Updated September 30, 2026 · AcademyCue Editorial Team
Magoosh vs The Princeton Review
What sets them apart
| Compare |  Magoosh | The Princeton Review ReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $149Lower | $299 |
| Prices by exam | GRE: $149 (1 month) / $179 (6 months); GMAT: $219 (Math + IR) / $249 (Premium) / $599 (Live + Premium) | sat: $299 (SAT Self-Paced); sat + act: $499 (SAT & ACT Self-Paced) |
| Access period | 1 to 12 months | 12 months |
| Practice questions | 1,600 | 3,700Higher |
| Full-length practice tests | 6 | 9Higher |
| Score guarantee | Higher score | Money back |
| Guarantee terms | 7-day "No questions asked" money-back guarantee, plus +5 points improvement on your previous GRE test, guaranteed | Better scores or your money back on eligible test prep programs; pass your test or your money back on NCLEX-RN and CFA programs; repeat the program free if not satisfied; U.S. and Canada customers only |
| Money-back period | 7 days | 60 daysHigher |
| Markets | Not confirmed | US, CA |
Same on both: Live classes (Yes), Free trial (Yes), Tutoring add-on (Yes).
We earn a commission when you sign up through links on this site. Partner status can affect where a brand appears in our rankings.
Key differences
- The Princeton Review scores higher overall: 9.1 vs 8.8.
- Price from is lower at Magoosh: $149 vs $299.
- Practice questions is higher at The Princeton Review: 3,700 vs 1,600.
- Full-length practice tests is higher at The Princeton Review: 9 vs 6.
- Money-back period is higher at The Princeton Review: 60 days vs 7 days.
- Support channels: only Magoosh offers Email, Chat.
- Support channels: only The Princeton Review offers Phone.
- Founded is lower at The Princeton Review: 1981 vs 2009.
- Exams: only The Princeton Review offers Nclex, CPA, Cfa.
Our verdict on each
Magoosh
Magoosh suits candidates who want broad exam choice, a refund window and a score improvement promise in one purchase. Entry pricing of $149 runs above the cheapest rivals, but 6 full length tests and a 7 day guarantee settle it for planned test takers.
The Princeton Review
The Princeton Review suits US and Canadian students who want live classes, tutoring and a money back guarantee from a single provider rather than a bare question bank. It scores 9.1 overall, with 60 days of money back cover on eligible programs offsetting an entry price of $299.
Score breakdown
| Area | Magoosh | The Princeton Review |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.9HigherEntry starts at $149, above $12.99 and $49, with a 7 days window. | 8.7Entry starts at $299, high next to rivals, though the tutoring subscription range of $39.99 to $179.99 softens ongoing cost. |
| Offer | 8.9Covers act, gmat and gre, ships 6 full length tests and 1,600 practice questions, plus live classes and a tutoring addon. | 9.2Higher3,700 practice questions, 9 full length tests and live classes inside 12 months of access. |
| Trust | 8.5Operating as Magoosh, Inc. in the US since 2009, with support on email, chat and help centre. | 9.7HigherA money back guarantee with a 60 day window, plus support on phone and help centre. |
Which one suits you
Pick Magoosh if price from matter most.
Pick The Princeton Review if offer, practice questions, full-length practice tests, and money-back period matter most.
Where each is licensed and available
| Country | Magoosh | The Princeton Review |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | United States | United States |
How they place
| Ranking | Magoosh | The Princeton Review |
|---|---|---|
| GRE, GMAT, LSAT and MCAT prep | 15 of 21 | 5 of 21 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Magoosh | The Princeton Review |
|---|---|---|
| Exams | Act, Gmat, Gre, Lsat, Mcat, Sat | Sat, Act, Gre, Gmat, Lsat, Mcat, Nclex, CPA, CfaCovers more |
| Legal entity | Magoosh, Inc. | TPR Education, LLC d/b/a The Princeton Review |
| Headquarters | United States | United States |
| Founded | 2009 | 1981Lower |
| Support channels | Email, Chat, Help centre | Phone, Help centre |
Tutoring
| Fact | Magoosh | The Princeton Review |
|---|---|---|
| Lesson price from | Not confirmed | $29 |
| Subscription price | Not confirmed | $39.99 to $179.99 |
| Trial lesson | Not confirmed | Free |
| Free trial length | Not confirmed | 14 days |
| Subjects | Not confirmed | Math, English, Science, Languages, Coding, School |
| Lesson format | Not confirmed | 1to1, App |
| Number of tutors | Not confirmed | 3,000 |
| Tutor vetting | Not confirmed | Screened |
| Tutor background checks | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Satisfaction guarantee | Not confirmed | Better grades guaranteed for students who work with a tutor 2 hours a month for 3 consecutive months in one subject |
Online courses
| Fact | Magoosh | The Princeton Review |
|---|---|---|
| Price per month | Not confirmed | $39.99 |
| Free tier | Not confirmed | No |
| Platform type | Not confirmed | Curated |
| Graded assessments | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Offline downloads | Not confirmed | No |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Magoosh | The Princeton Review | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price from | $149above the median | $299above the median | $69 |
| Access period | 1 to 12 monthsabove the median | 12 monthsabove the median | 9 |
| Practice questions | 1,600below the median | 3,700above the median | 3,000 |
| Full-length practice tests | 6below the median | 9above the median | 8 |
| Money-back period | 7 dayslowest quarter | 60 dayshighest quarter | 30 days |
Median across 50 listed providers.
Pros and cons
Magoosh
Pros
- Covers act, gmat and gre under one provider, so a change of exam does not mean a change of platform
- A 7 day money back guarantee sits alongside a guaranteed score improvement on a prior GRE result
- Access runs 1 to 12 months, letting a test date decide the plan rather than the other way round
Cons
- Entry price of $149 sits well above $12.99 and $49, so short study windows cost more per month
- The 7 day refund window is shorter than the 30 day median in this category
- Only 6 full length tests ship, against a category median of 10.25
The Princeton Review
Pros
- A money back guarantee on eligible test prep programs, with a 60 day window and a free repeat of the program for US and Canadian students.
- Breadth under one roof: sat, act and gre all sit within the same provider, spanning school and professional exams.
- Study depth of 3,700 practice questions and 9 full length tests, with live classes and 12 months of access.
Cons
- Entry price of $299 sits well above Testprep Training at $12.99 and Zebra Education at $49.
- There is no free tier, so the 14 day free trial and the free trial lesson are the whole no-cost taste.
- Offline download is not offered, so every practice session needs a live connection.
Who each suits
Magoosh
Who it suits
- Gre and GMAT candidates who want a money back window and a higher score promise on the same purchase
- Students moving between the ACT, GMAT, GRE, LSAT, MCAT and SAT who value one name across exams
- Self studiers comfortable pairing self paced questions with live classes and a paid tutoring addon
Who should look elsewhere
- Budget buyers who only need a few practice questions, where Testprep Training starts at $12.99
- Learners who want phone support, since Magoosh lists email, chat and help centre
- Candidates needing a heavy test battery, where Zebra Education starts at $49 for a different mix
The Princeton Review
Who it suits
- Students in US and CA who want live classes and one provider across sat, act and gre.
- Learners who would rather have money back protection than a bare course: the guarantee is money back and runs 60 days on eligible programs.
- Families who need tutoring alongside exam prep, with 3,000 screened tutors, background checks and a free trial lesson.
Who should look elsewhere
- Budget shoppers, who would start at $12.99 with Testprep Training instead of $299 here.
- Students who need downloadable study material, since offline download is not offered; Zebra Education starts at $49 if entry cost matters more.
- IELTS candidates, who may prefer the specialist route E2Language covers from $69.
Current offers
The Princeton Review
Current offer
Bonus
10 hours On-Demand Tutoring reduced to $200: $200 (normally $349)
Add-on to the SAT & ACT Self-Paced package
Source, checked September 30, 2026
Free trial
14-Day Free Trial of SAT Self-Paced: 14 days
Offered on the SAT Self-Paced and SAT & ACT Self-Paced course options
Source, checked September 30, 2026
Country by country
| Country | Magoosh | The Princeton Review |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | No | Yes |
| United States | No | Yes |
Questions about each
Magoosh
How much does Magoosh cost and what access periods do I get?+
Magoosh starts at $149 for its shortest term, and access runs 1 to 12 months, so a test date rather than a monthly habit sets the length. Longer terms cost more in total but spread that cost over more months of study. Prices are quoted in US dollars and the company is registered in the US.
What does the guarantee actually cover?+
Two separate promises sit on the purchase. One is a 7 day money back guarantee with no questions asked, and the other guarantees a higher score on a previous GRE result, with a stated improvement of points on that result. The score promise is the reason Magoosh ranks as a higher score guarantee provider rather than a refund only offer.
The Princeton Review
How much does The Princeton Review cost?+
The SAT Self-Paced course starts at $299, and the combined SAT and ACT Self-Paced course is priced above that as a package. Tutoring is separate: $39.99 covers a month inside a subscription range of $39.99 to $179.99, and individual lessons are priced at $29. The course price is the entry payment, while recurring spend comes from the tutoring subscription.
Is there a free trial or a free tier?+
There is a free trial running 14 days, and there is no free tier of study material sitting underneath it. For tutoring, a free trial lesson gives a session at no charge before any commitment. Together those two make up the entire no-cost entry route into the brand.