Every way to revise for the national investigators' exam
Candidates ask what to buy before their sitting. This page lists every revision option on the market, with current prices, so you can decide for yourself.
Start with the manual — whatever else you buy
The exam is marked against the current edition of Blackstone's Police Investigators' Manual, the College of Policing's designated reference text. No third-party product is an authorised substitute for it. The 2026 edition is a two-volume Manual and Workbook set, around £90 from legal bookshops.
Source: Wildy & Sons, retailer listing, price as listed August 2026.
The comparison
| Provider | What you get | Price | Access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blackstone's Police Investigators' Manual & Workbook 2026 (Oxford University Press) | The designated reference text, two paperback volumes | Around £90 | Yours to keep |
| NIE Revision (this site) | Revision app: 513 revision cards, 769 scenario-format practice questions, mock exams weighted like the real paper, readiness estimate | £29 one-off | No expiry |
| Police Inspire | Online question bank, 1,100+ questions, iOS/Android app | £19.99/month rolling, £47 for 3 months, £65 for 6 months, £71 for 12 months | Length of subscription |
| Police Pass | Four revision textbooks £69.99; multiple-choice question package £105; 4-day virtual crammer course £150; blended e-learning (40 hrs video + question bank) £235 | £69.99–£235 | Digital products are a 6-month licence that expires automatically; books are yours |
| Police Revision | E-learning package: 50+ hrs video, practice questions, 8 mock exams, 2-day online crammer | £129 (mock exams only or crammer only, £49 each) | 6 months |
| Checkmate Training / Paul Connor | Live crammer courses, revision books and audio bundles | Prices on their site | Varies |
| Julianna Mitchell Training | Audio crammer course, MP3s on USB, updated for 2026 | £80 | Yours to keep |
Prices and terms from each provider's own public pages, checked 12 August 2026. Check the provider's site before buying — prices and licence terms change.
Check the licence length against your sitting date
Several digital products expire. Police Pass's question package and e-learning are sold as 6-month licences that begin at purchase and expire automatically, per their own licence terms, checked 12 August 2026. Police Revision's package runs for 6 months. Police Inspire is a rolling subscription that runs for as long as you keep paying.
If you buy months before your sitting, or might resit, check what happens to your access when the licence ends. A pass is valid for three years less a day, and resit timing is set by your force, so a subscription that lapses before a resit means paying again.
NIE Revision is one payment, no expiry.
Free ways to prepare
The College of Policing's own NIE candidate handbook is the authoritative source on format, pass mark and syllabus, and it's free. Some providers offer free samples too — Police Pass offers a free study pack, and Police Inspire and others publish free sample questions.
NIE Revision also has a free tier: four full topics, no sign-up, at /free.
See also the other two guides on this site: how to pass the NIE and NIE exam dates 2026.
How to choose
A few neutral questions worth asking of anything on this page:
- Does it test you or tell you — recall practice (questions, mocks) versus reading or watching.
- Does the question mix follow the real paper's weighting — roughly 31/23/13/13 out of 80 across the four syllabus areas.
- Does the access window cover your sitting, and a possible resit.
- Is there a refund policy.
No product on this page wins all four by definition — the right mix depends on how you learn. Many candidates combine the manual with one practice tool.
Frequently asked
How much does NIE revision cost?
Costs vary by format. The Blackstone's Police Investigators' Manual and Workbook set is around £90. Question banks and apps run from £19.99 a month up to £235 for the largest e-learning packages, with one-off options from £29. Audio crammer courses are around £80.
Do I need to buy anything beyond the manual?
No. The exam is marked against Blackstone's Police Investigators' Manual and nothing else is required. Practice products exist because rereading the manual builds familiarity rather than recall — whether you need one depends on how you study.
How long do NIE revision products last?
It depends on the provider. The manual is yours to keep. NIE Revision is a one-off payment with no expiry. Police Pass's question package and e-learning are sold as 6-month licences. Police Revision's package runs for 6 months. Police Inspire is a rolling monthly subscription. Julianna Mitchell's audio course is yours to keep.
Is NIE Revision affiliated with the providers on this page?
No. NIE Revision is independent, and not affiliated with the College of Policing, any publisher, or any of the other providers listed here. The prices and terms on this page come from each provider's own public pages, checked in August 2026.
One of your options, plainly stated
NIE Revision is 513 revision cards and 769 scenario-format practice questions weighted like the real paper, with mock exams and a readiness estimate against the 55.7% pass mark. £29 one-off, no subscription, no expiry.