The SurePass Guarantee — your money back if you don't pass, and Lifetime covers your $140 retake fee. SurePass Guarantee — money back if you don't pass + $140 retake fee on Lifetime.
CIS prep
From $69
CIS · Certified Instrument Specialist
Pass the CIS — or get every dollar back. Guaranteed.
Don't pass? Full refund — and Lifetime pays your $140 retake fee
Know exactly what to study, when to study it, and the moment you're ready to sit.
Enter your email — we instantly send a link to your cheat sheet. One tap opens your study portal with your trial; a 6-digit code comes as a backup. No card.
- 602 exam-style questions, every one with a written explanation
- Free cheat sheet + 24 hours of the full Fast Track Study System on your trial
- A readiness score that tells you when you're actually ready to sit
- Works offline — study anywhere, no signal needed
What’s free on your trial
Your CIS cheat sheet — free, instant to download.
Instant access to download the full cheat sheet. Start your free trial — one tap on the emailed link opens your study portal with the sheet waiting, plus 24 hours of the full Fast Track Study System. No card.
You'll get further in these 24 hours than in a week anywhere else.
- Your CIS cheat sheet — the highest-yield facts as a PDF, instant to download with your trial
- The full Fast Track Study System, open for 24 hours from the moment you start
- Every practice question — Tutor, Timed and Quiz modes — with Miles, the AI tutor
- Every flashcard deck and a full-length mock exam, with narrated audio
- The whole study guide, plus your readiness meter and study plan paced to your exam date
The Capital Prep Method
What to study, when to study it & the exact moment you're ready.
Cut out the months of studying you don't need. CIS prep that adapts every day — no guessing what to do next.
SurePass readiness
A readiness score built from your own answers — not a progress bar. It moves as you answer, and recent work counts most.
Anywhere Mode · Study from your pocket
Ten minutes of scrolling — or ten minutes closer to passing.
Your phone is already in your hand. Two taps, no signal needed.
- Quick Ten — One tap. Ten questions, with the rationale on every one.
- It downloads itself — No button, no setup, nothing to remember.
- No bars? Still works — Airplane mode, the subway, a cabin in the woods.
- Nothing gets lost. Ever. — Saves as you tap, syncs when you're back.
Flashcards and practice questions work offline. The study guide, audio and full-length mocks need a connection.
Flashcards that work offline
Before you decide how to study
More than 1 in 3fail the CIS exam
In 2019 it was 25%. It has not been below 29% in five years.
Source: HSPA’s own published certification statistics (as of Dec. 31, 2025).
That is exactly why we guarantee it.
Pass the CIS — or get your money back.
- Every pass: full refund — and you keep Lifetime access, free.
- Lifetime (SurePass Pro): we also pay your $140 HSPA retake fee.
CIS cheat sheet, instant downloadNo payment info required
What you get with each CIS pass
Every pass includes the full study system. Only the length of access and the guarantee payout change.
Lowest price
7-Day Pass
one-time · 7 days of access
Cram-ready full access for the final week before your exam.
Click any feature to see it.
- Full refund if you don't pass
- Keep full access, free, until you do
One payment · no subscription · secure checkout by Stripe
Strong guarantee
30-Day Pass
one-time · 30 days of access
A full month to prep — backed by our pass guarantee.
Click any feature to see it.
- Full refund if you don't pass
- Keep full access, free, until you do
One payment · no subscription · secure checkout by Stripe
Best guarantee
Lifetime
one-time · never expires
Study at your pace, forever — backed by our pass guarantee.
Click any feature to see it.
- Full refund if you don't pass
- We pay your full $140 retake fee — one funded retake
One payment · no subscription · secure checkout by Stripe
- Instant access
- Full study system on trial
Don't pass? Full refund. On Lifetime, your retake fee is covered too. Terms apply
CIS · Features and Pricing
How Capital Prep compares
Tap any i to learn more about a feature.
| Click an i to learn more | Capital Prep | The Sterile Guy | HSPA Manuals |
|---|---|---|---|
| — | — | ||
| — | |||
| — | — | ||
| — | — | ||
| — | — | ||
| — | |||
| — | — | ||
| — | — |
HSPA's manuals are the certifying body's own reference books — listed because most candidates weigh buying them; HSPA itself notes no study-material purchase is required to sit the exam. Exam Edge, Sterile Tech Prep, Pocket Prep and Mometrix were each checked and sell no CIS product. Competitor features and pricing verified August 2026 — their terms may have changed since, so check before you buy.
Questions about our CIS prep?
Ask a real person.
Ask about the CIS guarantee, the free trial, or how the study system works. We read every message and answer as soon as we can.
Send us a message
Questions, answered
What do I get for free?
The full Fast Track Study System, free for 24 hours with no card — every practice question, every flashcard deck, Cram Mode, Focus sessions, narrated audio, a full-length mock exam sat as timed practice, your own flashcards from any highlight, and the entire study guide, every chapter readable and highlightable. Instant access to download the full cheat sheet. Your cheat sheet always stays yours. A pass keeps all of it open, backed by the SurePass Guarantee.
Do I need my CRCST first?
Yes — HSPA requires a current CRCST to sit the CIS, plus 200 hours of hands-on experience in a sterile processing department. If you passed your CRCST with us, everything you learned there carries straight over.
How does the SurePass Guarantee work?
Score 80%+ on one full-length mock, sit the real exam, and if you don't pass we refund what you paid. On Lifetime, clear two mocks with your readiness meter at "Getting close" or above and we also pay your full $140 retake fee. You file the claim in your study portal with your official score report.
Which pass should I buy?
Match it to your exam date. Sitting within a week, the 7-Day Pass is built for that. A month out, the 30-Day. No date yet, or you want it to keep working after you pass — Lifetime.
Are the questions like the real exam?
They're written to HSPA's CIS content outline and weighted to it, so a mock is the same shape as the real thing: 150 questions and 180 minutes, across all six sections.
What happens when my pass expires?
Your progress is kept. You can upgrade at any time and pick up exactly where you were — and upgrades always credit what you already paid.
Can I use it on my phone?
Yes — everything syncs across devices, and the reader, flashcards and practice all work on a phone.
Is there an online course for the CIS?
Not from HSPA. Their own CIS page states: "Online/distance learning courses are not available for the CIS." For the CRCST they list Purdue's course; for this exam that option doesn't exist. Self-study is the route, which is exactly what this is built for.
Do you offer refunds if I change my mind?
Yes, separately from the pass guarantee: 24 hours on the 7-Day Pass, 48 hours on the 30-Day Pass, or 72 hours on Lifetime, measured from your purchase (or from your upgrade, if you upgraded) — no questions asked, as long as you haven't sat your exam yet. EEA and UK buyers also keep their 14-day statutory right. The SurePass Guarantee is the other promise — that one is about your exam result, not about changing your mind.
Do I need HSPA's manuals?
No — HSPA itself states that no study-material purchase is required to sit the exam, and that its Certification Council does not develop, require, approve or endorse any specific training materials. The exam is written against HSPA's Instrument and Technical Manuals, and our study guide covers that same outline in plain language. Some candidates like having the manuals as a reference too — that's a fine way to go.
My exam date moved. Does the plan adjust?
Yes. Change the date and the Game Plan rebuilds around the new one — it works backwards from your date, so moving it forward compresses the plan and moving it back spreads it out.
Still deciding?
Start your free trial — instant access to download the CIS cheat sheet, plus 24 hours of the full Fast Track Study System. No payment info required.