

Free first look

Free PHR Practice Test

A free 35-question timed test covering the seven functional areas, with no account needed. It is a quick read on where you stand, not a full-length exam.

Great fit if you want a free first look at the PHR content areas before paying for anything.

Poor fit if you need full 115-question exams or detailed score reports by area; use Pocket Prep or HRCI's practice exams.

Daily question bank

HRCI PHR Exam Prep

The bank most passing candidates name. Short quizzes by functional area, weakest-subject and missed-question modes, and three timed mock exams, on phone or web. Candidates call the questions easier and more definition-based than the real exam.

Great fit if you want daily practice in short sessions and per-area progress tracking across a large bank.

Poor fit if you want scenario-heavy wording like the real exam; add Reed's Big Book and HRCI's own exams.

Official question style

PHR Timed and Untimed Practice Exams

HRCI's own practice questions: a 50-question timed exam with scores by content area and a 30-question untimed exam that explains correct and incorrect answers. Both can be reset and retaken.

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 practice questions; 80 questions repeat quickly, so use Pocket Prep or HRCP for volume.

Situational questions

Big Book of HR Exam Practice Questions

More than 1,000 questions from the author of the standard PHR study guide, with an online test bank of the same questions. Candidates describe them as more situational than app-based banks.

Great fit if you want scenario-style practice with several plausible answers, and a book you can use away from a screen.

Poor fit if you want timed mock exams with area reports; use Pocket Prep or HRCI's practice exams.

Large exam volume

2026 Complete HRCP Program (Online Edition)

A full study program with 17 online practice exams: an assessment, practice exams, timed exams, mock exams and a situational exam. The practice exams are only sold inside the program. A free 20-question sample needs an account.

Great fit if you want a study text and a large run of timed exams in one purchase, and can handle dense, difficult questions.

Poor fit if you only need practice questions; candidates find these harder and wordier than Pocket Prep, so use Pocket Prep for volume.

What to look for in a PHR practice test

Covers all seven functional areas of the 2024 outline. Employee and Labor Relations (20%) and Employee Engagement (17%) carry the most weight. Pick a bank that reports scores by area, and give extra time to union and labor questions, which candidates without that experience call the hardest.
Situational questions, not only definitions. Scenario sets describe a typical HR situation and ask several questions about it, and more than one answer looks right. Candidates describe Pocket Prep as heavier on definitions and Reed's questions as more situational.
Practice for the other formats too. HRCI lists multiple choice, multiple response, fill-in-the-blank (you type a number), drag and drop and scenarios. Practise the calculations, such as turnover rate and vesting percentages, by hand.
Enough fresh questions for repeat full runs. A full exam is 115 questions in 2 hours. Pocket Prep has 1,500 questions and three full mock exams, HRCP has 2,150, but HRCI's own set is only 80 questions and repeats quickly.
Official questions are few and cost more. HRCI offers no free sample and charges $150 for its two exams. Use them as a late check on wording rather than as your main bank.
Skip sites selling "real exam questions." Sites promising actual PHR questions or a guaranteed pass are selling leaked or copied items. HRCI's candidate agreement bans collecting or soliciting exam content and lets HRCI cancel your score and revoke all your HRCI certifications. A real practice test explains why each answer is right; a dump only lists answers.

How to use PHR practice tests

Start with a free diagnostic. Take the free Mometrix set or Pocket Prep's 50 free questions before studying, so your first weeks go to the functional areas where you miss most.
Review every explanation, including lucky guesses. For each miss, write why the answer you chose was less compliant or less appropriate than the best one. Passing candidates describe the exam as choosing the best of several plausible options.
Track results by functional area. One passer found their Pocket Prep area breakdown matched their official score report. Keep your own tally for Total Rewards, HR information management and labor relations, where gaps hide.
Use a second product for wording, late. Candidates often score well on Pocket Prep and much lower on HRCI's or HRCP's exams, and still pass. Compare your trend within each product, and do one timed 115-question run near your exam date.
Move on from questions you remember. HRCI's 80 questions and a single Pocket Prep mock stop measuring anything once you remember the answers. Switch to fresh questions from another bank or book.

HRCI: how the exams are structured ↗HRCI: PHR exam content outline ↗Reddit: Pocket Prep vs HRCI practice exam ↗Reddit: practice exam resources compared ↗Reddit: HRCP vs Pocket Prep and Reed ↗

PHR practice test FAQ

Are there free PHR practice tests?

HRCI does not publish a free sample test or practice exam. Mometrix has a free 35-question test with no sign-up, Pocket Prep includes 50 free questions, and HRCP gives a 20-question sample with a free account.

Are PHR practice exams harder than the real exam?

It depends on the product. Candidates call Pocket Prep easier and more definition-based, and HRCI's and HRCP's exams harder than Pocket Prep. Many passers say the real exam felt different from every practice set, with more situational wording.

How many PHR practice exams should I take?

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 are better than repeating an exam you remember.

What question types are on the PHR exam?

Mostly single-answer multiple choice, plus multiple response, fill-in-the-blank with a number, drag and drop, and scenario sets with several questions each. The exam has 115 questions, 25 of them unscored, in 2 hours.