7 Best Online Nursing CE Providers in 2026 (Reviewed)

Choosing the right CE provider can save you hundreds of dollars and dozens of hours over your career. But with so many options, it's hard to know which ones are actually worth your time. We reviewed seven of the most popular online nursing CE providers for 2026 — comparing pricing, accreditation, course quality, and state acceptance — so you don't have to.

What We Looked For

Every provider on this list was evaluated on four criteria:

1. Accreditation. ANCC accreditation is the gold standard for nursing CE. All seven providers listed here hold valid ANCC accreditation or equivalent recognized approval.
2. State acceptance. A course is only useful if your state board accepts it. We checked how broadly each provider's courses are recognized across all 50 states.
3. Course quality. Peer review, instructional design, clinical relevance, and how current the material is.
4. Value. Price relative to the number of courses offered, including whether free options are genuinely useful or just marketing hooks.

1. Medscape Nursing

Medscape is one of the largest free medical education platforms in the world, and its nursing CE section is surprisingly robust. Courses are written and peer-reviewed by active clinicians, and the platform covers a wide range of clinical, pharmacology, and professional development topics.

• Price: Free (registration required)
• Accreditation: ANCC-accredited
• Course catalog: Broad clinical and specialty topics; new courses added regularly

Pros

• Completely free — no hidden fees or upsells
• High-quality, peer-reviewed clinical content
• Strong coverage of pharmacology and evidence-based practice
• ANCC accreditation accepted in most states

Cons

• Limited coverage of state-mandated topics (e.g., implicit bias, human trafficking) — you may need to supplement from other sources
• No state-specific bundles or compliance tracking
• Ad-supported platform; some content is industry-sponsored

Best for: Nurses who want high-quality clinical CE at no cost and don't mind piecing together their own state requirements.

2. NetCE

NetCE has been a staple in nursing CE for over two decades. Their annual subscription model gives you unlimited access to a library of 100+ nursing courses, and they're known for wide state board acceptance and solid customer support.

• Price: ~$85/year (unlimited access)
• Accreditation: ANCC-accredited
• Course catalog: 100+ courses spanning clinical, mandatory topics, and specialty areas

Pros

• Wide state acceptance — one of the broadest in the industry
• Good coverage of mandatory/state-required topics
• Certificates stored and easily accessible
• Responsive customer support for state-specific questions

Cons

• Annual subscription cost is higher than some competitors
• Course interface feels dated compared to newer platforms
• Some courses are text-heavy with limited multimedia

Best for: Nurses who want a reliable, all-in-one subscription with strong state acceptance and mandatory topic coverage.

3. CEUfast

CEUfast offers one of the most affordable unlimited CE subscriptions on the market. At $39/year, you get access to a solid catalog of ANCC-accredited courses with good coverage of commonly required mandatory topics.

• Price: ~$39/year (unlimited access)
• Accreditation: ANCC-accredited
• Course catalog: Broad range with strong mandatory topic coverage

Pros

• Excellent value — one of the cheapest unlimited plans available
• Good selection of mandatory topic courses (domestic violence, human trafficking, opioids, etc.)
• Mobile-friendly platform
• Instant certificate generation

Cons

• Smaller overall catalog compared to NetCE
• Less depth in advanced specialty topics
• Some courses feel more like compliance checkboxes than true learning experiences

Best for: Budget-conscious nurses who need to knock out mandatory topics and general CE hours quickly and affordably.

4. Nurse.com

Nurse.com (part of the Relias Media family) offers a hybrid model with both free and paid CE courses. Their peer-reviewed content is well-regarded, and the platform doubles as a nursing career resource with job listings and professional development tools.

• Price: Free courses available; paid memberships from $49.95–$149.95/year
• Accreditation: ANCC-accredited
• Course catalog: Mix of free and premium courses; peer-reviewed content

Pros

• Free courses available — good for supplementing other providers
• Peer-reviewed, clinically relevant content
• Career resources beyond just CE (job board, salary data)
• Regular webinars and live events for interactive learning

Cons

• Premium membership can be pricey at the higher tiers
• Free course selection is limited and may not cover mandatory topics
• Navigation can be confusing with mixed free/paid content

Best for: Nurses who want a mix of free and premium content with career development resources alongside their CE.

5. Elite Learning (Colibri Healthcare)

Elite Learning, now part of Colibri Healthcare, is known for state-specific CE bundles. Instead of a subscription, you purchase packages tailored to your state's exact requirements — including all mandatory topics — in a single purchase.

• Price: $39–$99 per state-specific bundle
• Accreditation: ANCC-accredited
• Course catalog: State-specific bundles covering full renewal requirements

Pros

• State-specific bundles eliminate guesswork about what you need
• All mandatory topics included in the bundle price
• Clear, structured learning paths from start to finish
• Strong reputation with state boards

Cons

• No subscription model — you pay per renewal cycle
• Less flexibility to choose your own topics
• Can be more expensive than unlimited subscriptions if you want extra courses beyond your state's requirements

Best for: Nurses who want a done-for-you, one-stop package that covers their entire state requirement without any guessing.

6. Wild Iris Medical Education

Wild Iris is a smaller, independent CE provider that has been operating since 1998. They offer self-paced courses with a focus on clear writing and straightforward course design — no flashy multimedia, just solid educational content.

• Price: $18–$49 per course (varies by contact hours)
• Accreditation: ANCC-accredited; California BRN-approved
• Course catalog: Self-paced courses across clinical, ethics, and mandatory topics

Pros

• Well-written, focused course content
• California BRN approval in addition to ANCC
• Self-paced with no time limits on completion
• Good for nurses who prefer reading-based learning

Cons

• Per-course pricing can add up quickly for high-hour states
• Smaller catalog than the major subscription platforms
• Minimal multimedia or interactive elements

Best for: California nurses (thanks to BRN approval) and nurses in lower-hour states who only need a few courses per cycle.

7. Lippincott NursingCenter

Lippincott NursingCenter offers CE activities based on peer-reviewed journal articles from Lippincott's nursing journal portfolio. If you want CE that's grounded in the latest research and clinical evidence, this is where to look.

• Price: $12.95–$21.95 per activity
• Accreditation: ANCC-accredited
• Course catalog: Research-based activities drawn from Lippincott nursing journals

Pros

• Highest-quality, research-based content in the industry
• Based on peer-reviewed journal articles — clinically rigorous
• Excellent for nurses pursuing specialty certifications or advanced practice
• Trusted brand in nursing education

Cons

• Per-activity pricing is among the most expensive on this list
• Not practical as a sole CE source for high-hour states
• Limited coverage of mandatory/compliance topics
• Content can be dense and academic

Best for: Nurses who want research-level clinical education and are willing to pay a premium for journal-quality content.

Provider Comparison at a Glance

How to Choose the Right Provider for You

The best CE provider depends on your situation. Here's a quick decision framework:

• Tight budget? Start with Medscape (free) and supplement with CEUfast ($39/yr) for mandatory topics.
• Want everything in one place? NetCE's subscription covers most states with a single annual fee.
• Hate figuring out requirements? Elite Learning's state bundles do the work for you.
• Career-focused? Combine Nurse.com's free courses with Lippincott for deep clinical education.
• California nurse? Wild Iris has specific BRN approval that simplifies compliance.

For a deeper look at the tradeoffs between free and paid options, read our free vs paid nursing CE comparison.

A Note on Accreditation

All seven providers on this list hold ANCC accreditation, which is accepted by the vast majority of state boards. However, a few states maintain their own approved provider lists or have additional requirements. Always verify with your state board before purchasing courses — especially for mandatory topics, where states can be particularly strict about which providers they accept.

Track Your Hours No Matter Where You Learn

Most nurses end up using more than one CE provider across a renewal cycle. The challenge is keeping track of what you've completed, which mandatory topics are covered, and how many hours you still need.

RenewRN tracks CE hours from any provider in one dashboard. It monitors your mandatory topic completion, calculates your remaining hours, and sends you smart reminders as your renewal deadline approaches — so nothing falls through the cracks.