If Passmedicine wins on volume, Pastest wins on depth. The explanation quality is widely regarded as the best in the AKT market — the teaching notes do not just tell you the answer, they teach you the clinical reasoning that produced it. For trainees who learn best from understanding why rather than memorising what, Pastest is the premium choice.
What Pastest Offers
The AKT bank contains 3,300+ questions covering clinical medicine, evidence-based practice, and organisational domains. Questions are available in SBA, EMQ, Free Text Matching (FTM), and Multiple Best Answer (MBA) formats — matching the full range of question types the AKT uses. The bank is aligned with the latest AKT exam breakdown, including the October 2025 format change to 160 questions in 2 hours 40 minutes.
The explanation quality is the genuine differentiator. Pastest explanations teach reasoning — they walk through the clinical scenario, explain why each incorrect option is wrong (not just "this is incorrect"), and link the answer to the underlying pathophysiology or guideline. Many trainees use the explanations as a primary learning resource rather than just an answer check.
The Tutor On-Demand feature provides instant, on-demand support while you answer questions — a recent addition that brings a layer of interactive help to the traditionally static Q-bank format.
Full mock exams simulate the AKT format. A searchable textbook provides reference material alongside the questions. Podcasts offer bite-sized revision content for commute or downtime.
Pricing
Approximately £50-100 for 3-6 months — more expensive than Passmedicine but with proportionally fewer (though arguably higher-quality) questions. A 48-hour free trial is available.
Strengths
Explanation quality. This is the reason trainees choose Pastest over Passmedicine. If you find yourself reading explanations and thinking "I understand why now, not just what" — Pastest's teaching approach is working. The multi-format coverage (SBA, EMQ, FTM, MBA) ensures you practise every question type the AKT throws at you.
The long-established brand is trusted by medical educators — Pastest has been producing medical exam resources for decades, and the editorial rigour shows.
Limitations
The question volume (3,300+) is lower than Passmedicine (4,500+) — for trainees who want maximum exposure to novel questions, Passmedicine offers more per pound. The interface feels dated compared to newer platforms. Some questions may predate the MLA-era content style, though content is regularly reviewed.
Who Should Use Pastest
Pastest is the right choice for trainees who value explanation quality over question volume. If you find yourself reading Passmedicine explanations and thinking "I know the answer but I don't really understand why" — Pastest's teaching-style explanations fill that gap. The multi-format coverage (SBA, EMQ, FTM, MBA) is also important for trainees who want to practise every question type the AKT uses, not just SBAs.
Many high-performing trainees use both Passmedicine and Pastest — Passmedicine for volume and benchmarking in the early revision phase, Pastest for depth and reasoning development in the later phase. This is a valid (if expensive) approach. For trainees who can only afford one, the choice depends on learning style: volume learners choose Passmedicine, depth learners choose Pastest.
The Bottom Line
Pastest is the AKT Q-bank for trainees who prioritise understanding over exposure. The explanation quality develops clinical reasoning that transfers to real consultations — not just exam answers. The multi-format coverage ensures you practise every question type the AKT uses. At £50-100 for 3-6 months, it is more expensive than Passmedicine but produces a different (and for many trainees, deeper) type of learning. Layer iatroX on top for free adaptive spaced repetition — locking in what Pastest teaches through algorithmically-timed review.
Where iatroX Fits
Pastest teaches you why the answer is right. iatroX adaptive quiz ensures the knowledge sticks by resurfacing weak areas at optimal intervals. Combine Pastest's depth with iatroX's spaced repetition — Pastest for initial learning, iatroX for consolidation and retention. The iatroX AKT Q-bank is free — layer it on top of your Pastest subscription for adaptive targeting that Pastest does not offer.