GMAT Prep Course |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ranking | ||||||
Plans | $249-$799 1 year of access 7-day risk-free trial | $549-$2,699 3 months – 6 months 7-day risk-free trial | $499-$1,449 6 months | $699-$2,450s 6 weeks – 1 year | $295-$674 6 weeks – 6 months 7-day risk-free trial | $99-$399 1 month – 6 months 5-day risk-free trial |
Course Outline | Practice Questions - 1,300 Practice Tests – At least 2 | Practice Questions – 1,200 Practice Tests - 6 | Practice Questions – 1,000 Practice Tests - 8 | Practice Questions – 5,000 Practice Tests - 12 | Practice Questions - 1,500 Practice Tests - 4 | Practice Questions – 5,000 Practice Tests – 0 |
Format | Self-Study, guided study, tutoring | Self-paced, online (live), in-person, tutoring | Self-paced, online (live), in-person, tutoring | Self-paced, online (live), in-person, tutoring | Self-paced, tutoring | Self-paced, online (live), tutoring |
Tutoring Packages | 6 hours for $550 (Tutoring and Premium Plan) | 2 – 30 hours of tutoring $225 - $255 per hour | 10 – 40 hours of tutoring $2,299 - $4,799 | 10 – 40 hours $2,650 - $7,950 | 3 sessions with Genius Plan Can buy sessions using credits | $300 per hour |
Guarantee | 7-day money-back guarantee +50-point improvement | None | Higher score or your money back Free repeat if not happy | 7-day money-back guarantee Higher score or your money back Free repeat if not happy | 30-day money-back guarantee +70-point improvement | Higher quant score or your money back |
Standout Feature | Affordability and adaptability | Credit system allows for flexibility and personalized focus | GMAT® Channel | Effective approach using “Learning by Doing” strategy | Time-efficient syllabus | High student satisfaction Quantitative focused |
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We ranked each of these GMAT prep courses based on course quality, student reviews, affordability, and student scores after taking the course. We strive to offer you a menu of the top GMAT prep course so you can choose the option that will give you the best chance to crush the GMAT.
Even though Magoosh topped our overall, one of the other five courses may be the right fit for you. It just depends on when you plan to take the exam, your budget, and your learning style. Magoosh ranked #1 overall for its user-friendly and personalized online platform, targeted study schedules, wide range of video tutorials and practice questions, and its unsurpassed customer service.
The Best GMAT Prep Courses at a Glance
Magoosh
Pejman Pour-Moezzi and Vikram Shenoy founded Magoosh GMAT in 2008, and their course has always ranked high on lists of top online prep courses. Magoosh makes good use of targeted study schedules that help you stay engaged, and the weekly study planner keeps you on track until test day. The smart feedback and progress tracker turns your weaknesses into strengths.
Magoosh is the only prep course that comes with a score predictor tool so you can see where you stand throughout the course. You’ll also enjoy the blog that comes with the course. You can gain insight into how best to prepare for the GMAT and get advice from experts who aced the GMAT. Magoosh is also a great deal for the budget-conscious. Their private tutoring rates are the most reasonable on the market.
Pros
- Affordability and flexibility
- Targeted Study Schedules
- Ease of Use
- Stellar customer support
Cons
- Fewer practice questions and exams
- No essay evaluation
See our full Magoosh GMAT Review here.
Manhattan Prep
Manhattan Prep GMAT was founded in 2000 by a former New York public school teacher and offers a wide variety of test-prep services. Because of the strong reputation of their instructors, it’s one of the best online GMAT prep courses on the market. All of their instructors scored in the 99th percentile on the GMAT and are experienced teachers. The course comes with a long list of course materials, both online and printed. Manhattan does not offer a score increase guarantee like other courses and does not have a free app to aid in mobile learning.
Pros
- Comprehensive Course Materials (online and print)
- Self-Paced Video Lessons
- Realistic Practice Tests
- Quality Instructors
Cons
- No Free App
- No Score Increase Guarantee
Kaplan
Kaplan is a test prep company that has been around for more than 80 years and offers courses for every standardized educational exam out there. Kaplan GMAT offers self-paced programs, in-class courses online live courses and tutoring services. All plans come with a vast range of free study resources.
Kaplan provides large quantities of course materials, including practice questions and full-length tests. Kaplan is much pricier than the other course we reviewed, but you get what you pay for. Kaplan does offer a wide range of products, including the Kaplan GMAT Channel, where you can interact with teachers and students in real-time lessons. You can also watch the channel on demand.
Pros
- Wide choice of courses
- Robust tutoring options
- Large quantity of practice questions, video lessons, tests, and study materials
- Live and interactive instruction (The GMAT Channel)
Cons
- Pricier than competitors
- No money-back guarantee
Veritas Prep
Yale graduates Chad Troutwine and Markus Moberg founded Veritas Prep in 2002. They both scored in the 99th percentile of the GMAT and only hire teaching staff who have also aced the GMAT and have a passion for helping students achieve test success. Veritas Prep uses the motto “learn by doing,” which focuses on completing as many practice problems as possible. Veritas Prep offers courses through self-paced programs, live in-class courses, and one-on-one tutoring.
Pros
- Instructors scoring in the 99th percentile on GMAT
- Live Classroom Instruction
- Free Admissions Counseling
- Access to 12 Practice Tests
Cons
- Expensive Tutoring Options
- No Score Improvement Guarantee
examPA+L
examPA+L has 20+ years in the online test prep business. Teachers, data scientists, programmers, and video producers created examPA+L to provide a one-of-a-kind interactive, entertaining, personalized experience that learns the way that you learn. As you go through the GMAT course, their innovative software called “PAL,” [1] will discover your strengths and weaknesses and match you with the best way to solve each question. examPA+L offers exceptional service at a reasonable price, a score improvement guarantee, and options for even more personal resources.
Pros
- PAL Approach
- Flexible and Affordable
- Support After the Exam
- Great Guarantees
Cons
- No Flashcards or Mobile App
- Only Self-Paced
Target Test Prep
If you are looking for help on the quantitative portion of the GMAT, then Target Test Prep is the right choice for you. With a strong background in math and the sciences, Scott Woodbury-Stewart established his Target Test Prep program to help students boost their GMAT quant score.
Their program uses technology like Skype and WebEx to communicate with their students. Target Test Prep does not have the large staff like Manhattan Prep or Kaplan, but they are focused on providing student support to boost their exam scores on the quantitative section of the GMAT. With the “practice makes perfect” mindset, the practice problems are focused on math, word problems, and geometry.
Pros
- Personalized Study Plans
- Comprehensive Video Solutions
- Affordable and flexible
- 5-day risk-free trial for $1
Cons
- Only covers the quant portion
- No Practice Exams
What is the Best GMAT Online Prep Course?
Let’s review the features of the top six GMAT test prep courses on the market, compare them to each other, and rank each of them overall.
Pricing
When it comes to getting into the best business school, you want to make sure that you pick the GMAT course that offers you the best chance to ace it. When it comes to GMAT courses, the price tag does not always correlate to a high test score. There is a wide range of price tags when you compare the six GMAT prep courses we reviewed, especially if you add in the cost of private tutoring.
At first glance, Target Test Prep seems to be the best bargain, but they only help you with the quantitative portion of the GMAT test. Magoosh and examPA+L come in at the lowest advertised price, but Magoosh gives you access to your course for one full year. Manhattan Prep and Veritas Prep come in at the top-end of the price scale.
Make sure that you look at all of the features of the GMAT prep courses before you buy. Most of the prep courses offer a free test-drive to see if you’ve made the right choice. Make use of that feature, and you’ll end up being satisfied with your pick.
Top Pick for Pricing: Magoosh
Practice Materials
Full-Length Practice Tests
When it comes to getting the top score on the GMAT, you’ll need to take as many practice exams as possible. Practice is the most effective way to prepare you for the actual GMAT test. The more practice exams you take, the better you’ll know the material, and the more prepared you’ll be for test day.
The best GMAT courses have the most full-length practice tests and scored higher in our rankings. Magoosh offers at least two, while others, like Kaplan and Veritas Prep, provide from nine to twelve practice tests. Kaplan gets points for having practice tests that most accurately simulate taking the GMAT. Target Test Prep is the only program that does not offer any GMAT practice exams.
Top Pick for Practice Tests: Kaplan
Practice Questions
Practice makes perfect when it comes to practice questions too! In addition to offering enough questions to prepare you for the GMAT, the prep course must also be adaptive, allow you to go at your own pace, and identify your strengths and weaknesses.
Veritas Prep offers the most GMAT practice questions, and its customizable question bank allows you to create quizzes that exercise those specific skills you’ll need on test day.
Even though Magoosh and Manhattan Prep offer the fewest number of practice questions, their personalized approach to learning creates customizable practice quizzes based on your strong and weak areas.
Top Pick for Practice Questions: Veritas Prep
Guarantees
All of the best GMAT prep courses want to make sure you are happy with their product and will either give you your money back or let you repeat the course for free. All of the programs, except Manhattan Prep, offer a guarantee that you’ll get a higher test score after taking their course. Score increases range from 50 – 70 points, depending on the course and which plan you choose. examPA+L offers a 30-day money-back guarantee and a 70 point score improvement promise.
Top Pick for Guarantees: examPA+L
Instructional Method
GMAT prep courses employ three methods for delivering instruction: self-paced, live online, and in-person. You’ll need to decide which method is best for you based on your learning style and how much time you have until test day.
In-Person Classes
If you want to sit in on a GMAT class, it may not be convenient for you, in-person classes aren’t offered nationwide. If you don’t mind taking a trip on the weekend to get the classroom experience, then you’re in luck. Many of the courses offer in-person classes.
Kaplan and Manhattan Prep have teamed up to offer you an in-person course hosted by Manhattan Prep’s expert instructors who know how to take the GMAT and can show you how can also ace the GMAT. Their class sizes are small, so you’ll get the right balance of individual attention and active participation.
Top Pick for In-Person Course: Manhattan Prep and Kaplan
Live Online
Live online classes offer the structure of in-person classes without the hassle of traveling to a classroom. The best live online courses have top-notch instructors and access to real-time feedback during each lesson. All of the reviewed courses offered live online lessons except examPA+L and Magoosh.
Manhattan Prep offers the best live online experience, giving you the flexibility to choose either in-person or live online lessons. Depending on the course you choose, you can mix and match 27 – 35 of classroom instruction.
Top Pick for Live Online Course: Manhattan Prep
Self-Paced
All of the top-ranked courses have a self-paced component, but Magoosh and examPA+L 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 GMAT. That means that the best self-paced course must be adaptive and customizable to guide you to the finish line.
Veritas Prep does a great job with their self-study program. Their On-Demand program lets you self-study with an expert team right beside you. Kaplan offers a service called Qbank that lets you create customizable quizzes to fill in any learning gaps you may have.
Magoosh does a great job through their dashboard in keeping you on task, and its adaptive study tools automatically design or allow you to build a personalized program to maximize your study time.
Top Pick for Self-Paced Course: Magoosh
Course Materials
All of our ranked GMAT courses are online and rely on video lessons, e-flashcards, and electronic versions of their course resources. But, if you’re old-school and must have the feel of paper in your hands, there are a couple of the GMAT courses that offer hard copies of their coursebooks.
Kaplan has a robust selection of offline GMAT prep resources that supplement its online video lessons, practice tests, and questions. With a Premier Kaplan subscription, you’ll get Kaplan’s prep books. Kaplan’s mobile app complements the online lessons to offer a seamless learning experience
Manhattan Prep is famous for its GMAT study materials. All of their programs offer their series of strategy guide books for each area of the exam and the Official Guide to the GMAT book. They also offer a full suite of online resources includes a fabulous app that gives you access to quizzes, vocabulary flashcards, instant feedback, and progress tracking.
See our post on the Best GMAT Prep Book here for a more detailed review.
Top Pick for Course Materials: Manhattan Prep
Standout Features
All of the GMAT prep courses we reviewed have positive reviews, and each has a list of features and resources that will help you on your quest for a top GMAT score. Let’s see what makes our reviewed programs scream, “Buy Me!”
- Magoosh has a personalized dashboard that tracks your progress, is one of the most affordable options and offers a score predictor.
- Manhattan Prep offers expert instructors and realistic practice exams.
- Kaplan has the best in-person classroom experience and plenty of adaptive practice questions and hardcopy course materials.
- Veritas Prep has the most practice tests and questions of any ranked GMAT prep program.
- examPA+L has the best guarantee on the market. They also provide support after the exam, helping you navigate the business school admission process.
- Target Test Prep puts all its energy into improving your GMAT quantitative score.
Top GRE Prep Course: Magoosh
Conclusion
Use Magoosh if:
- you are on a budget but still want an excellent GMAT prep course.
- you want the flexibility of using the full course on multiple devices.
- you want the best customer support and help available in GMAT prep.
- you want a full refund if you are not happy.
- you want a program that tracks your progress and predicts your GMAT score.
- See more here
Use Manhattan Prep if:
- you want a GMAT prep course that has a comprehensive set of course materials.
- you want the ability to watch video lessons on the go.
- you want to take realistic practice tests.
- you want instructors who aced the GMAT.
- See more here
Use Kaplan if:
- you want plenty of GMAT practice questions and tests.
- you want that “test day” experience.
- you want instructor feedback on your essays.
- you want hardcopy course materials included.
- you want the course that adapts to your level and builds on your progress.
- See more here
Use Veritas Prep if:
- you want the most practice questions and tests on the market.
- you want to be able to stream the video lessons on all your devices.
- you want free business school admissions consulting.
- you want access to instructors who aced the GMAT.
- See more here
Use examPAL if:
- you want an innovative approach to online learning.
- you want a GMAT prep course that has one of the best guarantees on the market.
- you want a learning experience customized based on your feedback.
- you want the flexibility to use credits to get extra services like tutoring.
- See more here
Use The Target Test Prep if:
- you want the best GMAT prep program with flexible pricing.
- you want a score guarantee to boost your GMAT quantitative score.
- you want a user-friendly program with an easy to use dashboard.
- you want access to 800 instructor-led teaching videos.
- See more here
