Free CFA Level 1 resources and alternatives

You can go a long way on Level I without paying for a course. Here are the free options we know of, including ours, what each one is good for, and where the free trials of paid courses are.

Facts about other providers checked on October 18, 2026 from their own public pages. Prices and packages change, so confirm with the provider before you buy.

Analyst Dojo

Every Level I learning module (102 in all) taught exam-first in 430 short lessons, with an interactive for every idea and a checkpoint after every lesson (1,840 questions in all). Also free: Cram mode, the formula sheet, the self-assessment and a study plan. No account needed to start.

Good for: learning the curriculum and testing yourself as you go. Not here yet: full-length mock exams. Cost: free; optional paid plans add more practice, offline study and a voice tutor.

From CFA Institute

Start with what the exam body publishes itself.

Level I topic outlines

CFA Institute publishes the Level I topic outlines as a PDF: every topic, learning module and learning outcome the exam can test.

Good for: Checking that whatever you study covers the whole syllabus. Cost: Free to download.

CFA Institute Learning Ecosystem

The official curriculum online, 1,000+ practice questions and two official mock exams, with flashcards, a study planner and a mobile app.

Good for: Everyone who has registered. The official mock exams are the closest rehearsal for the real exam. Cost: Included with exam registration. How it compares with Analyst Dojo.

Free study and practice

Free resources built for Level I.

300Hours free Level 1 mock exam

A free 90-question Level 1 mock exam, weighted to the exam's topic weights, online or as a PDF, with no registration. The site also has free study guides and Level 1 cheat sheets.

Good for: A half-length practice run before you pay for, or get, full mock exams. Cost: Free.

FreeFellow

A finance exam practice site covering CFA Levels I to III among other exams. Its question bank, written lessons and formula sheets are free with an account, within usage limits. Timed mock exams are in its paid Fellow plan (USD 39 a month).

Good for: Extra free practice questions alongside your lessons. Cost: Free account; paid plans from USD 39 a month.

Free trials of paid courses

Most paid providers let you try before you buy. A trial is a good way to see whether their teaching style suits you.

AnalystPrep

A free trial with no credit card, with sample notes and practice questions.

Good for: Trying a large question bank and video lessons. Cost: Free trial; packages from USD 349. How it compares with Analyst Dojo.

Mark Meldrum

A free trial with no credit card, to preview the video course.

Good for: Seeing whether long-form video lectures work for you. Cost: Free trial; packages from USD 440. How it compares with Analyst Dojo.

UWorld

A Level 1 free trial of UWorld's CFA course (UWorld acquired Wiley Efficient Learning).

Good for: Trying its question bank and study guides. Cost: Free trial; packages from USD 399. How it compares with Analyst Dojo.

Kaplan Schweser

A Level I free trial.

Good for: Trying SchweserNotes and its question bank. Cost: Free trial; paid packages. How it compares with Analyst Dojo.

Background reading

Not written for the CFA exam, but useful if finance is new to you.

Khan Academy: Finance and capital markets

A free video course from how interest works to stocks, bonds, cash flow and derivatives.

Good for: A gentle start before Quantitative Methods and the asset class topics. Cost: Free.

OpenStax: Principles of Finance 2e

A free, openly licensed finance textbook, on the web or as a PDF, covering the time value of money, financial statements, bonds and stocks.

Good for: A full textbook explanation when you want more depth on the basics. Cost: Free online; print at low cost.

Putting a free plan together

Check the syllabus against CFA Institute's topic outlines.
Learn each module in study map order here, and pass its checkpoints.
Fill gaps in the basics with background reading if finance is new to you.
In your final weeks, take every mock exam you can get: the official ones that come with registration, plus free ones such as 300Hours'.

Want to see how paid courses compare? See Analyst Dojo compared with other CFA Level 1 prep.

Sources

Checked on October 18, 2026. Analyst Dojo's own details come from our plans and pricing page and our lesson library.

Spotted something out of date or wrong? Tell us and we will check it and fix it.