ACT Prep Course |  |  |  |  |  |
|
Ranking | ||||||
Plans Text | $79 - $99 1 month – 12 months access 7-day risk-free trial | $299 - $1,199 12 months 7-day risk-free trial | $249 - $1,299 1 month – 6 months access Free ACT and 2 weeks access | $397 - $995+ 12 months access 5-day risk-free trial | $39.95 - $99 6 months Free access to ACT Academy | $399 - $799 2-week risk-free trial |
Course Outline | Practice Questions – 1,300 Practice Tests – 4 | Practice Questions – 3,200+ Practice Tests – 17+ | Practice Questions – 1,000+ Practice Tests - 9 | Practice Questions – 2,400+ Practice Tests - 5 | Practice Questions – 2,400 Practice Tests – 5 | Practice Questions – 3,000 Practice Tests - multiple |
Format | Self-paced, guided study | Self-paced, live online, in-person, tutoring | Self-paced, on-demand live online, in-person, tutoring | Self-paced, live online, tutoring | Self-paced | Self-paced, live online, coaching |
Self-Paced Online | $79/1 month, $89/3 months, | $299 | $249 - $599 | $397 | $39.95 | $399 - $599/month (2 – 5 months) |
Live Online |  | $599 | $499 - $799 | $895 | $75 | |
In-Person |
| $1,199 |
|
|
|
|
Private Tutoring | Email help from tutors | $150 - $280 per hour | 10 – 40 hours of tutoring | 4 – 50 hours of tutoring |
| Weekly 1-on-1 online live coaching sessions |
Mobile App |
|
|
|
|
| |
Guarantee | 7-day money-back guarantee | 7-day money-back guarantee | Higher score or your money back | +4-point improvement | None | 7-day money-back guarantee |
Standout Feature | Affordability and adaptability | Most options offered | Unlimited prep for PSAT, ACT, SAT for entire senior year | Student-centric curriculum | Practice questions from actual ACT tests | Effective approach using “Learning by Doing” strategy |
Get Started |
What makes Great ACT Online Test Prep Courses?
How do you know which test prep course is right for you? Here are four essential qualities you should consider before committing to a particular program:
- Affordability
- Guaranteed Results
- High-Quality Course Materials
- Multiple Instructional Methods
What is the Best ACT Prep Course for Me?
Whether you like to work on your own or need individual help, whether you have a year to study or just a month, whether you want to learn through video lessons or just work through practice tests and questions—there is a course just for you.
Feel free to use our research on the six best ACT test prep courses to help you make that important decision. This article will outline the pros and cons of each ACT course and then highlight the features that you need to look for in a top ACT test prep course.
Who Came Out on Top?
In the end, The Princeton Review ended up being our #1 ranked Online ACT test prep course. However, after doing your own bit of research, you may end up choosing the program that better suits your learning style, budget, and time availability. Read on to see how we came up with our winner.
Visit our website to learn more review materials: ACT English Practice Tests
The Best ACT Online Prep Courses at a Glance
Magoosh
Magoosh is an education company that has been around since 2011 and has helped millions of students achieve great scores success on the ACT or improve their test scores. All of their plans are 100% online and accessible from multiple devices. Magoosh is known for its user-friendly interface as well as its unbeatable price. The personalized dashboard tracks your progress and keeps you on schedule. The program includes great customer support, a seven-day money-back guarantee, and a 4-point score improvement guarantee.
Magoosh is ideal is you love to study on your own and comes with access to 250+ video lessons with explanations, 1,300 practice questions, four practice tests, and a targeted study plan to guide your practice. Magoosh is perfect for video-loving students who learn better by watching videos than by reading or attending a class. Magoosh ACT follows each lesson with practice questions that have their own video explanation.
Plans start at $79 for one month, or you can sign up for a one-year program for just $99. Try Mogoosh’s ACT test prep program for free by creating a practice account. You’ll get access to over 100 video lessons and questions. You can then upgrade to the premium course at any time.
Pros
- Affordable
- Text and Video Explanations for Questions and Tests
- Personalized Dashboard to Track Progress
- Great Customer Support
Cons
- No Essay Grading
- Only Offer Self-Paced Option
See our full Magoosh ACT Review here.
Kaplan
Kaplan has a great reputation as one of the top test prep courses in the business. One of Kaplan’s biggest selling points is its wide range of offerings and printed prep books. Kaplan offers self-paced online and live online courses as well as online private tutoring. If you start with a self-paced program and realize you would also like tutoring, you can get it easily add it to your existing course.
Kaplan’s Self-Paced test prep option ($249) lets you work online from the comfort of your own home. You’ll get 25 hours of on-demand instruction as well as nine practice tests, online quizzes and updated quiz bank, prep books for the ACT, and online access for six months. You can see our full review of the Best ACT Prep Book here.
The $499 ACT Live Course is an instructor-led class offered either live or on-demand. It comes with all that the Self-Paced course has plus 18 hours of live online instruction, 14 hrs of elective live instruction on The ACT Channel, and 40 hours of video lessons
The optional tutoring package gives students all the features of the Live SAT course plus access to 10 – 40 hours of 1-on-1 tutoring, eight full-length practice exams, two prep books, and access to all of the ACT resources available. Tutoring runs from $1,699 – $4,299.
Pros
- Expert Instructors
- Wide Range of Courses, Practice Tests, and Print Materials
- Live and On-Demand Interactive Lessons (The ACT Channel)
- Great Brand Reputation
Cons
- Price Tag
- No In-Person ACT Class
PrepScholar
PrepScholar was founded by Harvard grads Allen Cheng and Fred Zhang because they were discouraged with expensive test prep courses and mediocre teaching. They mastered the SAT and the ACT, and created PrepScholar to share their strategies with students motivated to ace the ACT. PrepScholar instructors are just as gifted as their founders and will motivate you with weekly reports, progress trackers, and customized feedback.
Their Complete ACT Online Prep Course costs $397 and creates a personalized course, focusing on your unique needs, skills, and schedule. It includes one year of access, 60+ hours of content, 2400+ practice questions, dozens of skill lessons to master, and up to five real practice tests.
Their PrepScholar Class will run you $895, and includes everything from the Complete Online Prep Class plus expert-led classes via their innovative online classroom. You have a real live-teacher and a small number of real-live classmates in an online classroom. If you have a question, just raise your hand, and your teacher will respond—live! You’ll get nine hours of classroom instruction, and the classes are capped at nine students.
Their Complete+ Tutoring program is tailored just for you. You can get from 4 – 50 hours of private tutoring that tailors their approach to you based on your goals to your strategies to the topics you cover. PreScholars tutoring program is engaging but pricey. You’ll pay from $995 – $6,995 for private tutoring.
Testive’s Score Improvement Guarantee [2] has a caveat. You will need to commit to the program by:
- Meeting with your coach weekly (or twice a week for Coaching Plus).
- Completing a minimum of 100 practice questions each week spread over at least three days per week.
- Completing at least one full-length practice test each month.
Pros
- Four Point Score Improvement Guarantee
- Coaching Options
- Expert Instructors
- Student-Centered Syllabus
Cons
- Pricey Program
- No Live Online Option
See our full PrepScholar ACT Review here.
The Princeton Review
The Princeton Review has been in the test prep business for a long time and has a stellar reputation as one of the best ACT prep courses around. They offer high-quality course materials and expert instructors. They also understand what students need to do to ace the ACT.
Princeton Review’s ACT test prep program tailors their courses to help you study efficiently and effectively. Their goal is to get you the best score in the shortest amount of time. Their high-quality video lessons break down crucial and difficult subjects into concepts that you’ll find easy to understand—no matter your skill or learning style.
The Princeton Review offers a range of quality ACT prep materials and classes. The self-paced program starts at $299 (add 10 hours of on-demand tutoring for just $290).
The ACT Ultimate course ($599) gets you access to 18 hours of live instruction (in-person and online) and unlimited access to ACT Advantage LiveOnline classes.
Their most popular program, ACT 31+, promises just that—a score of more than 31—guaranteed! You’ll get 36 hours of live online or in-person instruction, tons of practice exams to take, and 24/7 tutor support. The guarantee does come at a cost–$1,199! With both the Ultimate and ACT 31+ courses, you’ll also get their world-class printed prep books, access to their PSAT and ACT prep courses, several AP online video lessons, and the Princeton Review Guarantee.
Tutoring is available in-person or on-demand, starting at $150 per hour. It does come with tons of resources and a 3 point score increase guarantee.
Pros
- Expert Instructors
- Big Variety of Course Options
- 3,200+ Practice Questions and 17+ Practice Tests
- Score Guarantees
Cons
- Pricier Program
- Time Commitment
Testive
Testive combines the power of technology with human coaches to keep to get you ready to ace the ACT. Testive has several prep options that are focused on students working closely with a coach to get customized content. That way, you can learn in the way that works best for you. All of their test prep courses include a two-week free trial and a money-back guarantee. If you don’t need a tutor, Testive will let you use their online learning platform and content for free.
All of their ACT plans include live 1-on-1 coaching sessions, personalized lesson plans, unlimited access to 3,000+ practice questions, over 50 hours of instructional videos, customized weekly assignments, and priority email and phone support.
The Bootcamp program ($799) is designed to get you in shape fast! The Bootcamp lasts 4 – 6 weeks and includes two weekly 1-on-1 one video chats with your instructor.
The most popular program that Testive offers is their Coaching plan. This option allows you to spread the material out over a more extended period, letting you get in tons of practice and review before test day. This option comes with weekly individual lessons with your Testive tutor. This program is $399 per month.
The Coaching Plus package includes an extra 1-on-1 session each week. This option is ideal for students who need a more hands-on approach or more help in a specific area. If you need this much help, it will run you $599 per month.
Their Score Improvement Guarantee has a caveat. You will need to commit to the program by:
- Meeting with your coach weekly (or twice a week for Coaching Plus).
- Completing a minimum of 100 practice questions each week spread over at least three days per week.
- Completing at least one full-length practice test each month.
Pros
- Daily Assignments
- Parent-Centric
- Adaptive Technology
Cons
- Very Expensive
- Requires Time Commitment
ACT® Prep
If you want to enroll in an ACT test prep program that gets its material straight from the source of the exam, then you might want to explore what ACT® Prep has to offer. ACT® Online Prep is the only course that works directly with the makers of the ACT.
One of ACT’s strong suits is that all of its practice questions come from previous ACT tests. Another selling point is the price tag—it’s the most reasonably priced program around. The ACT® Online Prep course is only $39.95 for six months of access. You’ll get over 2,400 practice questions; this will give you plenty of practice to help you with all areas of the ACT test.
The ACT® Rapid Review courses partner with Kaplan to provide a range of test prep content and delivery options—including live, online instruction from expert instructors.
The ACT® Rapid Review Live will let you ask questions and get answers in real-time. A 3-month subscription costs $75.
The ACT®Rapid Review On Demand option features a virtual classroom where students get live instruction from the experts, delivered online. You’ll get more than 20 hours of on-demand video. This option will run you only $40 for six months of access.
The ACT®Rapid Review All Access program includes both ACT Rapid Review Live and ACT Rapid Review On Demand. This program is $99 for six months of access.
The Official ACT® Prep Pack combines the bestselling Official ACT Prep Guide with ACT® Online Prep. For $59.95 you’ll get The Official ACT Prep Guide 2021 book [1], five full-length practice tests, a mobile app for practice and reporting, 450 flashcards, daily goals to assist with study targets, and much more.
Although ACT® Online Prep is an inexpensive way to access thousands of former ACT practice test questions, it doesn’t offer in-depth instruction, personalized approach, or adaptive video lessons that other courses do.
Pros
- Questions from Previous ACT Exams
- Most Affordable Prep Course
- Tons of Resources with the ACT Prep Pack
- Affordable Live Online or On-Demand Course
Cons
- No In-Depth Instruction or Video Lessons
- No In-Person or Tutoring Options
What is the Best ACT Online Prep Course?
Let’s review the features of the six best ACT prep courses on the market, compare them to each other, and rank each of them overall.
Affordability
To increase your chances of getting into the best college, you’ll want to pick the course that gives you the best opportunity to ace the ACT. Self-paced programs will give you the best bang for your buck. It’s when you add in-person/live online classes and tutoring that the costs can really add up.
If you are looking for a bargain, then the ACT® Prep course is the right choice. You’ll get access to their online prep course (with the option to add the Prep Guide package) or their live or on-demand programs. Prices run from $39.95 up to $99.
The runner up for the basic self-paced course at a great price is Magoosh. You’ll get access to their adaptive self-guided option for 12 months for only $99.
Make sure that you look at all of the features of ACT test prep courses before you buy. Most of the programs offer a free trial period to see if the program is the right fit. Make use of that feature, so you don’t end up regretting your choice.
Top Pick for Pricing: ACT® Prep
Guaranteed Results
All of the best ACT prep course will do everything they can to help students like you succeed and make sure you and your family are happy with its product. Some will return your money if you’re not happy, and some companies will promise you a higher score after you complete their program. All of the programs offer a risk-free trial of some or all of their courses.
All of the programs, except ACT® Prep, promise you a higher test score after completing their program. Magoosh and PrepScholar have the best score increase guarantees, promising a 4-point improvement from your last ACT.
The Princeton Review goes one step further. Its 31+ program guarantees that you’ll score a 31 or better completing their program. Their other programs promise a 3-point improvement.
Top Pick for Guaranteed Results: The Princeton Review
High-Quality Course Materials
All the best ACT courses offer an online component, and most rely heavily on video lessons and electronic versions of their course resources. Several ACT prep courses provide students with hard copies of their coursebooks to supplement their online resources.
Kaplan SAT has a robust selection of offline SAT prep resources that complement its online lessons, practice tests, and questions. With all of Kaplan’s packages, you’ll get Kaplan’s most up-to-date prep books.
ACT® Prep offers its popular prep book as part of their Official ACT® Prep Pack to partner with their Online Prep course. You’ll get the 2021 version of the Official ACT Prep Guidez [3] and 450 flashcards.
The Princeton Review is also famed for its line of educational study materials. Their programs come with their series of strategy guide books like their Course Workbook for The ACT, and 1,471 ACT Practice Questions, in addition to their large selection of resources.
Top Pick for Course Materials: The Princeton Review
Check our ACT Test Dates
Multiple Instructional Methods
SAT prep courses employ three methods for delivering instruction: self-paced, live online, and in-person. You’ll need to decide which method is right for you based on your learning style and how much time you have until you will take the test.
Self-Paced
All of the top online ACT courses have a self-paced component, but Magoosh and Testive are 100% self-paced courses. You’ll have to be disciplined, take charge of your learning, and complete all of the lessons before it’s time to take the test. For self-paced programs to work, they need to be adaptive and customizable to prepare you for the exam.
Magoosh does one thing very well—personalized self-study. Their customizable lessons and flexibility will keep students on track, and its adaptive study tools automatically design or allow students to build a personalized study plan to maximize study time. The always-handy dashboard shows you all the progress you have made.
Testive is all-self-paced, but their coaches are with you every step of the way, making sure that you are making progress and motivating you and helping you get to the finish line.
Top Pick for Self-Paced Course: Magoosh
Live Online
These classes offer the structure of in-person classes without the hassle of finding a program that has an in-person class. The top courses have expert instructors and access to real-time feedback during each lesson. All of the reviewed courses offered live online lessons except Testive and Magoosh.
PreScholar’s PrepScholar Class offers expert-led classes in their innovative online classroom. You’ll get nine hours of classroom instruction, and the classes are capped at nine students.
The Princeton Review offers the best live online experience, giving you access to 18 – 36 hours of live online or in-person classroom time. Students also get one year of access to all of their course materials and three-four proctored tests.
Top Pick for Live Online Course: The Princeton Review
In-Person Classes
If you want to sit in on an ACT class, The Princeton Review is the only program we reviewed that offered in-person ACT prep classes. They ensure that class sizes are small, so you’ll get the right balance of individual attention and active participation. You’ll need to check their websites for the closest in-person classes near you.
The Princeton Review’s Ultimate and 31+ courses include 18 – 36 hours of 1-on-1 and small group instruction at several locations.
Top Pick for In-Person Classes: The Princeton Review
Standout Features
All of the top prep programs we reviewed have features and resources that will help you ace the ACT or significantly increase your test score. Now that you have seen the pros and cons of each program and what programs have the top features, check out what makes each program stand out in a crowd.
- The Princeton Review has the only in-person and has the best live online classes on the market.
- Magoosh has a personalized dashboard that tracks your progress and is one of the most affordable options.
- Kaplan has plenty of adaptive questions and expert instructors.
- Testive offers the best personal approach to ACT prep with professional coaches.
- ACT has the most affordable program on the market and actual ACT test questions.
- PrepScholar offers access to a personalized program that tracks your progress and motivates you to learn.
Top ACT Test Prep Course: The Princeton Review
Conclusion
Use The Princeton Review if:
- you want a program that adapts to your level and builds on your progress.
- you want access to plenty of practice questions and tests.
- you want hardcopy coursebooks included.
- See more here
Use Magoosh if:
- you are on a budget but still want an excellent ACT course.
- you want access to targeted study schedules to guide you to test day.
- you want a personalized dashboard that tracks your progress.
- See more here
Use Kaplan if:
- you want a trusted brand in test prep with expert instructors.
- you want access to unlimited prep for PSAT, ACT, and SAT for your entire senior year.
- you want access to a wide range of online and printed coursebooks.
- See more here
Use Testive if:
- you want customized daily and weekly assignments.
- you want a program that adapts to your needs and time-frame.
- you want to work with a professional coach.
Use ACT® Prep if:
- you want the most affordable online ACT course out there.
- you want practice exams taken from actual ACT tests.
- you want access to live and on-demand lessons at the best price.
Use PrepScholar if:
- you want weekly reports, progress trackers, and focused feedback.
- you want a personalized course with tons of content and practice.
- you want access to private tutoring that tailor their approach based on your goals.
More ACT Article Reviews
