Pastest is the premium, depth-first platform best known for MRCP and PACES. It is more expensive than its rivals, and the question is whether the depth, the mocks and the video justify the price. This review is honest about where Pastest is worth paying for, where it is overkill, and where iatroX — whose MRCP Part 1 bank is free — fits alongside it. Pricing is as of mid-2026 — confirm current rates on Pastest's site.
What it is
Pastest is a mature, explanation-rich platform strongest in postgraduate exams: MRCP Parts 1, 2 and PACES, plus MRCS, MRCPCH, FRCA, the MSRA, PLAB and UKMLA. It markets the largest MRCP Part 1 bank on the market — in the region of 5,400 best-of-five questions — with tailored past papers that reflect recent exam themes, video courses, and substantial PACES resources including well over 130 example station videos and more than 170 real-patient cases. The mobile apps are mature and work offline. It also offers an adaptive element within the bank and a searchable textbook, so the platform functions as a combined revision course rather than a bare question pool.
What it costs
Pastest is the premium option. MRCP Part 1 access runs from about £94.99 for three months to £179.99 for twelve, with a 48-hour free trial, and there is a longer multi-year MRCP membership for those who want the full catalogue. It is noticeably more expensive than Passmedicine or Quesmed, so the value case rests on the depth, the past-paper mocks and the PACES content rather than on price.
Strengths
The scale and simulation are the draw. The bank is among the largest available, the past-paper-themed mocks are invaluable for pattern recognition against recent exams, and the integrated video lectures are excellent if you prefer watching to reading. For PACES specifically, the example station videos and real-patient cases are the strongest dedicated resource of their kind, which is a genuine reason many MRCP candidates pay for Pastest in the run-up to the clinical exam. The video courses deserve a specific mention: for candidates who struggle to learn from dense text alone, the high-yield teaching videos condense the must-know concepts of each unit in a way a question bank cannot, and they pair naturally with the question practice. The performance analytics and exam-readiness predictions, benchmarked against other candidates, are also more developed than on cheaper platforms, which helps you judge when you are actually ready rather than guessing, which matters for an exam with a demanding pass standard.
Limitations
The cost is the obvious one, and the sheer volume can be overwhelming if you start late — a large bank rewards a long run-up, not a last-minute scramble. Being depth-first also means more time per question, which is a strength for understanding but a constraint if you are short on weeks. And much of the premium is concentrated on MRCP and PACES, so for other exams the value proposition is weaker than for the flagship.
Who it's worth it for
Pastest is worth it for MRCP candidates who want maximum depth, exam-themed mocks and the strongest PACES preparation, for visual learners who value the video courses, and for resitters who want a large fresh pool and pattern practice against recent themes. If you have the budget and the time to use it properly, it leaves little to chance. For candidates who can start early and use the depth properly, that thoroughness is exactly what the premium buys, and it rewards a serious, early commitment rather than a late scramble.
The verdict
Yes for MRCP and PACES depth — particularly in the final weeks, when full-length mocks, past-paper themes and PACES rehearsal matter most. As a sole bank bought early on a tight budget, it is harder to justify when cheaper banks cover the same ground for daily drilling. The most cost-effective use is a short, well-timed Pastest subscription for the depth and mocks, rather than months of premium access. A sensible way to time it is to do the bulk of your topic learning and daily drilling elsewhere over the months beforehand, then switch on Pastest in the final four to eight weeks specifically for its mocks, past-paper themes and PACES rehearsal, when those features deliver the most for the money. Buying twelve months up front and using it lightly for most of that period is the most common way candidates overpay, and it is easily avoided with a little planning.
Where iatroX fits
This is where the picture shifts, because iatroX's MRCP Part 1 bank is free — there is no subscription for it. iatroX adds an adaptive engine that targets your weak areas, a Socratic tutor that rebuilds the reasoning behind a wrong answer, spaced repetition, blueprint-mapped questions and native apps. Its free core covers MRCP Part 1, MRCEM, the PSA and PARA, with other banks on one subscription at £29 a month or £99 a year and free samples throughout. It does not match Pastest's PACES resources or explanation depth, so the efficient setup is to use iatroX free for the months of daily adaptive MRCP drilling, then add a short Pastest subscription near the exam for volume, past-paper themes and PACES — keeping the premium spend to the period where it counts most.
A few common questions
Is Pastest worth it for MRCP? Yes for depth, mocks and PACES, especially near the exam; for early daily drilling, a free adaptive bank can do the routine work.
Is Pastest better than Passmedicine? Pastest has more depth, video and PACES; Passmedicine is cheaper with strong volume. Many candidates use a cheap or free bank early and add Pastest late.
Does iatroX charge for MRCP? No — MRCP Part 1 is one of iatroX's free core banks; you can drill it with no subscription.
Can I use both? Yes — iatroX free for daily adaptive drilling, Pastest for depth and PACES in the run-up.