LumiQ vs. Earmark CPE: Which Podcast CPE Platform Is Better for CPAs?
LumiQ and Earmark are NASBA-registered podcast CPE platforms that take opposite routes to the same commute. Earmark turns podcasts that already exist into CPE: 1,800+ courses, one free credit a week, unlimited for $199.99 a year. LumiQ makes the CPE as a podcast: 1,200+ original episodes, researched, scripted, and produced in-house, for $299 (20 credits) or $499 (unlimited).
If pure cost is your deciding factor, Earmark edges out LumiQ. LumiQ focuses on quality in every way, from the guests, to the production standards to the technical experience.
Read on to see how Earmark and LumiQ CPE stack up head-to-head.
Disclosure: LumiQ publishes this comparison and has a commercial interest in the outcome. Earmark information was reviewed using Earmark’s official website and NASBA information. Product features and pricing may change.
LumiQ vs. Earmark CPE at a Glance
| Comparison | LumiQ | Earmark |
| Core product | Original audio-first continuing professional education | Podcast and media platform for earning CPE |
| Content model | Original episodes produced by LumiQ | Courses built around podcasts and other media from multiple channels |
| Learning style | Narrative storytelling, case studies, expert conversations, and technical discussions with some video content | Podcast conversations, interviews, tax and accounting shows, and selected video content |
| Individual pricing | Lite: $299/year for 20 credits; Pro: $499/year unlimited | Free: one credit per week; Unlimited: $199.99/year |
| Offline listening | Available | Available |
| Mobile app | iOS and Android | iOS, Android, and a web app |
| Catalog | 1,200+ original episodes | 1,800+ courses of NASBA CPE and IRS CE |
| Individual access | Lite or Pro subscription, plus a 14-day free trial with three credits | Prime subscription or individual podcast-course purchase at $29 per credit |
| Unlimited-plan price | Pro at $499 per year | Prime at $799 per year |
| Team offering | Team and Enterprise plans with reporting, Learning Paths, integrations, and support | Team and Enterprise arrangements for large groups |
| Best for | Professionals who want engaging, curated, original, high-production podcast CPE | Professionals who want inexpensive access to a broad range of podcast CPE |
Earmark currently promotes more than 1,800 courses, a free tier, an unlimited plan at $199.99 per year, and team pricing beginning at $159.99 per user annually for groups of 5 to 20 (Earmark CPE). LumiQ currently offers more than 1,200 original episodes, mobile and offline access, weekly releases, Learning Paths, and individual and team plans (LumiQ pricing).
The Core Difference Between LumiQ and Earmark
LumiQ and Earmark solve the same basic problem: traditional CPE often does not fit naturally into a busy professional’s day. Both let accountants listen during commutes, workouts, travel, or other time away from a desk. They just approach this differently.
Earmark is fundamentally a platform for earning CPE from accounting and tax podcasts. Its catalog includes content from different podcast channels and creators, and its value proposition centers on making existing professional media eligible for CPE through a mobile workflow. Earmark describes the experience simply: listen to audio, take a short quiz, and download your certificate.
LumiQ takes a vertically integrated approach. Its episodes are developed as professional education from the beginning. Every episode is researched, scripted, and produced by its in-house team, with content ranging from true crime-style fraud stories to technical accounting discussions and executive interviews.
So while both companies offer podcast CPE, the distinction is this: Earmark helps turn podcasts into CPE. LumiQ produces CPE as premium podcast content.
How Earmark CPE Works
Earmark is designed around a simple mobile workflow. A learner chooses a course, listens to the podcast or media, completes a short quiz, and downloads the CPE certificate. A passing score of 70 percent or higher is required.
Its current individual plans are particularly aggressive on price. The free plan includes one credit per week, with advertising and limited access. The Unlimited plan costs $199.99 per year and includes unlimited CPE, subscriber-only content, and no ads. Earmark is also registered with the IRS as a CE provider, so enrolled agents can report Earmark courses alongside CPAs and CMAs.
Earmark offers mobile apps for iOS and Android and a web app for completing courses in a browser. Episodes can be downloaded in the app for listening without a data connection.
This makes Earmark especially attractive for CPAs who already listen to accounting and tax podcasts and want an inexpensive way to turn that habit into continuing education.
How LumiQ Works
LumiQ also uses a mobile-first podcast model, but the content is produced specifically as structured professional education. Users choose an episode, listen through the web or mobile app, complete the chapter quizzes and final assessment, and receive a completion certificate. Mobile users can download episodes for offline listening.
LumiQ’s catalog includes more than 1,200 original episodes across accounting, audit and assurance, tax, ethics, fraud, finance, artificial intelligence, technology, internal audit, risk and governance, leadership, business management, and other areas relevant to accounting and finance professionals.
The platform is built around original production rather than aggregating or converting existing podcast feeds. That means LumiQ controls the research, episode structure, learning objectives, host approach, guest selection, audio production, assessment, and supporting learning experience.
Content Quality and Production
This is where LumiQ has its clearest differentiation.
Earmark gives learners breadth across many podcast channels. That is a real strength. If you already follow certain accounting or tax podcasts, Earmark lets you earn CPE from content you would have listened to anyway. Its catalog includes podcast interviews, tax discussions, firm-management topics, technology conversations, and accounting-industry news.
LumiQ’s approach is curated. Episodes are developed internally with a professional education objective from the outset. LumiQ’s current site describes its content as researched, scripted, and produced by an in-house team of CPAs and producers, using formats such as case studies, true crime, and fireside chats. Guests include CFOs, Big Four partners, regulators, authors, audit executives, and other senior practitioners.
The result is closer to premium professional media than a conventional course library or podcast aggregation platform.
For buyers, the tradeoff is straightforward. Earmark wins on breadth and openness. LumiQ wins on editorial control, production consistency, and curation.
Original Content vs. Podcast Aggregation
This distinction is important because “podcast CPE” can describe several different things. Some platforms start with an existing podcast and add the educational structure needed to award CPE. Others develop the course itself as a podcast from the beginning.
Earmark often works with existing podcast content and channels, allowing listeners to earn CPE after completing its course requirements. Its own marketing emphasizes being able to earn credit for listening to accounting and tax podcasts.
LumiQ produces original episodes specifically for its platform. That gives LumiQ more control over:
- Topic selection
- Learning objectives
- Episode pacing
- Guest quality
- Narrative structure
- Technical review
- Supporting materials
- Assessment design
This does not automatically make one model better for every learner. If you enjoy exploring lots of different accounting podcasts and creators, Earmark’s model is appealing. If you value a consistent learning experience and editorial standard across the catalog, LumiQ has the stronger proposition.
Mobile and Offline Learning
Both platforms are built for learning away from a desk. Earmark explicitly markets its mobile app around earning CPE while driving, working out, doing chores, or moving through the day. LumiQ similarly supports iOS and Android apps and lets users download episodes for offline listening. Its current site positions the platform around commutes, workouts, errands, and other times when screen-based learning is inconvenient.
There is therefore no meaningful winner simply on “can I listen on my phone?” Both can, and both can be downloaded for the plane: LumiQ states offline downloads on its pricing page, and Earmark users report in-app downloads on Google Play.
The difference is what learners find when they open the app. Earmark emphasizes access to a large range of podcast courses. LumiQ emphasizes a curated library of original professional education.
Audio-First Does Not Mean Audio-Only
One misconception about podcast CPE is that audio necessarily means giving up supporting materials. That is not how LumiQ is structured.
LumiQ is audio-first, but episodes also include a transcript and, for most episodes, a Visual Aid PDF with notes and supplements; technical series such as the Excel episodes add downloadable resource files. That is particularly useful for technical or application-based subjects where the learner wants to see an example, revisit a concept, or work through a practical exercise.
The podcast remains the primary learning format, but it is not the only learning resource.
Pricing and Value
Earmark has the obvious advantage on price. Its Free plan currently includes one credit per week, while Unlimited costs $199.99 per year. LumiQ Lite costs $299 per year for 20 credits, while Pro costs $499 per year for unlimited LumiQ CPE.
So if the decision is based entirely on the lowest possible cost for unlimited podcast CPE, Earmark wins.
But the two subscriptions are buying different things. Earmark’s value proposition is inexpensive access to a large library of podcast-based courses. LumiQ’s value proposition includes original production, editorial curation, high-profile expert guests, consistent course development, Learning Paths, and a broader professional-development experience.
The useful question is therefore not simply “Which one costs less?” It is “What kind of content do I want to spend my CPE hours listening to?”
For a price-sensitive individual, Earmark is difficult to beat. For someone who places a premium on content quality, production, curation, and professional relevance, LumiQ justifies the higher price.
Free CPE
Earmark has the stronger ongoing free model. Its free plan currently allows learners to earn one credit per week, which makes Earmark especially attractive for someone who needs only occasional CPE or is willing to earn credits gradually throughout the year.
LumiQ takes a trial-based approach instead. New users get 14 days to explore the full LumiQ library and earn up to three free CPE credits without entering a credit card. The LumiQ free offer is designed primarily to let users evaluate the full paid experience before subscribing.
So: Earmark has the stronger ongoing free version. LumiQ has the stronger try-before-you-buy model for evaluating its premium catalog.
Technical and Professional Development Content
Both platforms cover accounting and tax topics, but LumiQ’s positioning extends more deliberately beyond compliance-oriented course subjects. LumiQ’s current catalog includes accounting, audit, tax, ethics, fraud, finance, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, leadership, communication, strategy, internal audit, risk, and business management. That makes it useful not only for completing CPE hours but also for broader capability building.
Earmark’s catalog is broad as well, with more than 1,800 courses and content spanning accounting, tax, technology, firm management, and related topics.
The difference is less about whether either provider has professional-development content and more about how deliberately the platform curates learning journeys around it. LumiQ uses Learning Paths to organize related episodes into structured sequences around specific skills or topics.
Team and Firm Use
Both Earmark and LumiQ offer organizational plans.
Earmark currently advertises Team pricing of $159.99 per user annually for groups of 5 to 20 and Enterprise arrangements for larger groups. Its team messaging emphasizes unlimited CPE, subscriber-only content, and compliance visibility through a shared dashboard.
LumiQ’s Team and Enterprise offerings extend further into learning strategy. Organizations can use LumiQ for:
- Centralized membership management
- Adoption reporting
- Curated Learning Paths
- Highlighted content
- Custom Learning Paths for Enterprise
- Episode discussion guides
- Selected LMS integrations
- SSO
- Dedicated customer success support for Enterprise
For a firm primarily seeking inexpensive podcast CPE access, Earmark is sufficient. For an organization trying to actively shape learning and development across teams, LumiQ has a broader administrative and curation model.
Are LumiQ and Earmark Registered With NASBA?
Yes.
LumiQ is registered on NASBA’s National Registry of CPE Sponsors under Registry ID 146039, with QAS Self Study as its approved delivery method.
Earmark CPE is registered under Registry ID 147385, with Group Live, Group Internet Based, and QAS Self Study as approved delivery methods.
National Registry sponsorship does not mean every course automatically satisfies every CPE requirement for certified public accountants in every state. State boards retain final authority over the acceptance of individual programs, fields of study, ethics courses, delivery methods, and other licensing requirements.
When Earmark Is the Better Choice
Earmark is the better fit if your highest priorities are price, free CPE, and access to a broad range of accounting and tax podcast content. It is especially appealing if you already enjoy accounting podcasts and want to earn credit from that listening habit.
Its free tier and $199.99 unlimited subscription also make it one of the more accessible podcast CPE options for individual professionals.
When LumiQ Is the Better Choice
LumiQ is the better fit if you care more about the quality and consistency of the learning experience than getting the lowest possible subscription price. It is designed for professionals who want original, curated content rather than a large aggregation of third-party podcast channels.
The strongest reasons to choose LumiQ are its in-house production model, narrative storytelling, expert guest bench, structured Learning Paths, supporting learning materials, and more developed team-learning capabilities.
Verdict
Earmark and LumiQ are closer competitors than LumiQ and most traditional CPE providers because both believe professional education should fit into the rest of your life instead of demanding more desk time.
Earmark has the stronger price story. Its free plan, $199.99 unlimited subscription, and 1,800+ course catalog make it a compelling option for CPAs who want inexpensive podcast-based CPE.
LumiQ has the stronger content-experience story. Rather than primarily turning existing podcasts into credit-bearing courses, LumiQ develops original professional education specifically for audio, supported by in-house research, production, expert guests, Learning Paths, and additional learning resources.
So the choice comes down to what you value most. If you want the least expensive way to earn lots of CPE through podcasts, Earmark is difficult to beat. If you want podcast CPE that feels more like premium professional media, with consistent production and a curated learning experience, LumiQ is the stronger choice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Earmark CPE free?
Yes. Earmark currently offers a free plan that includes one CPE credit per week, with ads and limited access. Its Unlimited plan costs $199.99 per year.
Does Earmark offer unlimited CPE?
Yes. Earmark’s Unlimited subscription includes unlimited CPE, subscriber-only content, and no ads.
Does LumiQ offer free CPE?
Yes. New LumiQ users can earn up to three free CPE credits from the full library during a 14-day trial, without entering a credit card.
Which is cheaper, LumiQ or Earmark?
Earmark is currently less expensive. Its unlimited individual plan is $199.99 per year, while LumiQ Pro costs $499 per year. The platforms have different content models, so price alone does not capture the full distinction.
Do both LumiQ and Earmark have mobile apps?
Yes. Both providers offer iOS and Android apps and are designed for podcast-style learning on the go. Earmark also offers a web app; LumiQ offers a web platform.
Can I listen to LumiQ offline?
Yes. LumiQ allows users to download episodes through its iOS and Android apps for offline listening.
Is LumiQ audio-only?
No. LumiQ is audio-first, not audio-only. Episodes include transcripts, most include a Visual Aid PDF, and technical series add downloadable resource files.
Which platform has more courses?
Earmark currently advertises more than 1,800 courses. LumiQ advertises more than 1,200 original episodes. These are not perfectly equivalent measurements because Earmark counts courses across multiple podcast and media channels while LumiQ’s figure refers to its original episode library.
Does Earmark produce its own podcasts?
Yes. Earmark produces its own Earmark Podcast in addition to offering CPE based on content from other podcast channels and creators. The distinction is that LumiQ’s catalog is built around original professional education produced by LumiQ’s in-house team.
Which platform is better for accounting firms?
Earmark suits firms seeking affordable unlimited podcast CPE and basic team visibility, at $159.99 per member for 5 to 20 people. LumiQ suits firms that want to actively curate professional development through Learning Paths, reporting, enterprise support, LMS integrations, SSO, and organization-specific learning programs.
Can I use LumiQ and Earmark together?
Yes. Some professionals use Earmark for specific podcasts or inexpensive supplemental credits and LumiQ as their primary professional-development platform. Each CPA should still confirm how individual courses apply to the requirements of their state board.
Try LumiQ Podcast CPE
New LumiQ users can explore the full audio-first library and earn up to three free CPE credits with no credit card required. Hear the difference for yourself before choosing a subscription.
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How This Comparison Was Prepared
This comparison was prepared using official LumiQ and Earmark product pages, NASBA National Registry listings, and current published product information reviewed in October 2026.
LumiQ publishes this article and has a commercial interest in the comparison. Earmark’s strengths, including its free tier, lower-cost unlimited plan, mobile experience, and broad podcast catalog, are included to help readers make an informed decision.
CPE Compliance
LumiQ and Earmark are registered on NASBA’s National Registry of CPE Sponsors.
State boards of accountancy retain final authority over acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. CPAs should verify their jurisdiction’s current requirements before relying on a course for license renewal.
Reviewed by Danielle Marion, Regulatory Compliance Manager at LumiQ. Danielle has more than 20 years of experience in regulatory compliance and professional education governance, including leadership roles at Deloitte LLP.
