Use our in-depth reviews of the best ACT prep courses to earn a top score on your ACT.
Our team went into these ACT prep courses ourselves and looked for things we liked and disliked. Use the screenshots throughout the article to get a better idea of what to expect from each provider.
Best ACT Prep Courses
| ACT Prep | Princeton Review | Prep Expert | Magoosh | PrepScholar | Kaplan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 93 | 92 | 91 | 87 | 74 |
| Best For | Bundle | In-Depth Learning | Value | – | – |
| One of Our Picks | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Pricing (Self-Paced Option) | $499 | $224 | $129 | $397 | $159 |
| Subscription Length | 12 Months | 12 Months | 12 Months | 12 Months | 6 Months |
| Free Trial | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Guarantee | Higher Score | Higher Score | +4 | +4 | None |
| Practice Questions | 3,200+ | 1,000+ | 1,300+ | 4,300+ | 2,000+ |
| Practice Exams | 15 (SAT) 11 (ACT) | 10 | 4 | 6 | 5 |
| Videos | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Study Plan | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Essay Feedback | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Score Predictor | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| Summary | Our Review | Our Review | Our Review | Our Review | Our Review |
| Official Site | Visit Site | Visit Site | Visit Site | Visit Site | Visit Site |
Princeton Review: Best Bundle
BPC Recommended
Best For
- Students looking for both ACT and SAT prep
- Students looking for high number of practice questions
- Students looking for high number of practice exams
Not Recommended For
- Students shopping on a budget
Key Decision Making Factors
Price
$499 for the ACT/SAT bundle.
Guarantee
Higher score guaranteed when using this prep course.
Content
100+ video lessons. ACT and SAT bundle option for those interested in both courses.
Questions
3,200+ practice questions. 11 ACT specific practice exams.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- SAT and ACT bundle
- Number of practice questions
- Number of practice exams
Cons
- Costs extra for essay feedback
- No free trial
What to Expect – Hands on Walkthrough
The Princeton Review’s ACT prep course provides test takers with more than 100 videos of lessons from top tutors on all topics tested by the ACT. Overall, the ACT prep course offered by the Princeton Review has numerous useful resources to help students achieve their desired ACT scores.
The course is 100% online and is available to students for 12 months. The course is self-paced but offers study plans to help keep students on track. There are over 3,200 questions offered and 11 ACT practice tests provided to students.
The Princeton Review offers a SAT and ACT bundle package for $499. This bundled course is completely online and self-paced. This is great for students who may be interested in taking both the ACT and SAT. However, if you are only interested in the ACT, you can purchase the ACT self-paced course for $299.
Students will be spending a majority of their time in the “Coursework” tab. This is where all of the lessons and reviews are stored within the course. Princeton Review does a fantastic job of organizing the lecture materials into logical clusters – this helps create a very efficient study process.
As far as the lessons go, there are 3 main steps in each lesson:
- Refresh: Optional lecture videos you can watch if you need to refresh your memory on a certain topic. These can be skipped.
- Learn: The “meat” of the lesson. You will participate in an interactive lesson and be asked to answer questions.
- Practice: Questions and practice drills to make sure you grasp the concepts that were taught.
Princeton Review utilizes a color coded filter system in this prep course. The filter system is adaptive and changes as you progress through the course. It works like this:
Each lesson will be color coded based on what you have completed and how you have answered certain practice questions. You will be able to quickly see which lessons you should be working on based on the filter system.
For example, there is a filter called “Room to Grow.” The lessons that fall under this filter mean that you have some knowledge of these concepts but have answered less than 50% of the questions correctly. You can review these specific lessons to improve your knowledge and your ACT score.
There are also detailed score reports that you can review after taking the practice exams. These score reports will breakdown how you performed on the exam and give you valuable insights into the types of questions you struggled with.
While there is no free trial, they do offer a higher score guarantee. If you do not receive a higher score than before, you can either take the course again for free or get your money back.
Students interested in in-person options should check out Princeton Review’s ACT tutoring programs as well.
Screenshots
BPC Recommended
Score: 93
Why Choose Princeton Review
- Very comprehensive
- Great SAT and ACT bundle
- # of practice questions and exams
Prep Expert: Best for In-Depth Learning
BPC Recommended
Best For
- Students looking for something comprehensive
- Students looking to learn from the best instructors
- Students looking for video answer explanations
Not Recommended For
- Students looking for an easy-to-use interface/design
Key Decision Making Factors
Price
Students receive a ton of content and learning materials for the price.
Guarantee
Self-paced courses include a score improvement guarantee. Live classes include a 4-point guarantee.
Content
Best instructors of all the ACT prep courses we looked at. Proprietary strategies used.
Questions
1,000+ practice questions and 10 ACT practice tests. In the upper echelon.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Top instructors
- Different prep options
- Video answer explanations
Cons
- Interface could be more user friendly
What to Expect – Hands on Walkthrough
Prep Expert made our list of best ACT prep courses as the most comprehensive course. All of Prep Expert’s courses are taught by instructors who have scored in the top 1% of the ACT. Having the ability to learn from someone who has achieved a near perfect score on the ACT is invaluable.
One of the pros to choosing Prep Expert is the number of different learning options they offer. Students can choose to learn via a live online classroom, self-paced prep course, or private tutoring options. Some of the most popular ACT prep options are listed below:
- ACT 6-Week Flagship (Live Online Classroom Setting)
- ACT Weekend Review (Live Online Classroom Setting)
- ACT Self-Paced Course (Online Self-Paced Course)
The primary way students learn when enrolled in a Prep Expert course is video lectures. Students enrolled in a self-paced course will be able to navigate through a massive video lecture library. The library is sorted by chapters that were organized in a logical method to make it easy to learn.
All videos in the self-paced course feature Prep Expert founder, Shaan Patel. He is pictured on the right-hand side of the videos and conducts the lectures. He reviews things like tips, strategies, and ways to solve problems faster. He uses an electronic pen to make notes over the slides to better explain things.
A live online ACT prep course course will have more of an actual classroom feel. The instructor will be teaching in real-time and interacting with the class. There is a chat function to the right of the live video where students can interact with the instructor, answer questions, and interact with each other. This feature is cool because it gives the instructor a better feel for how the class is progressing through the lesson.
One of the cornerstone concepts of Prep Expert is their “Perfect Score Strategies.” These are strategies that students will learn to help them get a top score on the ACT. The founder of Prep Expert, Shaan Patel, used these strategies to achieve a perfect score.
Also included in the Prep Expert courses are books. These books are in a downloadable format and are only available online through the course dashboard. These books were written by Shaan Patel himself and are great for students who want some supplementary information or just prefer to learn by reading.
When it comes to practice, there are two different ways students can practice answering questions:
- Homework Assignments: These will be found under the “homework” tab. There are various homework assignments students can work on to test the strategies they have learned so far.
- Practice Tests: These will be found under the “practice tests” tab. These are full-length practice exams and should be completed in a timed environment.
Students can review their answers on the practice exams and see what they got right or wrong. All answers will have answer explanations to show you the best way to answer that question. The explanations are in video format so they are very easy to follow.
Prep Expert is so confident that students will benefit from their course that they offer a score improvement guarantee. If your score does not improve, you will get your money back. Students who enroll in the ACT 6-Week Flagship course will even be granted a 4+ score improvement.
Students who want to get the highest ACT score possible should choose Prep Expert. With the best instructors and great course content, it is hard to find a better ACT prep class than Prep Expert.
Screenshots
BPC Recommended
Score: 92
Why Choose Prep Expert
- Very comprehensive
- Expert instructors
- Video answer explanations
Magoosh: Best Value
BPC Recommended
Best For
- Someone shopping on a budget
- Someone who wants a score predictor
- Someone looking for a good study planner
Not Recommended For
- Someone looking for a lot of practice questions or exams
Key Decision Making Factors
Price
Our choice for best value. Offerings and price are top of class.
Guarantee
Guaranteed to raise your score by 4 points.
Content
Customizable study plans for students. In-depth videos. Great course layout.
Questions
1,300+ questions and 4 practice exams offered.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Price – best value on market
- Subscription length
- +4 point score guarantee
Cons
- Relatively low number of exams
What to Expect – Hands on Walkthrough
Magoosh’s ACT prep course is one of the most affordable prep courses available. The course is $129 and is available for use for 12 months.
Magoosh ACT is a valuable resource as it offers over 1,300 ACT test questions, videos to help learn concepts, study plans, and full-length ACT practice tests. Magoosh ACT works on all computers as well as tablets and mobile phones.
The Magoosh ACT self-paced course is completely online. While it is self-paced, Magoosh offers customizable study plans to help keep students on track.
These study plans consider how much time the student has and which areas the student would like to improve the most. You can even register for text notifications if you want to be ultra “plugged-in.”
Another cool feature of Magoosh ACT is the online videos used to teach the concepts. These are in-depth videos that provide a visual learning experience for the student to help get concepts across – these are especially useful for the ACT math section.
Magoosh offers a free 7-day ACT prep online trial (with a no questions asked refund policy) and can be canceled at any time, for any reason. There are a couple of different options for students looking for ACT test prep courses – the best offer is the 12-month course for $116.
Magoosh has a formula that uses data analysis to predict your future score when you sit for the ACT. No other company we reviewed offers this type of feature to their users. This feature helps you track your progress and motivate you to continue studying hard.
Screenshots
BPC Recommended
Score: 91
PrepScholar
PrepScholar
Best For
- Someone looking for practice questions
- Someone looking for a weekly report that can be sent to both parents and students
Not Recommended For
- Someone looking for added features
Key Decision Making Factors
Price
On the more expensive side of ACT prep courses. 12 months of access to course.
Guarantee
+4-point score improvement guarantee.
Content
100 hours of instructional material. Uses 6 real ACT exams that have been administered in past.
Questions
4,300+ practice questions. 6 practice exams.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Number of practice questions
- Number of video hours
- 99th percentile instructors
Cons
- No added features/anything “special”
- No score predictor
What to Expect – Hands on Walkthrough
PrepScholar’s ACT prep course offers over 100 hours of instructional material and over 4,300 practice questions. The course covers all sections of the ACT and is tailored to cover material on the current ACT.
The course uses 6 real ACT’s that have been administered in the past. PrepScholar prides themselves on using videos as supplemental material and not just being a “collection of videos.”
PrepScholar has the most practice questions of all the ACT courses our team looked at. In total, PrepScholar has 4300+ practice questions.
The course follows a simple process – learn the ACT content and various strategies that will help you, drill down the content with realistic ACT questions, then review your mistakes so they will not be made again. The course was created by a team of ACT experts who scored in the 99th percentile on the ACT.
In order to keep everyone on the same page, PrepScholar sends out a weekly email report of your progress and how much time was spent studying. This report can be sent to both parents and students, so everyone will be on the same page. Our team thought this was a unique and interesting feature.
The most popular option is available for $397 and is completely online. This course is open to students for 12 months and includes 6 real practice tests.
The other option they offer is their classroom option. This course costs $895 and includes everything the online course offers as well as online classes led by experts.
PrepScholar
Score: 87
Why Choose PrepScholar
- High number of practice questions
- Tons of video content
- Weekly reports emailed out
Kaplan
Kaplan
Best For
- Someone shopping on a budget
- Someone who likes shorter videos
Not Recommended For
- Someone wanting a comprehensive learning option
Key Decision Making Factors
Price
$159 for the course. Students only get access for 6 months.
Guarantee
No course guarantee for the self-paced course. Not the end of the world, but nice to have.
Content
30 on-demand lessons which are shorter in length.
Questions
2,000+ practice questions. 5 official practice tests included as well.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Price
- Respectable amount of practice questions
Cons
- No study plan
- No course guarantee
What to Expect – Hands on Walkthrough
The Kaplan ACT prep course is the digital extension of the pioneering educational company – Kaplan – an educational company that has been in existence for more than 80 years. The Kaplan ACT prep course includes more than 2000 practice questions and 5 ACT practice tests.
The course is 100% online and self-paced and is open to students for 6 months. Kaplan provides more than 30 on-demand lessons to students to help comprehend different concepts. The lessons are shorter in length and designed to help students fit their ACT studies into their already busy lives.
One downfall of this course is the lack of study plan. While this is not the end of the world, we would like to see a detailed study plan.
Kaplan offers a couple of different packages for students looking to enroll in an ACT prep course. The most affordable one is the 6-month self-paced course that is available for $159. Another option offered is the live online ACT prep course.
This live online ACT course is available for $549 and is an online classroom setting taught by teachers. They also offer the unlimited prep option which covers materials on the PSAT, ACT, and SAT. This option is $1999 and is available through December of your senior year of high school.
The self-paced course includes 30 on-demand lessons. While the lessons are helpful, there are significantly less lessons in this course versus the other value option, Magoosh.
Kaplan
Score: 74
How to Choose an ACT Course
Selecting the right ACT prep course can be the difference between getting into you top choice college or not. There are a wide range of options available. Our goal is to help you understand your options and choose the best ACT prep course based on your needs.
What to Consider When Purchasing an ACT Prep Course
There are many important things to consider when purchasing ACT prep. However, the most important thing to consider is your specific needs.
1. Price
Price is the first thing many students consider when purchasing ACT prep. While this is an important factor, it should not be the only factor. Students should look at ACT prep as an investment in their future. Choosing a course that works for you will be more important than the price in the long-run.
2. Content
Content is another thing many students think about when preparing to make a purchase. Most ACT prep courses will include plenty of content. The key is finding the provider/product that offers content that fits your needs and learning style. If you enjoy reading books, pick an option that includes physical textbooks.
3. Other Factors to Consider
Some other factors to consider include:
- Study Discipline: If you routinely have trouble maintaining a study schedule, you’ll find that a prep course could be worth it.
- Need for Encouragement: If you need encouragement, feedback and motivation, a prep course with an instructor (either in-person or online) is a good option.
- Learning Style: Match one of the above best ACT prep courses to your learning style.
Alternatives: Do I Need an ACT Prep Course?
ACT prep may not be for everyone. It can be very expensive with some options costing more than $800. Some students prefer to learn in an in-person setting, if this is the case, you may not excel with an online ACT prep course.
Some students just do not have the time or prefer to study themselves, both of which are completely fine.
Methodology: How We Tested ACT Prep Courses
We looked at 10+ different ACT prep options before narrowing it down to 5 of the best ACT prep options. Our team then went into these courses and worked their way through the courses as if they were a student. We looked for things that students would actually find useful.
After spending ample time actually inside these courses, we gave the courses different ratings for 5 different criteria. Each of those criteria are assigned a weight which helps us arrive at a final weighted score.
For more details, read about our independent review process.
FAQs About ACT Prep
Which ACT prep course is the best?
After reviewing multiple providers, we found the following to be the best:
- Princeton Review: Best Bundle
- Prep Expert: Best for In-Depth Learning
- Magoosh: Best Value
How much does ACT prep cost?
ACT prep courses can range anywhere from $110+ to $500+. If you want a self-paced course, you can expect to spend about $150. If you want something a little more in-depth, you can expect to spend $400+.
What are some factors I should consider when purchasing ACT prep?
You should consider the following when choosing your ACT prep:
- Price
- Learning Style
- Content
- Time Horizon
- Personal Needs
