Magoosh vs PrepScholar SAT Prep: Which Is Better in 2026?

With college admissions becoming more and more competitive, you need top SAT scores in order to stand out. And one of the best ways to boost your SAT scores is by working with an experienced test prep company.

PrepScholar and Magoosh offer two of the most popular and effective SAT prep programs on the market today. While both use research-backed SAT prep methods that guarantee results, there are some significant differences between these two programs.

Understanding the differences between test prep programs can ensure you’re choosing the right study system for you. When a study system fits your unique needs, it’ll translate to better prep…and better scores.

Keep reading to find out which SAT prep program comes out on top–and which one has what it takes to help you achieve your SAT score goals!

Section 1: Rationale

Section 2: The Best Test Prep Winner

Section 3: Comparison of Core Offerings

Section 4: PrepScholar vs. Magoosh Comparison Table

Section 5: Comparison Point 1 - Instruction Quality and Feedback

Section 6: Comparison Point 2 - Personalization and Adaptive Learning

Section 7: Comparison Point 3 - Test Updates and Alignment

Section 8: Comparison Point 4 - Value

Section 9: Overall Pros and Cons

Section 10: FAQs

How We Picked Our Winners

We’ve spent hours researching, testing, and reviewing real student feedback on both PrepScholar and Magoosh’s SAT program offerings to give you a thorough comparison of what they have to offer.

As a test taker, you need to know that the core features of your SAT prep program will create a prep experience that fits your needs and guarantees your success on the real exam. To help you find the best program for you, we reviewed both SAT prep companies’ based on the following features and offerings:

• Value
• Offerings and Update
• Price
• Score guarantee
• Variety of products
• Real student reviews

Knowing what you’re buying before you commit is the key to choosing an SAT prep program that gets you the results you’re looking for. Keep reading to find out which SAT prep program is the winner for the kind of student you are!

Princeton Review vs. PrepScholar: Which Has the Best SAT Prep?

For its adaptive, personalized prep, guidance from 99th percentile SAT scorers, and 160+ point improvement guarantee, we rank PrepScholar as the overall winner when it comes to SAT prep programs.

Overall Winner: PrepScholar

For most students, PrepScholar is the stronger option because it provides structured guidance, deeper instruction, and true personalization throughout the entire prep process. Rather than leaving students to decide what to study next, PrepScholar begins with a diagnostic test and builds a customized weekly study plan that continually adapts based on performance. Its 4,000+ Digital SAT-style questions, seven full-length practice tests, detailed written and video explanations, and skill-by-skill lessons ensure students understand not just the right answer, but the reasoning behind it.

Add in SAT-specific AI support and access to 99th-percentile tutors (for those who want additional help), and most students receive clearer direction, better feedback, and a more efficient path to score improvement.

By contrast, Magoosh is more affordable and offers solid practice, but it relies heavily on student self-discipline and independent planning. While its question bank and video explanations are helpful, it provides less structured guidance, fewer total practice materials, and no live instruction or tutoring options. Students must largely build their own study roadmap, which can be overwhelming—especially for those who aren’t already confident test-takers.

For highly motivated self-studiers on a tight budget, Magoosh can work well. But for the majority of students who benefit from adaptive planning, targeted feedback, and a clearer study structure, PrepScholar delivers a more comprehensive and supportive prep experience.

Best for Students Who Need More Structure: PrepScholar

PrepScholar stands out for structured learning, true adaptivity, official-style practice tests, and robust personalization options. It’s better suited for students who want clear direction, deep feedback, and guided score improvement.

Best for Students Who Want to Study on the Go: Magoosh

Magoosh's dedicated mobile app, bite-sized video lessons, and robust flashcard bank make it ideal for students who want to pack SAT prep into spare moments. However, it's vital students carve out dedicated prep time as well or they will struggle to improve.

Comparing Core SAT Prep Options

Every SAT prep program has one main goal: providing the guidance and support you need to master the SAT and earn the best score possible. However, different SAT prep programs approach SAT prep in different ways.

To help you grasp exactly what these SAT prep companies offer, we’ve put together a complete breakdown of the key features of PrepScholar’s and Magoosh’s SAT prep programs. That way, you’ll know exactly what’s included in each SAT prep program and can start thinking about which features are the most important for you.

PrepScholar SAT Prep Overview

PrepScholar offers four digital SAT prep options to fit the needs of every type of student: Complete Online SAT Prep, Complete Online SAT Prep + AI Assistant, Live Instructor Led Classes, and 1-on-1 Online Tutoring.

Complete Online SAT Prep, PrepScholar’s most popular offering, is a self-paced adaptive program that comes with a smart diagnostic test, more than 90 skill lessons, 4100+ practice questions with explanations, and six official SAT exams to test your skills. You’ll get 12 months of access to all program materials.

Complete Online SAT Prep + AI Assistant includes everything in the Complete Online package, plus PrepScholar’s new AI Learning Assistant. AI Learning Assistant is an always-available personal aid built into the SAT prep program. It’s designed to provide 24/7 guidance, similar to an SAT tutor.

PrepScholar’s Live Instructor Led Classes provide up to 36 hours of interactive online classes with a live instructor and small groups of up to 9 students. It also includes everything in the Complete Online SAT Prep program, plus an admissions bootcamp, for free.

The 1-on-1 Online Tutoring program offers 4, 10, 18, or 32 one-on-one tutoring hours with a 99th percentile-scoring tutor. Students choose the tutoring package that fits their schedule and receive personalized instruction that’s tailored to their needs, learning styles, and goals.

All of PrepScholar’s SAT prep programs come with a 160-point guarantee, customized weekly prep, and 150+ hours of SAT prep content.

Magoosh SAT Prep Overview

Magoosh has fewer SAT programs than competitors with just two completely self-paced options, both at a relatively low price point.

Premium SAT Prep is Magoosh’s base option, which offers 200 video lessons, 1,750+ practice questions with text or video explanations, up to three full-length practice tests, and AI and email support. The purchase includes 12 months of access and a 100+ point increase guarantee.

Premium + On-Demand Classes includes everything in the base package plus 9 prerecorded 2-hour lessons with a 99-percentile scoring SAT expert.

PrepScholar vs. Magoosh Comparison Table

Before we get into a detailed breakdown of how these two SAT prep companies compare, here’s a side-by-side comparison of the services offered by PrepScholar and Magoosh.

Comparison Point 1 – Instruction Quality and Feedback

An SAT prep program is only as good as the quality of its instruction and the feedback it provides students. Here’s how PrepScholar and Magoosh compare to one another.

PrepScholar

PrepScholar shines when it comes to instruction quality and feedback. Not only do their SAT prep courses and tutoring packages provide general test taking strategies, but they also delve deeply into the most common ways that the SAT tends to trick students, providing targeted strategies that students will master in order to maneuver around those tricks.

PrepScholar provides over 7,000 top quality practice questions and drills. The 4,000+ practice questions you’ll have access to were designed by SAT top scorers and experts to replicate the language, difficulty, and logic of the real exam so you get the best practice possible.

And because PrepScholar is focused on helping students eliminate their weaknesses to maximize score improvement, each question has a detailed written or video explanation so you understand why you got it wrong–and how you can get similar questions right next time. In customizable tutoring sessions, you’ll work through your wrong answers and drill your weak areas, which is the best way to see a real difference in your SAT scores.

While PrepScholar’s SAT prep programs provide flexibility for students who prefer self-guided learning, each course follows a proven structure and process that focuses on setting your baseline SAT score, diagnosing your problem areas, and engaging in prep work that targets those weak spots. As you progress through lessons and drills, you’ll take seven practice tests and receive detailed feedback on your results so you can gauge your progress over time.

As you work through PrepScholar’s course materials, you’ll know that you’re getting the best guidance from tutors and instructors along the way. All of PrepScholar’s tutors are 99th+ percentile SAT scorers who've taken the SAT many times and are up to date with the newest changes to the test. The experience they’ve built over time equips them with cutting edge expertise on what it takes to ace the SAT. They’ll use what they’ve learned to tailor your SAT prep plan to your needs and goals.

Magoosh

Magoosh has fewer total practice questions than PrepScholar, but they are well designed and will help you prepare for the real SAT. Every practice question has an answer explanation, many including videos, though they are not always very detailed. Rather than providing more info on the question type within the answer explanation, they link to relevant video lessons. Unfortunately, many of the questions don’t seem to have associated lessons.

Rather than using official SAT practice tests, Magoosh generates up to 3 tests from the 1,750-question bank. These tests use the same kind of adaptive model as the real digital SAT, where the second module’s difficulty will be based on your performance on the first module. However, because the questions are drawn from the general bank, you could see the same question in a quiz and on a full-length practice test, especially if you are a power user who spends a lot of time practicing.

Magoosh also offers a lot of analytics tools that allow you to see how you’re doing on different types of questions and review ones you’ve struggled with. However, the program won’t walk you through how to prepare and without a clear plan the amount of information and lessons can be overwhelming. The on-demand lessons can help offer some structure though they do not include any live instruction or personalized content.

Finally, Magoosh lacks options for getting more help, with no live classes or tutoring. Instead, you can email a tutor or use the AI assistant — both of which are included in the base package. If you’re extremely motivated and organized, this may be all you need, but a lot of students might find themselves confused.

Winner: PrepScholar

Both Magoosh and PrepScholar offer realistic SAT practice questions with detailed answer explanations, PrepScholar pulls ahead by integrating real practice SATs and providing clear guidance on what to study when. They also have far more options for further help if a student is struggling.

Comparison Point 2 — Personalization and Adaptive Learning

Personalized learning plans and adaptive learning put students on the fast track to mastery of SAT content and better scores.

Below, we cover how PrepScholar and Magoosh compare on adaptiveness, including implementation of AI to enhance their prep programs’ personalization to each student’s needs.

PrepScholar

PrepScholar’s entire approach to SAT prep is built around personalization and adaptiveness. Their programs use a skill-by-skill approach to learning that adapts to each student individually, allowing them to focus on areas where they need the most improvement.

At the beginning of PrepScholar SAT prep programs, students take a 60-question diagnostic test that allows PrepScholar’s adaptive technology to gauge their skill in each area that’s tested on the SAT. This allows PrepScholar to design a prep program that gives students the right lessons for their skill level.

PrepScholar’s adaptive technology adjusts to the student’s performance with each question, which allows you to make more progress in less time. As you complete quizzes and practice tests, your weekly study plan continually updates to keep you focused on the skills and content that will help you progress quickly.

Because of their meticulous approach to adaptive modeling, PrepScholar is also able to provide students with highly personalized learning through one-on-one tutoring. Students are matched with tutors who specialize in the areas of the exam that diagnostic testing shows they need the most help with. They’ll build you a fully personalized prep plan based on your goals and meet with you for between four and 32 hours, depending on the package you purchase.

Accompanying the personalization from adaptive testing and one-on-one instruction is PrepScholar’s Genius AI Tutor, an always-available personal aid that’s built directly into the SAT prep programs. Unlike general purpose AI tools, PrepScholar’s is specifically designed for SAT prep. It’s modeled after how human PrepScholar tutors teach, built to ask questions, challenge assumptions, and reinforce reasoning through ongoing interactions. This helps students learn the thought processes that lead to mastery of SAT content, which leads to better scores.

Magoosh

Magoosh focuses on customization over personalization. The main dashboard shows your study streak, goals, and current predicted SAT score. From there, students can pick which lessons to watch and create their own quizzes, filtering questions by difficulty and topic. This approach allows for more freedom, but it can also be confusing for less confident students.

Because the classes are pre-recorded, they cannot address a student’s specific questions or concerns, although they do provide a general structure. The AI tutor (which is accessible to every student) can also help provide some direction, but you will still need to ask fairly specific questions to get personalized results.

Winner: PrepScholar

With adaptive technology baked into every part of its SAT program, PrepScholar is the clear winner on personalization. Although Magoosh offers a lot of options for customizing your SAT prep strategy, it falls short on guiding students through the prep process.

In terms of their AI tutors, PrepScholar and Magoosh offer very different kinds of tools. PrepScholar’s AI tutor is specifically designed to help you work through tricky SAT problems. Magoosh’s, on the other hand, is a more generalist tool that aims to fill in for human tutors.

Comparison Point 3 — Test Updates and Alignment

The SAT has changed over the years, which means that SAT prep companies must continuously update their materials in order to stay relevant and useful. Keep reading to learn more about how PrepScholar and Magoosh compare on test updates and alignment.

PrepScholar

PrepScholar has long recognized that when the SAT shifted to a digital format, it was more than a change from pencil-and-paper to a computer-based test. It was also a transformation of the SAT’s content and question format. That’s why PrepScholar has spent thousands of hours developing brand new content tailored to the new, digital SAT.

Rather than update paper-based prep materials that were designed for the paper SAT, PrepScholar produced over 4000 practice questions designed to mirror the Digital SAT’s content, format, and tricky answer patterns. They also designed over 40 hours of skill lessons and explainer videos that cover digital SAT concepts and test-taking strategies.

Thanks to these updates, PrepScholar is able to provide a fully emulated digital SAT prep experience, with an interface that’s designed to mirror the College Board’s Bluebook app, where students take the real SAT. This includes a built-in calculator, reference sheet, and accessibility features just like those you’ll see on test day.

Magoosh

As a fully digital prep option, Magoosh is a natural fit for the digital SAT. Their content is fully updated for the current version of the test and they continuously incorporate user feedback to make sure practice questions are clear and comprehensible. Their practice tests also use the same type of adaptive model as the official BlueBook tests, using your performance on the first module to set the difficulty for the second.

However, Magoosh’s quiz interface differs from the BlueBook one in a couple of key ways. There is no reference sheet on the Math section and the calculator opens in a separate tab. You also have to complete each question in order – and you’ll be given the answer explanation immediately. There’s no option to come back to hard questions later or review all of your missed questions only at the end.

Winner: PrepScholar

Although both Magoosh and PrepScholar have up-to-date digital SAT programs with realistic practice questions, PrepScholar’s interface is much closer to what you’ll see on test day.

Comparison Point 4 — Value

SAT prep programs can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars. It’s important to know exactly what you’re getting before you commit so you can choose a program that brings you the most value.

PrepScholar

PrepScholar offers four core programs for SAT prep: Complete Online SAT Prep, Complete Online + AI Assistant, Live Instructor Led Classes, and One-on-One Tutoring. Higher-tier programs offer more personalization and customization, and they increase in cost accordingly.

As the base tier offering, Complete Online SAT Prep provides full online access to all of PrepScholar’s SAT prep content, including a diagnostic test, and their entire repository of thousands of practice questions, drills, lessons, practice exams, and feedback and answer explanations. This is PrepScholar’s self-paced option, which means your study program will be customized and tailored to your strengths and weaknesses, but you won’t receive live or one-on-one instruction and feedback as you work through the program.

The Complete Online SAT Prep program is at the center of PrepScholar’s SAT program offerings and is included in each higher program tier, all of which add more personalization on top of the adaptivity you’re already getting from the base study program. At each program tier, students can easily add on additional services, like the AI Learning Assistant, Admissions Bootcamp, or bundling SAT and ACT prep.

Because each student’s learning needs are unique, both the Live Instruction and One-on-One Tutoring packages include flexible options for program hours, difficulty, and cost. Live Instruction packages range from 9 hours to 36+ and offer Beginner, Essentials, and Advanced courses that vary in difficulty and are designed to help students achieve specific score goals. Students who choose one-on-one tutoring can pick from 4, 10, 18, and 32 hour packages.

Because PrepScholar’s programs are fully online, students can access them from any location as long as they have an Internet connection and a digital device. While you’ll complete the self-paced program on your own time, you’ll have the option to choose live instruction and/or tutoring sessions that fit into your schedule. Once you sign up for a program, you’ll have a full year to access and use it.

The one caveat here is that PrepScholar doesn’t have a dedicated mobile app. While its programs are accessible on a mobile device, they weren’t explicitly built for a mobile experience.

Because of PrepScholar’s built-in adaptive technology and focus on personalization, students who sign up for an SAT prep course will receive more value from the get-go because each program is heavily tailored to their learning needs and goals. The more personalized an SAT prep program is, the more effective it’s going to be–and the more value you’ll get out of the service you pay for.

Reviews back this up. Students who have completed PrepScholar’s SAT prep programs say that the week-by-week personalization built a clear picture of their progress, which helped them stay motivated and engaged.

Most users claim that customer service is quick and responsive, but a few have noted difficulty in getting help with a refund when their student didn’t meet their score goals. That’s why it’s important to understand the requirements for the 160 point money back guarantee and make sure you meet them before requesting a refund.

Magoosh

Magoosh offers just two options for SAT prep, both of which are fully self-paced and very affordable.

At just $129, Magoosh’s Premium SAT Prep program offers a lot of digital SAT practice for a low price. (Books are typically cheaper but no longer resemble the real testing experience.) This core SAT product also includes access to email support from tutors, easy-to-use flashcards, an AI assistant, and a dedicated mobile app.

Magoosh’s second SAT prep option is Premium + On-Demand Classes, which includes everything in the base program plus 9 prerecorded classes that help guide students through the prep process. At $399, this is still a relatively affordable option, but 18 hours of additional videos without any additional personalization won’t add much value for most students.

Overall, Magoosh delivers solid value for budget-conscious students who want a straightforward, no-frills study program. It covers the essentials, provides plenty of practice, and mirrors the digital testing format reasonably well, but it lacks the depth, advanced analytics, and personalized coaching found in higher-priced competitors. In short, it’s an affordable but somewhat bare-bones option that works best for motivated self-studiers who don’t need intensive guidance.

Winner: Magoosh (Affordability), PrepScholar (Versatility)

In terms of raw cost, Magoosh is hard to beat. Their Premium SAT Prep is the most affordable option on the market and includes a lot of neat features, including a dedicated mobile app and an AI tutor. However, students who need more guidance won’t be able to get much out of it because there are no options for greater personalization.

PrepScholar is more expensive but you get a lot for that extra money, plus the option of further support with 99th percentile scoring instructors.

Overall Pros and Cons

While both PrepScholar and Magoosh offer solid SAT prep options, they both have their drawbacks, too. Looking at the program pros and cons next to each other can help you make a more educated decision about which program is best for you.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

After reading through all this information about PrepScholar and Princeton Review, you may have some additional questions. We’re covering the most frequently asked ones below.

Is PrepScholar or Magoosh better for SAT prep?

While both programs have proven track records, they’re tailored to different kinds of learners. Magoosh is a good fit for very independent students who are looking to save money while getting some extra SAT practice. For most students, however, PrepScholar is the top choice for SAT prep since it continuously adapts to their needs and grows as they grow.

What is the best SAT prep program in 2026?

PrepScholar’s SAT Complete Online Prep provides adaptive, personalized SAT prep, administered by 99th percentile-scoring tutors. It’s focused on helping students identify and drill the areas that are most likely to improve their score, adapting to their progress to continuously pinpoint students’ strengths and weaknesses. With more than 90 skill lessons, over 4,000 practice questions, and six official SAT practice tests, SAT Complete Online Prep is the program that’s most likely to bring you real, measurable results over time.

Does adaptive test prep actually improve SAT scores?

It can, and data shows that it does. The College Board has stated that adaptive digital tools have helped students improve their SAT scores by 10-15% compared to traditional study methods.

The reason for this is simple: adaptive test prep, like PrepScholar’s SAT prep programs, pinpoints students’ weaknesses and tailors future practice accordingly. Eliminating weaknesses is the single best way to improve your SAT scores, and adaptive prep is specifically built around this approach.

Is online SAT prep as effective as in-person classes?

For some students, an in-person class is more effective. But the effectiveness of SAT prep isn’t about location: it’s about the quality of the prep materials, the expertise of the instructors, and student engagement. Intentionally designed online SAT prep, like PrepScholar’s SAT Complete Online Prep, provides quality, expertise, and the kind of experience that keeps students interested and focused.

And as a bonus, online SAT prep comes with a degree of flexibility and customization that in-person instruction can’t.

What makes an SAT prep service better than a more general AI tool?

While general AI tools are appealing for their ease of use, when it comes to getting quality, accurate SAT prep, they are to be used with caution. Many general AI tools still provide inaccurate information and make unverifiable claims, which can lead students toward ineffective test-taking strategies and incorrect answers.

SAT prep services are purpose-built to engage students in research-backed, verifiably accurate and effective SAT prep. While some, like PrepScholar, have embedded AI assistants into their SAT prep, these AI assistants are trained specifically on official SAT content and materials, making them a safer alternative to general AI tools that don’t have this customization.