Best SAT Prep Courses 2026

When it comes to preparing for the SAT, working with experienced test prep professionals is one of the best ways to achieve an impressive score. But these days, every test prep company claims to be “the best” or “guarantees” to raise your score. How do you find the most effective test prep products and services, especially when your time is better spent studying for the SAT? Never fear, because we’ve done the research for you and taken all the stress out of finding top-notch test professionals to help you master the SAT. In this guide, we recommend SAT prep courses designed to fit a variety of budgets, study timelines, and learning styles, ensuring you have all the information you need to make the best decision for your test-taking needs.

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Princeton Review

Princeton Review is an instantly recognizable name when it comes to preparing for the SAT. The company was founded in 1981 with a focus on helping students understand the thinking behind the SAT in order to earn a high score. It has since expanded to help millions of students around the world attend the academic program of their dreams. Princeton Review offers three SAT prep course options:

  • SAT Self-Paced ($299): this option includes access to thousands of questions and drills, 5 full-length practice exams, a detailed score analysis for each test, online videos with bite-sized content lessons, and 365 days of access to online materials.
  • SAT Essentials ($949): this option includes 18 hours of live online instruction, a dashboard with progress tracking features, 9 full-length practice tests, detailed score analysis for each test, thousands of practice questions and drills, digital e-books, and 365 days of access to online materials.
  • SAT 1400+ Course ($2,199): this option includes 36 hours of live online instruction, as well as everything included in the SAT Essentials course.

In user reviews, explanations to questions were noted to be thorough and easy to understand. Students appreciated that live instruction included a focus on mastering effective test-taking strategies and techniques, as these were noted to be helpful in understanding questions. Instructors were reported to be engaging and knowledgeable, and learners felt confident and prepared on the day of their exam.

In some reviews, students stated that the quality of the instructor could vary, which impacted the effectiveness of the material being taught. Other reviews expressed a desire for a lower price point. Some users felt that the practice questions did not quite capture the subtle nuances of those on the real SAT and were not as challenging as official test questions.

Best for: users seeking extensive online resources and accountability through comprehensive live instruction.

Not the best for: users on a budget, those who are self-studiers, or those seeking to improve an already high score.

Kaplan

Kaplan is a respected name among test prep companies, having been founded in 1938 as a tutoring service for students. Over the past several decades, Kaplan has grown into a worldwide provider of educational services, including admissions consulting, prep courses, and private tutoring. Kaplan offers two SAT prep course options:

  • Live Online ($799): this option includes 18 hours of live online instruction from 99th-percentile instructors, 2+ instructors per class, 4 practice SAT tests, a Qbank of more than 500 questions, and access to a digital performance dashboard.
  • Bootcamp ($799): this option allows you to prepare for the SAT in 2-3 weeks, with 18 hours of live online instruction, private 1:1 Q&A with instructors, 4 practice SAT tests, a Qbank of more than 500 questions, and access to a digital performance dashboard.

User reviews highlighted the high-quality video lessons, with students appreciating the easy-to-understand explanations. Learners reported receiving excellent live instruction, and many reviews appreciated having more than one instructor teaching each live session. The dashboard was reportedly intuitive to use without being confusing, and the practice SAT tests were noted to utilize a realistic interface that directly mimics the real SAT.

Some students noted that not all questions have video explanations. Other learners reported that the quality of the instructors could vary, which affected how easy it was to learn certain things. Reviews also noted that Kaplan does not offer as large of a Qbank as some other test prep companies.

Best for: users seeking highly structured live instruction who may have a short time to prepare.

Not the best for: users seeking lots of online study materials (Qbanks, flashcards, quizzes, etc.) alongside live instruction.

Manhattan Review

Manhattan Review is a known and trusted name when it comes to test preparation. The company was founded in 1999 when Joern Meissner, who was then a professor at Columbia Business School, took the suggestion of his students and formalized his cutting-edge test-taking techniques into a formal prep course. Manhattan Review has grown from a boutique test prep provider to a global educational services company dedicated to providing high-quality courses, tutoring, admissions consulting, and more. Manhattan Review offers four different SAT prep course options:

  • SAT Classic Course Online ($990): this option includes 28 hours of live, online instruction.
  • SAT Classic Course Online Private ($1,590): this option includes 12 hours of live, one-on-one, online instruction, and sessions are scheduled based on the student’s preference.
  • SAT Classic Course In-Person ($1,590): this option includes 28 hours of live, in-person instruction in cities both in the United States and around the world.
  • SAT Classic Course Private ($1,590): this option includes 12 hours of live, one-on-one in-person instruction in cities both in the United States and around the world, and sessions are scheduled based on the student’s preference.

Manhattan Review has become synonymous with high-caliber instructors, due to a rigorous hiring process that requires instructors to not only be high-scoring test-takers but skilled educators who have a passion for helping their students improve. Reviews highlight this commitment to quality, with students describing their instructors as experienced, knowledgeable, and capable of breaking down even the most complex concepts into learnable pieces. Users appreciated the extensive in-person learning options, as well as the personalized learning approaches. Homework was noted to be helpful in building skills, and more than one student appreciated learning how to think like a test maker rather than simply memorizing strategies. The “Turbocharge Your Prep” four book SAT series was reported to feature realistic questions that directly mimicked the real SAT and provided a readily available offline Qbank.

Some reviews expressed a desire for additional practice questions, and some learners wished there was an on-demand learning option in the form of a video library. A few students noted that the course was better suited for active learners seeking to raise their score than passive learners simply hoping to achieve a decent score.

Best for: motivated users seeking comprehensive, live instruction that can be personalized to individual learning needs.

Not the best for: users who prefer to learn through video lessons or those seeking to target a specific area of weakness.

Khan Academy

Khan Academy was founded in 2008 by Salman Khan with a mission to offer a free, world-class education to anyone, anywhere. Since then, Khan Academy has become known for providing affordable preparation for a variety of standardized tests and educational endeavors through informational video lessons, quizzes, and interactive practice activities. Khan Academy is also an official partner of the College Board, the creator of the SAT, and they offer the following SAT prep course option:

  • Thousands of official practice questions, video lessons, personalized study plans, plus test-taking strategies created by a team of math, reading, and writing experts.

Khan Academy features a visually appealing, user-friendly interface that makes it easy to track progress. Students appreciated the customizable study plans, and video lessons were reported to be both informative and engaging. Due to their partnership with the College Board, Khan Academy’s practice questions were described as very realistic compared to the real SAT. Students liked that the platform adapted to their level of skill, which allowed them to target and improve specific areas of weakness.

Some reviews noted that certain videos were more engaging than others, and some students reported that consistent use of the platform was required to improve scores, which worked best for motivated self-studiers. While the program was described as being excellent at helping to master SAT basics, some users noted that it wasn’t especially helpful at raising an already high score.

Best for: users on a budget seeking to build a solid foundation who enjoy on-demand video learning.

Not the best for: users who want to improve an already high score or those who learn best through structured live instruction.

UWorld

UWorld was founded in 2003 with a focus on medical residency exams and has grown into a leading provider of high-stakes exam preparation dedicated to helping students succeed. The company offers two SAT prep course options:

  • SAT Question Bank (starting from $99): this option includes access to more than 1,600 practice questions, a custom test generator, custom flashcard decks, a progress tracking dashboard, and a study planner.
  • SAT Prep Course (starting from $249): this option includes everything in the Question Bank course, plus a print book and an e-book, 400+ “check for understanding” questions, and expert-led video lessons.

In reviews, students praised UWorld’s large Qbank, finding that it accurately mimicked the real SAT’s difficulty and formatting. Users appreciated the detailed explanations for every answer and noted that this helped them learn from their mistakes. Learners could create custom quizzes to drill specific topics, and performance analytics were described as being strong and informative. Visual learners, in particular, enjoyed the illustrated explanations.

Some learners felt that the course was best for those who already had at least some foundational knowledge rather than those who were complete newcomers to the SAT. Others noted that while their score improved, a significant amount of study time was required to reach their target score. A few reviews expressed a desire for live instruction options.

Best for: motivated users seeking high-quality on-demand learning.

Not the best for: users who aren’t self-motivated or who learn best with the accountability of live instruction.

PrepScholar

PrepScholar focuses on providing personalized, high-quality test prep and college admissions guidance. The company was founded by two Harvard graduates in 2013 and since then, it has established itself as a reliable name in the test prep industry with a dedicated user base. PrepScholar offers three SAT prep course options:

  • Complete Online SAT Prep ($397): this option includes more than 90 skill lessons, over 4,100 practice questions with explanations, a diagnostic test, 7 official practice SAT tests, and customized weekly prep.
  • Complete Online SAT Prep +AI Learning Assistant ($495): this option includes everything in the Complete Online SAT Prep course, with the addition of an AI learning assistant designed to help students build a deeper understanding of concepts while developing long-lasting test-taking skills.
  • Live Instructor Led Classes: this option includes either 9 hours of live online instruction ($895) or 36 hours of live online instruction ($1,695). Both options include everything in the Complete Online SAT Prep course, and students can choose from courses focused on Fundamentals, Essentials, or Advanced concepts.

In reviews, students highlighted how effectively they used the tailored, data-driven approach of PrepScholar’s SAT prep course to improve their scores. Users praised the highly personalized study plans and extensive practice questions, as well as the structured lessons. Videos were generally noted to be of good quality and engaging, and students appreciated the adaptive nature of the course, as it allowed them to improve specific areas of weakness.

In some reviews, videos were reported to be of a lower quality than those offered by other companies on this list, and some lessons were reportedly lacking accompanying videos. Other reviews expressed a desire for the inclusion of prep books, either in printed or e-book form.

Best for: users seeking to improve specific areas of weakness while balancing affordability with effectiveness.

Not the best for: users seeking to establish and build upon a solid foundation through comprehensive instruction with both live instruction and additional study materials.

Conclusion

When it comes to preparing for the SAT, it’s important to know how many months you realistically have to study, what your budget for test prep is, and the ways in which you learn and retain information best. There is no one “right” way to prepare for the SAT, which is why we’ve analyzed available prep courses to bring you the best ones that fit with different timelines, budgets, and learning styles. The prices listed in this guide were accurate at the time of writing, but all companies mentioned here frequently offer sales or run discounts, so we recommend interested students visit the provided websites for the most up-to-date information on pricing.