The GPhC registration assessment has a failure rate that demands serious preparation — 42% failed in November 2024, 23% in June 2025. With a maximum of 3 lifetime attempts, choosing the right question bank is not a preference — it is a strategic decision that directly affects your career.
There are now at least five dedicated GPhC question bank platforms competing for your subscription. They all claim comprehensive coverage. They all promise exam readiness. But they are built on fundamentally different models — and the differences matter more than the marketing suggests.
This is the side-by-side comparison that pharmacist trainees have been searching for.
At a Glance
| Feature | iatroX | Pre-Reg Shortcuts | PharmEducate | ONtrack | Coditioning |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Question volume | 1,000+ (mapped to CRA blueprint) | 1,500+ | 1,500+ | 1,000+ | 1,000+ |
| Adaptive engine | Yes — performance-based | No | No | No | No |
| BNF/NICE integration | Yes (RAG-based, cited) | No | No | No | No |
| Part 1 calculations | Yes — adaptive difficulty | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| EMQ format | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| SBA format | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Performance analytics | Topic-level proficiency | Basic | Basic | Basic | Basic |
| Mobile app (iOS + Android) | Yes | No (web) | No (web) | No (web) | No (web) |
| Live teaching / webinars | No | Yes (live sessions) | Yes (taught courses) | No | Yes (strategy content) |
| Exam strategy content | Via blog | Strong | Moderate | Moderate | Strong |
| MHRA-registered | Yes | No | No | No | No |
Pre-Reg Shortcuts
Pre-Reg Shortcuts has built a strong following through a combination of question bank content and live teaching sessions. The platform provides over 1,500 questions across SBA, EMQ, and calculation formats, supplemented by revision courses, live Zoom sessions, and structured study plans.
Strengths: The live teaching element is genuinely valuable — particularly for community-based trainees who have less structured peer learning than hospital trainees. The question explanations are detailed, and the study plan structure gives trainees a week-by-week framework. The founder has built significant trust within the pharmacy trainee community.
Limitations: No adaptive engine — questions rotate regardless of your performance profile. No BNF/NICE integration in explanations. Web-only — no dedicated mobile app. The platform does not know which therapeutic areas or calculation types you are weakest in, so topic prioritisation is self-directed.
Best for: Trainees who learn well from taught sessions and want a structured programme with live support alongside question practice.
PharmEducate
PharmEducate offers a comprehensive taught course model — combining question banks with structured learning modules, pharmacology teaching, and exam workshops. Over 1,500 questions with detailed explanations.
Strengths: Strong taught component. The course structure walks trainees through the CRA framework systematically. Good for trainees who want a complete taught programme rather than self-directed Q-bank practice. Pharmacology teaching is particularly well-regarded.
Limitations: No adaptive engine. No BNF/NICE integration. Web-only. The taught course model means you are following a fixed curriculum rather than targeting your individual weak areas. Higher price point reflects the course element.
Best for: Trainees who want a comprehensive taught programme with question practice embedded, rather than a standalone Q-bank.
ONtrack Pharmacy
ONtrack provides a pharmacy-specific revision platform with over 1,000 questions in authentic GPhC exam style, integrated with pharmacy news and a community of current trainees.
Strengths: UK pharmacy-specific focus. Question format closely mirrors the real CRA. Active user community — the peer support element can be motivating during the long revision period. Pharmacy news integration keeps content feeling current.
Limitations: Static question bank — no adaptive engine. No BNF integration. Web-only — no mobile app. Analytics are basic — you can see scores but not topic-level proficiency across the CRA framework.
Best for: Trainees who value community and authentic exam-format practice.
Coditioning
Coditioning combines over 1,000 questions with strong exam strategy content — study guides, exam technique coaching, CRA framework analysis, and calculation-specific drilling resources.
Strengths: The exam strategy content is genuinely differentiated — Coditioning explains not just what the CRA tests but how to approach it strategically. Calculation drills are well-structured. The framework analysis helps trainees understand the exam blueprint.
Limitations: Moderate question volume compared to Pre-Reg Shortcuts and PharmEducate. Static bank — no adaptive engine. No BNF integration. Web-only.
Best for: Trainees who need exam technique coaching alongside question practice — particularly those who are unsure how to structure their approach to the CRA.
iatroX — The Adaptive Option
iatroX enters the GPhC market with a fundamentally different architecture. Over 1,000 questions meticulously mapped to the CRA blueprint, available in SBA, EMQ, and calculation formats — in the exact format of the exam.
The adaptive engine. After each question, the engine updates your proficiency profile across all CRA content areas and selects the next question to target your weakest area. If you are strong on cardiovascular therapeutics but weak on endocrine dosing, the engine serves more endocrine questions. If your IV rate calculations are accurate but your displacement value calculations are slow, the engine concentrates on displacement. This is not a rotation. It is not a daily feed. It is a response to your actual knowledge state, updated in real time.
BNF and NICE integration. Every Part 2 explanation references the relevant BNF section or NICE guideline — cited, with context. When guidelines update, explanations update. You are revising from the same sources the CRA tests against — not from static text authored once and never refreshed.
Part 1 calculations adaptive. Calculation types are tracked independently. Accuracy and speed are both monitored. Difficulty scales within each type as you improve.
Performance dashboard. Topic-level proficiency across all CRA therapeutic areas and content domains. You know before exam day exactly where your risk lies — not after.
Mobile app. iOS and Android — the only GPhC revision platform with a native mobile app. Revise in the dispensary, on the commute, between consultations.
MHRA-registered. Clinical governance standard applied to content — unique in the pharmacy revision market.
Pricing: £29/month or £99/year at iatrox.com/quiz-landing?exam=uk-gphc.
The Recommended Approach
For most candidates: iatroX (adaptive targeting + BNF integration + mobile) as your primary platform, supplemented with one volume resource (Pre-Reg Shortcuts or PharmEducate) for additional question exposure and taught content.
For candidates who want maximum taught support: PharmEducate or Pre-Reg Shortcuts as the taught programme, with iatroX as the adaptive layer that identifies and closes the gaps the course leaves.
For exam technique-focused candidates: Coditioning for strategy, iatroX for adaptive question practice.
The logic: no static platform knows what you specifically do not know. iatroX does.