Neither is better for everyone. Kaplan and BPP are ACCA's only two content partners, both cover the full syllabus, and ACCA recommends their question banks for practice. Use the publisher your tuition provider uses. If you self-study, compare sample chapters, and always prioritise the exam kit over the study text.
Is Kaplan or BPP better for ACCA?
Neither publisher is objectively better for every student or every exam. Both Kaplan Publishing and BPP Learning Media are ACCA's two content partners, both cover the full syllabus for each exam, and ACCA recommends the partners' question banks as your primary source of question practice. The right choice depends on three practical things: which publisher your tuition provider uses, which writing style you find easier, and which bundle of extras suits the way you study.
Online forums are full of strong opinions on this, usually based on one person's experience of one exam. This page sets out what each publisher actually offers, using their own websites and ACCA's, so you can make the call yourself. I have deliberately not given either publisher a score out of ten. Without testing both ranges side by side across all 13 exams, any score would be guesswork dressed up as data.
What is the quick verdict?
| Your situation | Choose | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Your tuition provider uses Kaplan | Kaplan | Your lectures, homework and mocks will reference Kaplan's books |
| Your tuition provider uses BPP | BPP | Same reason in reverse |
| Self-study, you like online quizzes, planners and video debriefs | Kaplan is worth a close look | Its printed titles include MyKaplan online extras for 12 months |
| Self-study, no strong preference | Either | Read a sample chapter from each and pick the clearer one for you |
| Short on money | One exam kit from either | ACCA recommends partner question banks for practice; use free ACCA resources for theory |
| Sitting SBL | Either kit, plus a concise model guide | SBL rewards applying a few models well to a case |
Are Kaplan and BPP still ACCA approved?
Yes, in the sense that matters to students, though the label has changed. ACCA names BPP Learning Media and Kaplan Publishing as the two members of its Content Partner programme. That programme replaced the older Approved Content Provider scheme from 1 September 2024.
The change had one real consequence. As PQ Magazine reported, content partner materials are no longer reviewed by ACCA's examining team before publication. Both partners keep access to the examining team and can reuse the latest exam questions and answers. On its approved content page, ACCA says content partners always update their question and answer banks to reflect the latest syllabus, and it strongly recommends you use them as your primary resource for question practice.
In short: both publishers have exactly the same official standing. If someone tells you one is "more approved" than the other, they are out of date.
Kaplan vs BPP: head-to-head comparison
This table compares the two ranges on facts I could verify on the publishers' own sites in November 2026. Where something was not stated, I have said so rather than guess.
| Feature | Kaplan Publishing | BPP Learning Media |
|---|---|---|
| ACCA status | Content partner | Content partner |
| Main learning book | Study Text | Course Book |
| Question practice book | Exam Kit | Exam Practice Kit |
| Short revision book | Pocket Notes | Not listed on BPP's ACCA books page |
| Bundles | Essentials Pack (Study Text, Exam Kit and Pocket Notes) | Sold individually and in bundles through retailers |
| Formats | Printed and eBook | Printed and digital (check the retailer for the format) |
| Online extras | MyKaplan: knowledge checks, interactive eBook, digital pocket notes, study planner, progress tests (Study Text); debrief videos and answer walkthroughs (Exam Kit) | Check BPP's site for what comes with each title |
| Free sample | "Look inside" PDFs on Kaplan's site | Previews through some retailers |
| Current editions | September 2026 to June 2027 sittings | Valid to end of June 2027 |
Sources: Kaplan's SBL range, Kaplan SBL Study Text, Kaplan SBL Exam Kit, and BPP's ACCA books page.
How do Kaplan and BPP name their books?
The naming confuses a lot of students, especially because older editions used different names. Today the two ranges map like this:
- Kaplan Study Text is the equivalent of the BPP Course Book. Both teach the full syllabus.
- Kaplan Exam Kit is the equivalent of the BPP Exam Practice Kit. Both are banks of exam-standard questions with answers.
- Kaplan Pocket Notes are a condensed revision summary. BPP's current ACCA books page lists Course Books and Exam Practice Kits only.
If you see BPP "Workbook" or "Practice and Revision Kit" on second-hand listings, those are older names. Check the exam sittings on the cover, not the product name, to make sure you have the current edition. For more on what each type of book is for, see my guide to ACCA books for every exam.
How much do Kaplan and BPP books cost?
I only quote prices I could verify on a publisher's own site. On 6 November 2026, Kaplan Publishing's UK site listed its SBL range for September 2026 to June 2027 at:
| Kaplan SBL title | Printed | eBook |
|---|---|---|
| Study Text | £48.00 + delivery | £42.00 |
| Exam Kit | £30.00 + delivery | £25.00 |
| Pocket Notes | £14.00 + delivery | Check site |
| Essentials Pack | £92.00 + delivery | Check site |
BPP's own site did not show UK prices for its SBL titles when I checked, so I have not listed them. Both publishers' books are sold through bookshops and online retailers, where prices vary. Compare the current edition on the day you buy, and remember delivery charges on printed books.
Which is better for each ACCA level?
Rather than a winner, here is the deciding factor I would use at each level.
| Level | What matters most | How to choose |
|---|---|---|
| Applied Knowledge (BT, MA, FA) | Lots of objective test practice | Either kit works. Add ACCA's free Study Hub and the Practice Platform. |
| Applied Skills (LW, PM, TX, FR, AA, FM) | Clear explanations of calculations and rules, plus the right country variant | Use the publisher your course uses. Compare a sample chapter on a topic you find hard. |
| Strategic Professional (SBL) | Case study practice and fast application of models | Kit first. Pick the kit whose answers and debriefs you learn most from. |
| Strategic Professional (SBR and Options) | Depth on technical topics and long-form question practice | Match your tuition provider, then focus on the kit. |
Should you match your books to your tuition provider?
Yes, if you have one. This is the single most useful rule in the whole Kaplan vs BPP debate. Tuition providers build their lectures, homework and mock exams around one publisher's materials. If your course refers to "chapter 7, question 12" and you own the other publisher's book, you will waste time cross-referencing. If you are self-studying, you have a free choice, and the sections below will help.
How should a self-study student choose?
- Read a sample of each. Kaplan publishes look-inside PDFs of its study texts. Read the same topic in each publisher's book and notice which explanation sticks.
- Decide how much online support you want. Kaplan's printed books come with MyKaplan online extras for 12 months. If you like quizzes, planners and video debriefs, that is a point in Kaplan's favour. If you prefer just the book, it matters less.
- Check the edition. Make sure the cover matches your exam sitting.
- Buy the kit even if you skip the text. ACCA's own guidance points you to the partners' question banks for practice.
- Do not buy both texts. One text used fully beats two half-read.
What should you look for in an exam kit?
Because the kit is the book that wins marks, it deserves the closest look. When you compare a Kaplan Exam Kit with a BPP Exam Practice Kit, check these points rather than the cover or the brand:
- Recent past exam questions. Both partners can reuse the latest ACCA exam questions and answers. Check that the kit includes questions from recent sittings, not just older ones.
- Answers written to the marking guide. The best answers show how marks are earned, point by point, so you can mark yourself honestly.
- Guidance on approach, not just the answer. Look for notes on how to plan, which model to use and why. For SBL this matters more than in any other exam, because the skill being tested is choosing and applying the right tool.
- Mock exams. A full mock under timed conditions is the closest thing to the real exam you can do at home.
- Coverage of professional skills. In SBL, 20 of the 100 marks are for professional skills. A good kit shows what earns those marks. My guide to SBL professional skills explains them.
What myths about Kaplan and BPP should you ignore?
"One of them is the official ACCA publisher." Not true today. Both have the same content partner status, and ACCA names both.
"ACCA writes or checks every page." Not any more. Since September 2024, partner materials are no longer reviewed by ACCA's examining team, so the publishers are responsible for their own quality.
"You need both publishers' books to pass." No. Students pass every exam with one publisher's materials. What fails students is not the choice of publisher but too little timed question practice.
"Free materials are useless." Also untrue. ACCA's Study Hub, Practice Platform, technical articles and examiner's reports are all free and written with the exam in mind. They work best alongside a kit, not instead of one.
"Bigger books are better." Length is not quality. A shorter text you finish is worth more than a longer one you abandon at chapter nine.
Can you mix Kaplan and BPP books?
Yes, and plenty of students do. A common pattern is to use one publisher's text and the other publisher's kit, or to buy a second kit late in revision for extra unseen questions. The risk is overload: two kits is only useful if you have genuinely finished the first. For SBL in particular, I would rather a student did every question in one kit properly than half of two.
What about the ACCA qualification changes in 2027?
According to ACCA's official timeline, June 2027 is the final sitting of the current Applied Skills and Strategic Professional exams, and the new Expertise and Strategic Professional exams are first sat in September 2027. Both publishers will need new editions for the new syllabus. If you are sitting after June 2027, wait for those editions rather than stocking up on current ones. If you sit by June 2027, buy the editions marked for September 2026 to June 2027.
Where does an independent SBL guide fit?
Kaplan and BPP are the right place for your exam kit. For SBL, though, many students find a full study text hard to finish, because so much of the content is assumed knowledge from earlier exams and the exam rewards applying a handful of models well. That is the gap I wrote my own book for.
Becoming A Strategic Business Leader: The Ultimate All-In-One Guide is a concise, 19-chapter guide to the SBL models and topics, from strategic analysis and choice to governance, risk, ethics, leadership and change. It is not a content partner text, and it does not replace a kit. Think of it as the short theory companion you read before attempting kit questions. You can read the first three chapters free here, or see how it compares with the publisher texts in best ACCA SBL books.
| SBL need | Kaplan | BPP | My book |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full syllabus coverage | Study Text | Course Book | Core models and topics, condensed |
| Exam-standard case practice | Exam Kit | Exam Practice Kit | No, use a kit |
| Quick revision | Pocket Notes | Not listed | Yes, short chapters by theme |
| Free preview | Look-inside PDF | Retailer previews | First three chapters free |
Bottom line
Kaplan and BPP have the same status with ACCA and both produce full syllabus texts and exam-standard question kits. Choose the one your tuition provider uses; if you self-study, read a sample of each and pick the style you learn from best. Whichever you choose, the exam kit is the book that matters most. For SBL, pair that kit with a short guide to the models, and use ACCA's free past papers and examiner's reports to finish the job.
FAQs
Is Kaplan or BPP better for ACCA?
Neither is better across the board. Both are ACCA content partners with the same official standing, and ACCA recommends both publishers' question banks as your main practice resource. The best choice is usually the publisher your tuition provider uses. If you study alone, read a sample chapter from each and choose the style you understand faster.
Is BPP still an ACCA approved content provider?
The Approved Content Provider scheme was renamed the Content Partner programme from 1 September 2024. ACCA lists BPP Learning Media and Kaplan Publishing as its two content partners. Partner materials are no longer reviewed by ACCA's examining team, but both partners keep access to it and can reuse the latest exam questions.
What is the BPP equivalent of the Kaplan Study Text?
BPP's equivalent is the Course Book, which teaches the full syllabus. Kaplan's Exam Kit is equivalent to BPP's Exam Practice Kit. Older BPP editions used names such as Workbook and Practice and Revision Kit, so check the exam sittings on the cover rather than relying on the product name.
Can I use a Kaplan study text with a BPP exam kit?
Yes. Both cover the same ACCA syllabus, so mixing publishers works. The only drawback is that chapter structures differ, which matters if your tuition course refers to one publisher's page numbers. If you self-study, mixing is fine, but finish one kit fully before buying another.
How much do Kaplan ACCA books cost?
Prices vary by exam. On 6 November 2026, Kaplan's UK site listed its SBL Study Text at £48.00 printed or £42.00 as an eBook, the Exam Kit at £30.00 printed or £25.00 as an eBook, Pocket Notes at £14.00, and the Essentials Pack at £92.00, with delivery extra on printed books.
Which publisher is better for ACCA SBL?
Both offer an SBL text and an SBL kit. For SBL the kit matters most, because the exam is an integrated case study that rewards applying models. Pick the kit whose answers and debriefs help you most, and pair it with one concise source of theory, such as a study text or a short guide to the models.