Most affordable CA test series: Nov 2026 and Jan 2027
Quick answer: the most affordable CA test series is the one that gives you the most checked full papers for its price, counting only papers you will actually write before your exam, used on top of ICAI's free papers. Work it out per level: CA Final Group I starts on 2 November 2026 (ICAI schedule, PDF (opens in a new tab)), CA Inter Group I on 2 January 2027 and CA Foundation on 3 January 2027 (ICAI schedule, PDF (opens in a new tab)), so the number of papers worth paying for is not the same.
This guide puts the real numbers side by side for both attempts and all three levels: what each plan costs and how many checked papers it gives you, what you get for that money, what ICAI gives you free at each level, and how to build the cheapest plan that still gets every descriptive answer checked.
Most affordable CA test series: the one number to compare
Compare the price with the number of full 100-mark papers that come back checked. A low number on the box means little if most of the "tests" are chapter quizzes or papers you mark yourself.
Two quick illustrations (made-up series, not real offers):
| Series P | Series Q | |
|---|---|---|
| What the box says | "40 tests" | "12 full mocks" |
| Full 100-mark papers | 10 | 12 |
| Checked by the series | 6 | 12 |
At the same price, Series Q checks twice as many papers. The full method, with a CA Final checklist, is in CA Final test series price and fees. This post applies it to both attempts at once.
What our CA test series costs: Nov 2026 and Jan 2027
Here is every option on sale for both attempts, with the live price and paper count. The figures below are filled from each plan, so they are always the current ones.
| Option | Papers | Price |
|---|---|---|
| CA Final Nov 2026, Group I (FR, AFM, Audit) | 9 | ₹429 |
| CA Final Nov 2026, Group II (DT & International Tax, IDT, IBS) | 9 | ₹429 |
| CA Final Nov 2026, both groups | 18 | ₹599 |
| CA Inter Jan 2027, Group I (Advanced Accounting, Corporate and Other Laws, Taxation) | 9 | ₹429 |
| CA Inter Jan 2027, Group II (Cost and Management Accounting, Auditing and Ethics, FM and SM) | 9 | ₹429 |
| CA Inter Jan 2027, both groups | 18 | ₹599 |
| CA Foundation Jan 2027, all four papers (Accounting, Business Laws, Quantitative Aptitude, Business Economics) | 12 | ₹549 |
Every paper in this table is a full 100-mark paper, and every one of them comes back checked. So the paper count is the number of papers you get checked, not a headline figure. If you are writing both groups, compare the both-groups row with the two single groups added together. Need only one or two papers? Each subject is also sold on its own: see subject wise test series for CA Final, Inter and Foundation.
What you actually get for each checked paper
The price buys two things: a new paper set for your attempt, and your answer sheet checked line by line. This is the same at every level.
The paper
- 3 full-syllabus mock tests per subject, brand-new questions, set at the real ICAI exam standard on the latest pattern.
- Every chapter covered across the three mocks, with more weight on what ICAI asks most.
- Every amendment applicable for your attempt tested: November 2026 for Final, January 2027 for Inter and Foundation.
- Each paper is 100 marks in 3 hours (CA Final IBS: 4 hours; CA Foundation Papers 3 and 4: 2 hours).
The checked copy
- You write by hand, scan and upload one PDF of your answer sheet. One submission per paper.
- Every line checked on 50+ parameters, with ICAI-style step-wise marks.
- The reason for every mark cut, with the correct line to write.
- Question-wise analysis of concept, presentation and working notes.
- Your checked copy within 24 hours, plus detailed suggested answers with provisions, working notes and MCQ reasoning.
You can read preview pages of the first mock of each subject on the plan page before you buy, and access lasts 180 days on CA Final Group I and 180 days on CA Inter Group I (each plan page shows its own).
Why the checked copy is what you pay for
ICAI's own free papers come with answers, and ICAI's announcement asks you to "self-assess" against them (MTP announcement, PDF (opens in a new tab)). For the MCQs (30 marks in every CA Inter paper and in CA Final Papers 1 to 5), that works. For the 70 descriptive marks, it is easy to give yourself a step you never wrote. That gap is the part worth paying for; everything else you can get free.
What ICAI gives you free, level by level
Before you spend anything, plan ICAI's free papers. They are the zero-cost layer of the most affordable plan.
| Level and attempt | ICAI Mock Test Papers (MTP) | Also free |
|---|---|---|
| CA Final, November 2026 | Series I from 9 September and Series II from 23 September 2026; answer keys within 48 hours (ICAI, PDF (opens in a new tab)) | RTPs, past papers with suggested answers, study material |
| CA Inter, January 2027 | Series I from 19 to 30 November and Series II from 3 to 14 December 2026; answer keys within 48 hours (ICAI, PDF (opens in a new tab)) | RTPs, past papers with suggested answers, study material |
| CA Foundation | Listed on CA Foundation free resources | RTPs, past papers and study material on the same page |
The MTP pages for each level are CA Final MTPs and CA Inter MTPs. For Inter, check which study material edition applies before you start: CA Inter study material Jan 2027. For how ICAI's two kinds of papers differ, see ICAI RTP and MTP explained, and for checking them yourself, how to check your answers with ICAI suggested answers.
Cheapest test series for CA Inter: pay for papers you'll write
The cheapest plan is the one with no unwritten papers in it. A paper you don't write costs as much as one you do, so count your time before you count options.
| You are writing | Time from early October | Sensible paid layer |
|---|---|---|
| CA Final Group I, Nov 2026 | About 4 weeks to 2 November | One group's mocks, written one by one, each copy fixed before the next |
| CA Final both groups, Nov 2026 | About 4 weeks to Group I, 5 to Group II (9 November) | Both groups, Group I's mocks first |
| CA Inter one group, Jan 2027 | About 12 weeks to 2 January | One group's mocks, one per paper per round from late November |
| CA Inter both groups, Jan 2027 | About 12 weeks to Group I, 13 to Group II (8 January) | Both groups, spread over three rounds |
CA Final students have the least time, so a single group is often the most affordable start: write it first, and add Group II if you are sitting both. Group-by-group timing is in CA Final last 30 days mock test plan.
CA Inter students have more weeks, so writing all three mocks in every paper is realistic. A dated calendar for the three rounds is in CA Inter Jan 2027 mock test.
A worked example: a CA Inter budget
Say you are writing both Inter groups in January 2027. A plan that wastes nothing:
- Free layer: last two attempts' past papers in every paper, checked against ICAI's suggested answers, plus ICAI's MTPs (Series I from 19 November, Series II from 3 December 2026).
- Paid layer: the CA Inter both groups option, three rounds, each copy fixed before the next mock in that subject.
- Every paper you pay for is one you have dates for, and each one in the table above comes back checked.
Buy papers you have no time to write, and you pay for checking you never use, whatever the box says. For CA Inter alone, option by option (one group, both groups or an exemption re-attempt), see cheapest test series for CA Inter Jan 2027.
Affordable test series for CA Inter and Final: what not to pay for
Cut the extras, never the checking. Things you can skip at every level:
- Bundled lectures. In the last weeks you need practice and feedback, not new classes.
- Chapter-wise quizzes this close to the exam. Only full papers build 3-hour speed.
- Printed notes. ICAI's study material is free and is the syllabus.
- MCQ-only online tests. They cover 30 of the 100 marks, and none of your working notes or presentation.
A wider list of red flags, and how to read reviews of any series, is in our affordable CA test series review checklist.
Frequently asked questions
Which is the most affordable CA test series?
The one that gives you the most checked full papers for its price, counting only papers you will actually write, used alongside ICAI's free MTPs, RTPs and past papers. Count the 100-mark papers that come back checked and weigh the price against that, not against the number of tests on the box.
What is the CA test series price for Final and Inter?
Our live prices for CA Final November 2026, CA Inter January 2027 and CA Foundation January 2027 are in the table above, with the number of checked papers in each option. For other providers, ask how many full papers are checked.
Is there an affordable test series for CA Inter Jan 2027?
Yes. Our CA Intermediate test series for January 2027 is on sale by group or both groups, with 3 full mocks per paper and a checked copy within 24 hours. The live price and paper count are in the table above.
Is buying both groups cheaper than two single groups?
Compare the both-groups row in the table with the two single-group rows added together for your level. Buy both groups only if you are writing both in this attempt.
Can I prepare with only ICAI's free papers?
Yes, if you check your descriptive answers strictly against ICAI's suggested answers. Whether a paid layer is worth it for you is answered in is a CA test series worth it.
Pick your level, then pay for checked papers
Write ICAI's free papers first, then pay only for checked papers you have time to write.
- CA Final test series, November 2026: Group I, Group II or both groups
- CA Intermediate test series, January 2027: Group I, Group II or both groups
- CA Foundation test series for January 2027: all four papers in one plan
- Free papers: CA Final, CA Intermediate and CA Foundation free resources
Every level is on our CA test series home page, where you can compare CA mock tests for each attempt. If you are still choosing between providers, use the checklist in how to choose a CA test series.