Starting a career in real estate is an exciting journey, but choosing the right online school can feel like your first big test. With so many options available, you want to be sure you’re picking a partner that not only prepares you for the licensing exam but also sets you up for long-term success. This guide will compare two leading online real estate schools, Colibri Real Estate and Aceable Agent, to help you find the perfect fit for your new career.
Key Takeaways
- Comprehensive Experience Advantage: Colibri Real Estate stands out with over 25 years of experience and a proven track record of helping more than 520,000 students start and advance their real estate careers.
- Robust Exam Preparation: Colibri’s Readiness Indicator™ and unlimited practice exams provide a data-driven approach to help students gauge exam readiness with confidence.
- Greater Career Support: Colibri goes beyond licensing with its Survive and Thrive program and specialized training opportunities, offering tools and templates to help agents succeed post-licensing.
- Long-Term Partner: Colibri’s discounted pricing and career development resources deliver strong value for students seeking a long-term partner in their real estate journey.
An Overview of Aceable Agent
Aceable Agent is an online real estate education provider that offers pre-licensing, exam preparation, and continuing education courses. The platform is designed to be “100% online,” allowing students to “study at your own pace and on any device.” Aceable Agent states that its courses are “built by experts in learning science” and feature “videos, interactive games, and bite-sized lessons.” The company began offering real estate courses in 2018.
An Overview of Colibri Real Estate
For over 25 years, Colibri Real Estate (formerly Real Estate Express) has been a leader in real estate education. As a pioneer in online real estate courses, Colibri has helped more than 520,000 aspiring and experienced professionals get licensed and advance their careers. Colibri Real Estate provides a comprehensive range of state-approved courses—including pre-licensing, post-licensing, continuing education, and professional development—in 40 states and Washington, D.C., covering all states served by Aceable Agent.
Backed by ARELLO and IDECC approvals and trusted by top brokerages nationwide, Colibri pairs proven curricula with an award-winning online dashboard that lets students learn “anytime, anywhere”—without sacrificing instructor interaction or personalized feedback.
Course Format and Delivery
When choosing a real estate education provider, understanding how courses are structured and delivered is essential for finding a platform that aligns with your learning preferences. Both Aceable Agent and Colibri Real Estate have developed distinct approaches designed to accommodate different learning styles and schedules.
Aceable Agent’s course format
Aceable Agent courses feature videos, games, and bite-sized lessons that can be accessed from any device. The courses are fully narrated and offer a “Mastery Tracking” feature to help students monitor their progress.
Colibri Real Estate’s course format
Colibri Real Estate provides a flexible and comprehensive learning experience designed to match your individual learning style and set you up for success. You can choose from various formats, including self-paced online courses that allow you to learn on your own schedule. This option features an “audio learning” mode, so you can listen to the entire course whenever and wherever it’s most convenient for you. In select states, livestream classes are also available for those who thrive in a more structured, interactive environment.
To ensure you feel confident and prepared, Colibri’s platform includes a wealth of resources, including interactive learning tools and progress tracking, which allows you to monitor your readiness for the exam with Colibri’s innovative Readiness Indicator™.
What truly sets Colibri apart is its “Your Real Estate Career, Your Way” philosophy: bite-sized modules, on-demand replays of livestream sessions, and 24/7 mobile access let busy career-switchers and side-hustlers fit coursework around work, family, and life commitments.
Exam Preparation and Guarantees
Aspiring real estate professionals often feel intimidated by the licensing exam. Effective exam preparation can make the difference between passing on the first attempt and facing costly retakes. Understanding each school’s approach to exam prep, along with their guarantees, can help you decide which provider best positions you for success.
Aceable Agent’s exam prep
Aceable Agent’s exam preparation tool, PrepAgent, includes national and state-specific practice questions, exam prep videos, audio lessons, flashcards, and an ebook. They also offer online webinars five times a week, covering different exam topics. Aceable Agent offers an “Ace or Don’t Pay Guarantee,” which promises a full refund if students don’t pass their state licensing exam on the first try, provided they complete the pre-license course and take the exam within 90 days.
Colibri Real Estate’s exam prep
Colibri Real Estate offers a robust suite of exam preparation tools engineered to maximize first-attempt success. Their system features unlimited access to practice exams that simulate the format and difficulty of the actual state exam. A standout feature is the proprietary Readiness Indicator™, an advanced tool that tracks your progress and provides a data-driven assessment of when you are ready for the exam.
Colibri’s preparation materials include professionally designed digital flashcards and interactive vocabulary builders. In addition, live Q&A office hours and exam crammer webinar series offer real-time instructor support—eliminating last-minute anxiety and giving students the confidence they need on exam day.
Colibri backs their preparation with a comprehensive “Pass or Don’t Pay Guarantee,” refunding your course costs if you do not pass your licensing exam on your first try.
Pricing and Value
Both schools offer tiered packages to fit different budgets, and pricing varies by state and current promotions. As an example, here’s a look at their California pre-licensing packages in October 2025.
Aceable Agent’s pricing
Aceable Agent offers several package options with varying features.
- Basic: Priced at $199, this includes the 135-hour pre-license course and learning tools.
- Deluxe: Priced at $271 (discounted from $319), this adds an AI course assistant and advanced exam prep.
- Premium: Priced at $335 (discounted from $419), this includes private tutoring and access to live webinars.
Colibri Real Estate’s pricing
Colibri Real Estate offers a range of packages, often with promotional discounts.
- The Basics: Priced at $119.40 (with a 40% discount from $199), this package meets all state requirements and includes instructor support.
- Exam Preparation: Priced at $167.40 (with a 40% discount from $279), this includes prep tools and the Pass or Don’t Pay Guarantee.
- Exam Preparation Plus: Priced at $209.40 (with a 40% discount from $349), this adds exclusive instructor-led Q&A sessions.
- Ultimate Learning: Priced at $275.40 (with a 40% discount from $459), this includes a printed textbook and career-launch resources.
Colibri offers financing through Affirm.
Career Support and Resources
Getting your license is just the first step. Having robust career resources can make the difference between simply surviving and truly thriving as an agent. Let’s examine how Aceable Agent and Colibri Real Estate support you beyond the exam.
Aceable Agent’s career support
Aceable Agent provides career support through its Career Resource Center, offering educational articles. Their resources focus on providing digital content that agents can access at their convenience to help build their business foundations.
Colibri Real Estate’s career support
Colibri Real Estate offers a comprehensive suite of professional development resources designed to support agents at every stage. A standout offering is their Survive and Thrive program, designed to help newly licensed agents build a successful business from day one.
The Survive and Thrive course includes:
- Downloadable lead trackers and CRM templates
- Real agent scripts for lead conversion
- Templates for buyer/seller consultations
- A free DISC personality assessment to strengthen client connections
This program is backed by a money-back guarantee: if you complete the course, take five recommended actions, and don’t close a deal in 12 months, you get a full refund.
Beyond this, Colibri offers specialized training through The Institute for Luxury Home Marketing, the Real Estate Negotiation Institute, and Real Estate AI Specialist training to help agents grow and specialize.
Colibri also offers a CE membership program, which gives you unlimited access to state-approved continuing education courses, as well as career-advancing certifications and exclusive tools designed to help you stay competitive in the industry.
Ideal Candidates for Colibri Real Estate
Colibri Real Estate is an excellent choice for:
- Learners who value a provider with a long-standing, proven reputation.
- Career-focused individuals seeking comprehensive resources to launch and grow their business.
- Those who appreciate learning from local experts with market-specific knowledge.
- Busy professionals or parents who need the freedom to study on their own schedule, without giving up personalized instructor interaction.
- Value-seekers who want a single education partner for every stage: pre-licensing, post-licensing, CE, broker upgrade, and specialty designations.
Launch Your Career with Confidence
Choosing the right real estate school is key to building a successful career, and Colibri Real Estate is here to support you every step of the way. With over 25 years of experience, we offer flexible pre-licensing courses designed to fit your schedule, plus a “Pass or Don’t Pay” guarantee to give you confidence as you prepare for your exam.
But we don’t stop at licensing—our career resources and professional development tools are designed to help you thrive long after you’ve earned your license. From day-one mentorship to advanced luxury and negotiation credentials, Colibri is your trusted guide for lifelong learning and unlimited growth.
Start your real estate journey with Colibri, a trusted partner dedicated to your success both now and in the future.
