Best GRE Prep Courses of 2026

Students who dream of earning a graduate degree from a prestigious college or university know just how important a high Graduate Record Examination (GRE) score is as part of a complete application. While a strong test score opens important academic doors that can ultimately lead to impressive professional success, how do you go about earning a top GRE score? Preparing for this difficult exam with an established test prep provider is the best way to achieve the score you need, but how can you know who to work with when every company claims to offer “the best” or the “most comprehensive” prep course? We know your time is better spent studying for the GRE than researching test preparation options, so we did the hard work for you and analyzed the leading GRE prep courses. Taking into account different learning styles, budgets, and deadlines, we’ve made it easy to find the best GRE prep course for your specific needs.

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Magoosh

Magoosh is a wildly popular test prep company founded by graduates from the Haas School of Business at the University of California at Berkeley in 2009. Created with the intent to revolutionize the infrequently changing test prep industry, Magoosh has developed a following for its affordability and high-quality videos. The company offers three GRE prep course options:

  • Premium – 1 month ($149): this option includes 8 full sections of official GRE questions, more than 290 video lessons, over 1,600 practice questions, up to 6 practice tests, study schedules, the option to Ask an Expert, and the ability to pause your plan.
  • Premium – 6 months ($179): this option includes everything in the Premium – 1 month course but students receive 6 months of access.
  • Premium – Admission ($219): this option includes everything in the Premium – 6 months course, plus graduate admission support, an application tracker, 50+ video workshops, more than 40 annotated personal statements and statements of purpose, and 12 months of access.

User reviews raved about the quality of the short video lessons, finding them easy to access and a perfect way to squeeze in study time between other commitments. Magoosh offers an app that users described as very easy to access, and learners appreciated the detailed question explanations, large Qbank, and easy-to-understand performance analytics. Students described the GRE course as offering highly organized prep, and questions were noted to be very similar to the actual exam.

Although users praised the quality of instructors in on-demand videos, some wished Magoosh also offered options for live instruction. Some students found the study schedules to be confusing, and a handful of reviews noted that certain sections felt more difficult than the actual test (particularly the Listening section).

Best for: self-studiers with a budget, those who learn best through videos, and busy students and professionals who have limited study time.

Not the best for: users seeking a comprehensive prep course with live instruction.

Achievable

While Achievable is not as established as some companies on this list, they have grown rapidly over the past decade and become an important provider of prep services. Achievable was founded in 2016 as a test prep tool to leverage the best advances in technology and learning science. The company offers the following GRE prep course:

  • GRE Prep Full Year Access ($199): this option includes an interactive online textbook, infinite randomized quizzes, more than 200 Quant templates, over 30+ Verbal sections, 250+ vocabulary words, 30+ practice exams, and unlimited essay grading.

Achievable has positioned itself as a modern, AI-driven source for GRE preparation. Users appreciated the easy-to-navigate interface, and several reviews highlighted the high-quality and information-packed textbook. Personalized study plans were noted to be effective for keeping learners on track, and students felt the adaptive technology did a good job of identifying and helping to improve areas of weaknesses. Overall, learners felt that this budget-friendly prep option was an excellent bargain.

In some reviews, users noted that Achievable is best for motivated learners who do not require high levels of external structure or the accountability of live instruction. Some students found the Qbank difficulty to be limited and felt that some questions were less challenging than those on the real GRE.

Best for: self-paced learners who excel at organizing and structuring their study.

Not the best for: users seeking highly structured GRE prep with live instruction.

Target Test Prep

Target Test Prep was founded in 2008 as a way to offer online, structured, self-study courses for graduate-level standardized tests, and in the years since, the company has become a beloved resource for students and professionals. Target Test Prep offers four options for GRE prep:

  • Monthly ($229): this option includes one month of access to Quant, Verbal, and AWA courses and an AI-driven learning assistant.
  • Dedicated Study ($549): this option includes everything in the Monthly course but for an extended time of 4 months.
  • Maximum Learning ($599): this option includes everything in the Monthly course but for an extended time of 6 months.
  • Maximum Learning +Live Classes ($1,599): this option includes everything in the Maximum Learning course, plus 40 hours of live online instruction, personalized homework practice, and an exclusive Slack channel.

All prep course options include a personalized GRE study plan, a Qbank of more than 4,000 questions, a customized practice test builder, performance analytics, and live online support.

User reviews appreciated the extensive Qbank and found lessons and practice questions to be realistic and effective, particularly for Quant. Learners raved about the step-by-step study plan, which provided a clear learning path that reduced test-related anxiety. Lesson plans provided steady progression from fundamentals to more advanced topics, and several students praised the effectiveness of advanced performance analytics in targeting areas of weakness.

While instructors were, for the most part, noted to be very knowledgeable and helpful, some reviews mentioned that the quality of the individual instructor could vary. Some students stated that the course required substantial effort and a significant time commitment to achieve their desired score. Some lessons were reported to be more text-heavy than others, and several reviews noted that the Verbal lessons could be improved, as they were not as robust as lessons that focused on Quant topics.

Best for: users seeking to strengthen their fundamentals in a highly structured learning environment.

Not the best for: users seeking to focus on high-yield content or improving their Verbal knowledge.

PrepScholar

PrepScholar was founded by two Harvard University graduates in 2013 with a focus on providing personalized, high-quality test prep and college admissions guidance. Since then, it has become a reliable and respected name in the test prep industry with a strong user base. The company offers two GRE prep options:

  • GRE Adaptive Online Prep ($38): this includes 72 interactive and custom lessons, more than 2,100 adaptive questions, a diagnostic test, 2 official practice tests, 300 Vocab questions, and graduate school admissions guides.
  • GRE Adaptive Online Prep plus Unlimited Lifetime Access and Essay Grading ($345): this option includes everything in the Adaptive Online Prep course, but users have lifetime, unlimited access while also receiving essay grading.

After completing a diagnostic exam, users receive weekly study plans guiding them through interactive lessons. Users found the questions to be realistic and similar to the real GRE, and students noted that the explanation videos were in-depth and easy to understand. The budget-friendly price was repeatedly praised, with users appreciating both the affordability and year-long access to the course. The tailored, adaptive learning structure helped students target and improve weaknesses, and users found the cheat sheets intended for quick study to be quite helpful.

Some reviewers found the lessons to be text-heavy and wished there were more on-demand video learning options. Other users noted that some of the video lessons were quite dry and could benefit from being updated. Learners additionally expressed a desire for live instruction options, as well as more practice tests.

Best for: self-motivated learners on a budget who prefer text-based learning.

Not the best for: users seeking structured and comprehensive live instruction or high-quality on-demand video lessons.

Princeton Review

Princeton Review is an instantly recognizable name when it comes to standardized test preparation, and they have been supporting students and providing educational services since 1981. The company offers test preparation, private tutoring, and admissions materials, as well as several GRE prep courses:

  • Self-Paced ($499): this option includes 60+ interactive lessons, more than 3,000 practice questions, adaptive drills, and 8 full-length practice tests with interactive score reports.
  • GRE 10 Points+ ($899): this option includes 470+ online drills, hours of instructional on-demand lessons, 8 computer section-adaptive practice exams with interactive score reports, a structured study plan, and live GRE math classes.
  • Fundamentals Live Online ($1,199): this option includes 24 hours of expert-led live instruction, plus more than 470 online drills, 3000+ practice questions, hours of on-demand video lessons, 8 full-length section-adaptive practice tests with interactive score reports.
  • GRE 162+ ($2,399): this option includes 45 hours of expert-led live instruction, 15 additional hours of Quant and Verbal supplemental sessions, a score guarantee of 162+ or your money back, 2 GRE manuals (Quant and Verbal), more than 3,000 practice questions, and 8 full-length section-adaptive practice tests with interactive score reports.

Princeton Review offers comprehensive GRE preparation through both self-study and live instruction options. Students described the practice tests as being realistic, high-quality, and a good way to improve test-taking stamina. Several reviews noted that the Quant and Verbal problem-solving strategies were highly effective. While the online dashboard was described as not particularly intuitive, the prep course content itself was noted to be highly organized and easy to navigate.

Some students reported that the Quant section was not challenging enough and easier than the real GRE. Users felt that some of the test-taking strategies taught in the on-demand videos were outdated and in need of updating. Reviewers did not always find that the high course cost was justified, although they appreciated the 162+ course money-back guarantee. Live classes were also noted to be quite a bit larger than those offered by other companies on this life.

Best for: users seeking to supplement their GRE prep who already have foundational knowledge.

Not the best for: users seeking comprehensive live instruction at affordable prices.

Conclusion

When it comes to preparing for the GRE, working with established test prep providers can truly make the difference between a good score and a score that earns an acceptance letter from your dream college or university. We’ve reviewed and analyzed the best GRE prep courses of 2026 and found a variety of options, whether you prefer self-paced text-based learning, on-demand video lessons, live online instruction, or in-person instruction. It’s worth noting that the companies included in this review frequently provide discounts or seasonal sales, so we encourage prospective learners to visit the provided websites, as the pricing of these prep courses changes frequently. With this information in hand, you can be confident that you are as informed as possible and ready to select the best GRE prep course for your individual learning needs.