Side-by-side comparison
| Feature | FunPrep | The Sterile Guy |
|---|---|---|
| Practice exam price | $39 Essentials, $59 All-Access, $99 Plus. One-time payments. | $17.99 on sale (regular $24.99). One-time payment.Rival |
| Access length | 12 months on every tier. | 12 months. |
| Practice questions | 1,000 questions with warm coaching feedback.FunPrep | 250 unique questions (ten 25-question tests) plus a 380-question random pool. |
| Timed mocks | 50-question timed mocks plus a 150-question, 3-hour full simulator. | Two timed 150-question mocks. |
| Video course | No video course. | Sterile Processing 101: 15 modules, 51 lessons of video and written content, 500+ questions, final 150-question mock, community forum. $99.99 on sale (regular $149.99).Rival |
| Study plan | Maya's adaptive study plan on Plus, plus domain drills and accuracy tracking. | Bite-size tests with page references to the HSPA 9th edition manual. |
| Podcast | Scrubbed In: 12-episode two-host comedy podcast.FunPrep | No podcast. |
| Game | Sterile Squad: run the sterile processing department.FunPrep | No game. |
| Pass guarantee | Yes, on Plus. 6 more months of Plus free if you qualify (extension only).FunPrep | Money-back guarantee on the 101 course only, not on the practice exams. |
| Free tier | Free 10-question practice test plus a free 15-question daily drill, every day. | Free practice exams on the blog. |
| Refunds | Pass guarantee on Plus; all sales final. | No refunds on digital practice products. |
Verified from public product pages on October 5, 2026. "Not stated" means we could not find the feature claimed on the competitor's public pages, not that it does not exist.
Where each one wins
Where The Sterile Guy wins
Price. $17.99 for 12 months of practice exams is the cheapest serious option in the market. Full stop.
Brand trust. The best-known independent CRCST brand, claiming 2,000+ certified techs. That reputation was earned over years.
Real video course. The $99.99 Sterile Processing 101 course has 15 modules and 51 lessons of video plus written content. FunPrep has no video course at any price.
Reference depth. Questions mapped to page references in the HSPA 9th edition manual, plus a free surgical instrument ebook.
Where FunPrep wins
Question volume. 1,000 questions vs a 630-question pool. More reps, more domain coverage, more trap patterns seen before test day.
Coaching tone. Every answer comes with warm, human, encouraging feedback. The Sterile Guy gives rationales; FunPrep talks you through it like a study buddy.
Podcast and game. Twelve comedy episodes and a department management game. Neither exists on The Sterile Guy.
Adaptive plan and guarantee. Maya's adaptive study plan and a pass guarantee on Plus. The practice exams carry no guarantee.
Our honest verdict
Pick The Sterile Guy if you want the cheapest proven option, learn well from video, or trust the most established indie brand. Its $99.99 video course is a genuine alternative to FunPrep Plus for visual learners. Pick FunPrep if you want the biggest question bank, learn by listening and playing, or want the pass guarantee. Many students honestly do both: cheap reps from The Sterile Guy plus FunPrep's media and guarantee.
Try FunPrep free first
No signup, no card. Take the free 10-question practice test or start today's free 15-question daily drill, then decide.
Free practice test Free daily drill See the plans