AMBOSS vs Boards and Beyond:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, AMBOSS had more branded searches than Boards and Beyond among USMLE prep courses in the United States. AMBOSS had about 60,500 branded searches, while Boards and Beyond had 22,200. AMBOSS made up 60.5% of all USMLE prep course searches we track, and Boards and Beyond accounted for 22.2%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about USMLE prep courses, AMBOSS appeared in three of the five answers and Boards and Beyond in one. AMBOSS was mentioned before Boards and Beyond in two out of three answers.
Who do people search for more?
AMBOSS, about 3 searches for every 1 for Boards and Beyond
Who does AI mention more?
AMBOSS, mentioned in 3 of 5 answers, Boards and Beyond in 1
Who does AI recommend more?
AMBOSS, named ahead of Boards and Beyond in 2 of 3 answers
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Top USMLE prep courses in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, AMBOSS was mentioned in three out of five: in two of the three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. Boards and Beyond was mentioned in one out of five: not in any of the three ChatGPT answers, but in one of the two Google AI Overviews. AMBOSS was listed before Boards and Beyond in two out of three answers.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
UWorld4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers- AMBOSS3 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Pathoma2 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Sketchy2 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Boards and Beyond1 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Kaplan1 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Lecturio0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about USMLE prep courses
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best resources for USMLE Step 1?”
Asked ChatGPT
“Which question bank should I use for Step 2 CK?”
Asked ChatGPT
“How should I plan my dedicated study period for Step 1?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“usmle prep”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“usmle step 1 prep”
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in United States on October 28, 2026.
Is AMBOSS or Boards and Beyond more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for AMBOSS and Boards and Beyond by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all seven USMLE prep course brands we track, month by month, from searches in United States.
Share of searches by month for AMBOSS, Boards and Beyond. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | AMBOSS | Boards and Beyond | Pathoma | Sketchy | UWorld | Lecturio | Kaplan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 57.3% | 21% | 7.7% | 4.2% | 4.9% | 4.2% | 0.7% |
| Nov 2025 | 53.4% | 23.9% | 8.7% | 3.9% | 5.3% | 3.9% | 0.92% |
| Dec 2025 | 55.9% | 20.4% | 9.1% | 4.1% | 6.4% | 3.3% | 0.73% |
| Jan 2026 | 55.2% | 20.3% | 9% | 4% | 6.6% | 4% | 0.89% |
| Feb 2026 | 59% | 17.7% | 7.9% | 3.5% | 7.7% | 3.5% | 0.67% |
| Mar 2026 | 55.3% | 20.3% | 7.4% | 3.3% | 10.6% | 2.6% | 0.51% |
| Apr 2026 | 56.4% | 20.7% | 7.5% | 2.7% | 9.4% | 2.7% | 0.61% |
| May 2026 | 58.3% | 17.4% | 7.8% | 2.8% | 10.3% | 2.8% | 0.63% |
| Jun 2026 | 60.4% | 18.1% | 6.6% | 2.9% | 8.7% | 2.9% | 0.43% |
| Jul 2026 | 59.4% | 17.8% | 6.5% | 2.9% | 10.7% | 2.3% | 0.45% |
| Aug 2026 | 58.8% | 21.5% | 7.9% | 3.5% | 5.5% | 2.3% | 0.45% |
| Sep 2026 | 60.5% | 22.2% | 6.6% | 3.6% | 3.4% | 2.9% | 0.74% |
How has the AMBOSS and Boards and Beyond comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- AMBOSS was ahead of Boards and Beyond in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, AMBOSS’s share of searches among USMLE prep courses in the United States moved from 57.3% to 60.5%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 60.5K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Boards and Beyond’s share of searches among USMLE prep courses in the United States moved from 21% to 22.2%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 22.2K.
How did search popularity change for United States USMLE prep courses in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, AMBOSS gained share of searches among USMLE prep courses in the United States, from 58.8% to 60.5%.
In September 2026, Boards and Beyond gained share of searches among USMLE prep courses in the United States, from 21.5% to 22.2%.
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using AMBOSS’s and Boards and Beyond’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
AMBOSS
1 branded search term
- amboss
Boards and Beyond
1 branded search term
- boards and beyond
Other head-to-heads among USMLE prep courses
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