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Many of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This may influence which products we write about and where and how they appear on a page. It does not influence our evaluations.
| Magoosh | Kaplan | Princeton Review | PrepScholar | Peterson's | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $99/12 months | $249/6 months | $599/6 months | $397/12 months | $234/6 months |
| Delivery Method | Online | Online/In-Person | Online/In-Person | Online/In-Person | Online |
| On-Demand Videos | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Teaching Options | Self-paced | Self-paced or classroom | Self-paced or classroom | Self-paced or classroom | Self-paced |
| Practice Testing | Included | Included | Included | Included | Included |
| Tutoring Option | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Access Length | 12 months | 6 months | 6 months | 12 months | 6 months |
| Visit Now | Visit Now | Visit Now | Visit Now | Visit Now |
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Best Online
Magoosh
Pros
Cons
Magoosh is by far one of the most affordable online ACT prep solutions available today. Considering that many of its competitors cost multiple hundreds of dollars, Magoosh’s $99 price tag for 12 months seems like a steal. They also have plans for less time starting at as low as $79.
We all know that finding the time to study can be a challenge. For young people carving out the time to complete your ACT Prep is absolutely critical. That’s why Magoosh has created study schedules based on different situations and skill levels. They will also provide reminders in the form of text messages to help keep you on track.
These schedules only require studying for 20 minutes per day and allow you to prep when it’s convenient for you. You’ll also find their products work on both desktop and mobile devices.
Magoosh ACT Prep has video explanations for every question, presented by their resident experts. You can also get video tutorials via their youtube channel on a variety of different sections for both the ACT and SAT.
Making sure you are progressing towards your goals is absolutely critical. Not only to ensure you succeed on the test but to make sure Magoosh online prep is getting the job done for you. Magoosh provides an easy to use dashboard helping you see where you were, and how you have improved.
You will see your performance tracked across multiple factors including scores, pace, difficulty, and subject. By tracking these things you will know where you stand, and what things need more improvement before moving on from your ACT Prep
As with all good ACT Prep products, Magoosh gives you an array of practice questions along with full-length practice tests to take. They offer both paper and online practice tests for those that would rather be offline.
You can create practice sessions tailored to your needs and the subject matter you need to the most help with. These practice questions come with both detailed written explanations, and video tutorials to better help understand the strategy behind the ACT questions.
Best All Around
Kaplan
Pros
Cons
Kaplan ACT prep services are one of the most well known and respected services you will find. With offering including online and in-person options, Kaplan is a great option for those you think they may need more help beyond on-line learning. Kaplan offers a guarantee of a higher score on your ACT test. If you don’t get a higher score, you can take the course again for free, or receive a refund.
Their ACT courses start at $299 but often have discounts starting at $249, with more inclusive options offered from there. The lowest cost option only includes the self-paced course with access for 6 months. Their more expensive options are detailed below and go up in price based on the level of in-person teaching you receive.
Kaplan offers both live and on-demand courses with 23 hours of on-demand lessons available. Their on-demand options allow students to follow a self-paced program with unlimited prep and course options.
As with most of the ACT Prep services, Kaplan has teachers who know the ins and outs of the ACT exam. These teachers help students learn the best strategies to manage time and work through questions.
Kaplan currently offers 9 different ACT practice tests, with one officially from ACT. All of their practice tests are designed to resemble questions directly from the ACT. You can also personalize quizzes with their Qbank, and as is standard, get written explanations for each of the questions.
An added benefit to the Kaplan service is the ability to get in-person tutoring if desired. It comes at a cost, with plans starting $1999 ($1699 with a discount), but for some students, it is the best route. You have the options for 10, 20, 30, or 40 hours of private tutoring.
This tutoring comes with 8 practice tests and 1 score analysis, 2 prep books, and a fully online course.
One of the key benefits of in-person tutoring is a study plan developed just for you. Kaplan will first evaluate each student’s needs to place them with the best tutor for their background and goals. From there, the tutor will create a study plan specific for the student and their schedule.
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Best Premium
Princeton Review
Pros
Cons
The Princeton Review online ACT test prep is one of the most robust options on the market. They fall below the top spot only due to affordability, as their courses are also some of the more expensive options. That said, their options and guarantees make it worth the while for those who can afford the price tag. In fact, the most popular plan guarantees a 31 or above on the ACT in just 2 months if you stick to the plan and complete all classes and assignments.
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As previously identified, the pricing at The Princeton Review is considerably higher than some other products. They also provide more guarantees, essentially “putting their money where their mouth is” when it comes to committing to your success. If you can afford the price, you can’t argue with a company that has its history and is willing to stand behind its product to that level.
The Princeton Review ACT prep service comes with 140+ on-demand videos covering all related subject material for the ACT. Instructors are Princeton Review-certified and will lead you through strategies for taking each part of the test.
Beyond the on-demand videos, you get various levels of instruction depending on your plan. With the Ultimate plan, you get 18 hours of class time and unlimited LiveOnline sessions, while the ACT 31 plan provides 36 hours of instruction.
The Princeton Review provides over 1200 ACT online practice test questions, and 137 drills. You will also be provided with detailed reports on your scores to help pinpoint where you need to focus and improve. In addition, you will be given 3 or 4 proctored practice tests depending on the plan you choose.
An online portal is provided that will help personalize a study plan just for you. This plan is based on initial scoring assessments, goals, and the amount of time you have to prepare for the test. The plan will update as you progress through the different courses and practice tests provided.
Beyond the on-demand videos and instructor-led classes, you can also get additional tutoring if needed. The Princeton Review provides a simple tutoring service that is available either online or in-person for a cost of $150/hour. As with their other plans, these tutoring services come with a guaranteed score improvement. You will also get access to the on-demand video, over 2,000 practice questions, and much more.
Not only will you have access to online materials and instructor-led classes, but you will receive printed materials as well. Included are the Course Workbook for The ACT and Practice Questions for The ACT providing over 1,000 additional questions.
PrepScholar
Pros
Cons
PrepScholar ACT prep provides many of the same features as our other products reviewed here. They give students multiple options to help improve ACT test scores including online features along with classroom and tutoring options. With pricing that falls into the mid-range of products, PrepScholar is a solid choice for services when looking for ACT prep online.
PrepScholar offers competitive pricing for all of its products, albeit a higher price point than products like Magoosh for their online prep services.
All students enter the process with a different skill level and PrepScholar customizes your experience based on your skill level. Their smart diagnostics help to build a custom program tailored to your abilities.
PrepScholar’s online ACT prep comes with video lessons to help you master each section and type of question. These videos supplement the interactive videos to give more explanation around difficult concepts.
By upgrading to the PrepScholar Classes you plan, you will get all the online course work plus additional instructor-led classes. This allows you to prep with other students and with work with teachers in small groups. It also provides you the opportunity to get questions answered and stay focused on the materials most important to improving your scores.
PrepScholar also provides an additional level of ACT prep with tutoring services. Their Complete + Tutoring plan adds hours of one-on-one tutor with an ACT expert to get specific answers and assistance. This service comes with a guaranteed improvement of at least 4 points on the ACT and will be refunded if you’re not 100% satisfied after the first hour of service.
Peterson’s
Pros
Cons
Peterson’s provides another solid option for ACT online prep at a very affordable cost. For only $39/month you can get access to instructional content and a large library of practice material. Similar to Magoosh, you don’t have the option for tutoring and live classes, but if online self-paced learning is what you are looking for, then consider Peterson’s for your ACT prep needs.
Peterson’s pricing structure is more simplistic than many of the other services. They offer 3 options, all at the price of $39/month and each gives you full access to test prep material for over 150 different exams.
Peterson’s ACT online test prep comes with plenty of practice testing capabilities. Those include flash-cards and mini-quizzes, 3 practice tests aligned with the most recent ACT exam, and a pre-assessment to make sure you are focusing on the right material.
As with other products, Peterson’s has a good number of online videos reviewing the different sections of the ACT. They have expert teachers going over specific strategies and highlighting areas where people can have problems.