Comparison · Updated June 2026
Best LEED Green Associate v5 study materials, compared honestly (2026)
Disclosure up front: Exam Relay sells one of the products on this page. We've kept the comparison honest anyway — prices below were verified on each provider's site in June 2026, the competitors' genuine strengths are stated plainly, and there are no affiliate links. The single most important filter in 2026 is version currency: the v4 exam retired April 26, 2026, and a lot of prep still on the market is v4-era content for an exam you can no longer take.
Comparison table
| Provider | Price (verified Jun 2026) | Format | v5-current? |
|---|---|---|---|
| USGBC official | Free (handbook, sample questions, study cards) | PDF handbook + samples | Yes (authoritative) |
| Exam Relay | $27 deck / $37 bundle | 551 flashcards + 3×100-question timed practice exams + study guide PDF | Yes — built for v5 |
| GBES | $125–$325 packages; Core $279/yr, Pro $499/yr | Video, practice tests, flashcards, audio, live Q&A | Yes — updated for v5 |
| Archiroots | Not published (lead-gen signup; their page cites $400–$800 as typical course pricing) | Instructor-led video course + practice questions + flashcards | Yes — v5 course |
| Projectific | Varies by product (study guide + practice tests; free v5 practice exam) | Study guide, practice tests | Yes — v5 guide published |
| Poplar Education | — | Practice exams (v4-era) | No — site offline as of June 2026 |
USGBC official materials — start here, they're free
Whatever else you buy, download the free candidate handbook from USGBC. It's the document the exam is written against: domain weights, exam policies, reference list. USGBC also publishes free sample questions with answer keys, free study cards, and a free two-week study plan in its education catalog.
- Pros: authoritative, free, defines exactly what's tested.
- Cons: not a course — no explanations, no drilling volume, no spaced repetition. The handbook tells you the map; it doesn't walk the route.
GBES — most breadth, video-led, mid-range price
GBES is the longest-established commercial LEED prep provider, and it shows in catalog depth. Verified June 2026 pricing: Practice Tests Only $125, Silver Pack $175, Gold Pack $225, Platinum Pack $275, Exam Prep with Live Q&A $325. Subscriptions: GBES Core $279/year, GBES Pro $499/year (Pro includes the packs). They ran a 30% beta-period discount code in mid-2026. Their FAQ states all materials are updated for LEED Green Associate v5, and they advertise a 95% pass rate among students who complete their program — a self-reported figure about their own customers, but a real signal of a mature product.
- Pros: video training, audio, live study calls, flashcards, practice tests in one ecosystem; v5-updated; also covers AP specialties and continuing education, so the subscription keeps value after you pass.
- Cons: 5–12× the price of the cheapest v5-current option; subscription framing can be more than a one-exam candidate needs.
Archiroots — instructor-led sprint format
Archiroots sells an instructor-supported v5 video course built around a two-week daily-study structure, with practice questions, flashcards, a free downloadable study guide, and a refund policy if you don't pass. Pricing is not published on the page — you get it after signing up — and the page notes typical LEED courses run $400–$800, which frames where they're positioned. They report 7,000+ students trained.
- Pros: structured day-by-day plan, real instructor access, v5-current, refund policy.
- Cons: opaque pricing behind a signup wall; sprint format suits people who can commit daily time for two straight weeks, less so those studying around shift work.
Projectific — strong free starting point
Projectific publishes one of the better free v5 exam guides plus a free v5 practice exam, and sells a study guide and practice test pack (pricing varies by product on their site). They advertise a 99% pass rate among their students — again, self-reported.
- Pros: genuinely useful free content; v5-current.
- Cons: less drilling volume than GBES; no video curriculum.
Poplar Education — appears offline
Poplar was historically a go-to for affordable LEED GA practice exams, including a free 35-question test. As of June 2026, poplarnetwork.com resolves to a domain-for-sale parking page and the materials appear to be gone. Its catalog was v4-era regardless — don't chase archived copies for a v5 exam.
Exam Relay — cheapest v5-current option (that's us)
Our lane is narrow and deliberate: $27 for a 551-card flashcard deck where every card cites its source in the v5 documentation, or $37 for the bundle adding three 100-question timed practice exams matched to the official 8-domain handbook weights plus a long-form study guide PDF. Built for v5 and launched April 28, 2026 — the same day USGBC opened the v5 beta.
- Pros: lowest price of any v5-current paid option; source citations on every card make claims checkable; full-length timed exams at real domain weights; free 10-question sample quiz to try before buying.
- Cons: no video lessons, no live instructor, no continuing-education library — GBES wins on breadth, Archiroots on instruction. If you learn primarily by video, we're not the right pick.
Try the free 10-question scenario quiz first — full explanations, no email required to play.
See the LEED v5 deck →Which should you choose?
Budget under $50, self-directed studier?
USGBC's free handbook + Exam Relay's $37 bundle. Total prep cost: $37 against a $250 exam fee. You give up video instruction; you keep the drilling volume and timed exams that move scores.
Learn best from video, want instructor access?
GBES Gold or Platinum ($225–$275), or Archiroots if a structured two-week sprint fits your schedule. Both are v5-current. This is the right call if reading-heavy prep has failed you before.
Already work in green building?
You may need less than you think: USGBC's free materials for the map, plus one source of full-length timed practice exams ($37 Exam Relay bundle or $125 GBES Practice Tests Only) to calibrate pace and find weak domains.
Whatever you pick
Confirm the material says v5 explicitly, and sit at least one full-length 100-question timed practice exam before booking. The 120-minute clock is a skill of its own.
Sources
- GBES — LEED Green Associate exam prep packages (pricing, v5 status)
- Archiroots — LEED Green Associate v5 course
- Projectific — v5 exam guide · free v5 practice exam
- USGBC — exam preparation resources
- USGBC — LEED v5 exam information (v4 retirement and beta dates)
Prices verified June 2026 and subject to change — check each provider before buying. Provider pass-rate figures are self-reported marketing claims about their own customers; GBCI does not publish official pass rates. LEED® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Green Building Council. Exam Relay is an independent study resource, not affiliated with USGBC, GBCI, or any provider listed.