Test Prep Insight is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more
Real Estate U vs Colibri Real Estate
Detailed comparison between Colibri (formerly Real Estate Express) and Real Estate U
When it comes to getting your real estate license, there are plenty of options to choose from. You can attend a local real estate school in your area and attend classes in-person, or you can sign-up for an online school and complete your pre-licensing education from the comfort of your own home. In this article, we pit two popular online real estate schools against one another (Real Estate U and Colibri) so you can determine which one is the better fit for your budget and needs.
Given that this is a lengthy, detailed comparison, we’ve included jump-to links above for your convenience.
Video: Colibri Or Real Estate U?
In the video above, John compares the pre-licensing courses and study materials from Colibri and Real Estate U. For more detail, be sure to continue reading our full, written comparison below.
Rather than simply provide an overview of each online real estate school, we are instead going to focus on the major differences between Real Estate U and Colibri (formerly known as Real Estate Express).
With that in mind, let’s start with the areas in which Colibri beats Real Estate U.
Live Class Options
For most states, Colibri offers live class options whereas Real Estate U does not.
Therefore, if you prefer having a set class schedule, whether for interaction purposes so you can talk with your peers and ask instructors questions immediately as they arise, or you just like the thought of having a set schedule to help hold yourself accountable from a studying and progress standpoint, then Colibri is the obvious choice.
Plus, what’s nice is the Colibri live class packages are pretty affordable. For example, in California, their live class bundle is only about $130 more than their standard on-demand package.
Considering that in California you need 135 hours of pre-licensing education, that works out to less than a dollar per hour in incremental cost, which is an absolute bargain in my opinion.
Access To Expert Instructors
Even if you pass on the live class options that Colibri offers, you still get access to live instructors with the company’s Exam Prep Plus, and Ultimate Learning self-paced packages.
First, students get access to 40 hours of live Q&A sessions with expert instructors each month so that you can ask as many questions as you’d like and get advice.
Then, second, after you complete your pre-licensing education, Colibri offers what they call their Exam Crammer series, which consists of six immersive live webinars to help you prepare and hopefully pass your licensing exam on your first attempt.
All in all, I think it’s great that Colibri gives its students access to its network of expert instructors in a variety of ways (similar to The CE Shop).
Useful Notes Tool
Another advantage of going with Colibri is its note-taking feature, which conveniently tracks the chapter and page of your notes and displays them on your main dashboard for easy review.
Colibri makes it easy to take notes
In contrast, Real Estate U lacks a similar tool, leaving you to take notes in a separate document or within the margins of their ebook, which can be cumbersome, particularly when you need to quickly revisit topics later on.
Stellar Pass Guarantee
Colibri offers a pass guarantee, while Real Estate U does not. How it works is that if you sign up for any Colibri course, complete all your pre-licensing education and exam prep, and then subsequently do not pass your licensing exam on your first attempt, Colibri will refund your money (similar to AceableAgent).
Real Estate U, on the other hand, does not offer any sort of pass guarantee for some reason. Instead, they only offer a 30 day refund policy after purchase.
State Coverage
Lastly, Colibri simply covers more states than Real Estate U. Last I checked, Real Estate U offers pre-licensing courses for 14 states, whereas Colibri covers almost the entire United States map with over 40 states.
Colibri covers more than 40 US states
As such, before you go any further, you may want to double check and make sure Real Estate U actually offers pre-licensing courses for your target state.
Now that you have a good idea of the areas in which Colibri (formerly Real Estate Express) excels, let’s turn the tables and discuss the major advantages of going with Real Estate U to help you become a licensed real estate professional.
Slightly Cheaper Than Colibri
To be clear, both companies land near the more affordable end of the real estate industry and are pretty close to one another in terms of cost, but technically Real Estate U is the cheaper choice.
For example, in California, Real Estate U’s most popular package will run you around $275, whereas Colibri’s comparable package (their Exam Prep Plus bundle) costs around $370. And it’s a similar story in Florida too – $225 for Real Estate U and $350 for Colibri.
However, what I will say here is that Colibri seems to be more assertive with sales and special promotions. For example, I usually see Colibri discount their California and Florida packages by over $100, bringing the cost of their courses more in line with Real Estate U.
Auditory Learners
Real Estate U is the superior choice for auditory learners. Rather than make you read like Colibri does with their self-paced courses, the Real Estate U lessons feature a narrator, almost as if you are listening to a podcast.
Example lesson from Real Estate U
That way, you can simply slip your phone in your pocket and make progress while you’re doing other things like doing dishes or taking your dog for a walk. It’s just nice that your eyes don’t have to be glued to your screen at all times.
Exam Prep Notes
Lastly, I appreciate Real Estate U’s exam prep materials, which are akin to Cliff Notes, those handy study guides from our school days that helped us avoid reading the entire assigned books.
The Real Estate U exam prep notes are extremely helpful
Real Estate U excels at condensing the essential information for each section into highly digestible bullet points.
For instance, in Florida, they identify 12 questions on Real Estate Brokerage Activities and Procedures and summarize the key points needed to answer those questions. This approach allows for a quick review of crucial information as the state licensing exam approaches.
Well, after using and reviewing both company’s courses, I think Colibri is hands down the winner.
Sure, there are definitely some advantages of going with Real Estate U, like their cheap pricing, and Cliff Notes style exam prep materials, for example. Other than that though, Colibri takes the cake.
Not only do they offer live class options and access to expert instructors, but they also have a useful notes tool and attractive pass guarantee.
All in all, I would recommend Colibri over Real Estate U.
Course format is likely the biggest difference between Colibri and Real Estate U. For example, Colibri offers live class packages and access to expert instructors, whereas the Real Estate U courses are all self-paced and on-demand.
Which real estate school is better - Real Estate U or Colibri?
After reviewing the pre-licensing courses and exam prep materials from both real estate schools, our team believes Colibri is the superior choice. Read our full comparison to find out why.
Is Real Estate U cheaper than Colibri Real Estate?
Yes, from an MSRP perspective the courses from Real Estate U are more affordable than those from Colibri. However, Colibri seems to offer larger and more frequent discounts making pricing between the two a lot closer.
