The Princeton Review review

Updated September 30, 2026 · AcademyCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 30, 2026

We earn a commission when you sign up through links on this site. Partner status can affect where a brand appears in our rankings.

Our verdict

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.

Key facts

Best for
A single provider for exam prep plus tutoring, underwritten by a money back guarantee.
Price from
$299 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Prices by exam
sat: $299 (SAT Self-Paced); sat + act: $499 (SAT & ACT Self-Paced) (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Access period
12 months (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Live classes
Yes (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Practice questions
3,700 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Full-length practice tests
9 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Score guarantee
Money back (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Guarantee terms
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 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Free trial
Yes (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Money-back period
60 days (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Tutoring add-on
Yes (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Markets
US, CA (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Legal entity
TPR Education, LLC d/b/a The Princeton Review (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Headquarters
United States (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Founded
1981 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Support channels
Phone, Help-centre (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Exams
Sat, Act, Gre, Gmat, Lsat, Mcat, Nclex, CPA, Cfa
Official website
princetonreview.com

Tutoring

Lesson price from
$29 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Subscription price
$39.99 to $179.99 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Trial lesson
Free (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Free trial length
14 days (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Number of tutors
3,000 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Tutor vetting
Screened (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Tutor background checks
Yes (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Satisfaction guarantee
Better grades guaranteed for students who work with a tutor 2 hours a month for 3 consecutive months in one subject (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Markets
US, CA (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Legal entity
TPR Education, LLC d/b/a The Princeton Review (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Headquarters
United States (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Founded
1981 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Support channels
Phone, Help-centre (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Subjects
Math, English, Science, Languages, Coding, School
Lesson format
1to1, Mobile app

Online courses

Price from
$299 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Price per month
$39.99 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Free tier
No (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Free trial length
14 days (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Money-back period
60 days (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Platform type
Curated (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Access period
12 months (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Graded assessments
Yes (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Offline downloads
No (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Markets
US, CA (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Legal entity
TPR Education, LLC d/b/a The Princeton Review (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Headquarters
United States (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Founded
1981 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Support channels
Phone, Help-centre (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Subjects
Math, English, Science, Languages, Coding, School

Apps and profiles

Get the app
Google Play

Pros and cons

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.
  • Tutoring is available as an add on rather than a separate search, drawing on 3,000 screened tutors who are background checked, with a free trial lesson in math, english and science.
  • Support runs on phone and help centre for learners in US and CA.

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.
  • Tutoring lands as extra spend on top of $299, with $39.99 to $179.99 subscriptions and lessons priced at $29.

Ready to try The Princeton Review?

Scored 9.1 / 10 by AcademyCue.

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.

What you get free

There is no free tier here, so nothing is available to study before a payment is made. What a reader can do is sit the free trial, which runs 14 days, and read the money back terms that stand behind eligible test prep programs for 60 days. Practically, the trial plus the guarantee window is the full no-cost entry route, and the guarantee is the stronger of the two because it stays available after enrolment.

Core features

A self-paced course opens 12 months of access, with live classes on the honours track and 3,700 practice questions to work through. Full length tests number 9, and the free trial lets a student look through the material before committing. The money back window on eligible programs runs 60 days, and tutoring can be added to the same purchase rather than sourced separately.

How it compares on our data

Entry price is the weak spot in this comparison, sitting at 43 of 65 brands on price from. Access length lands far higher, at 3 of 24. Full length tests come in at 11 of 27, and practice questions at 16 of 38, so the value sits in how long access lasts rather than in sheer volume of material.

The company behind it

The legal entity behind the brand is TPR Education, LLC d/b/a The Princeton Review, headquartered in the United States and trading since 1981, which is a long operating record in test prep. Support runs on phone and help centre, so a help centre and a phone line sit behind course questions rather than a chat-only desk. The same entity handles the guarantee terms, which keeps the money back promise and the enrolment paperwork in one place.

Where The Princeton Review is available

Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 30, 2026)

Frequently asked questions

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.

What does the money back guarantee actually cover?+

The guarantee is a money back arrangement on eligible test prep programs, backed by a 60 day window. Better scores or money back applies, with pass your test or money back on the NCLEX-RN and CFA programs, and a repeat of the program free if a student is not satisfied. Terms cover US and Canada only.

Which exams are covered?+

The exam list runs sat, act and gre, so a single provider can carry a student from the SAT and ACT through to professional exams such as the CPA and CFA. Material comes with 3,700 practice questions, 9 full length tests, and live classes inside 12 months of access.

Is it available outside the United States?+

Help and online support cover US and CA, and the company is headquartered in the United States. The guarantee terms are written for US and Canada only, so a buyer elsewhere falls outside that wording. Checking the local enrolment terms before paying is worth the few minutes it takes.

Does it offer live classes and tutoring?+

Live classes sit within the course line, and tutoring can be added to the same purchase. Lessons come in 1to1 and app formats across math, english and science, drawn from 3,000 tutors who are screened and background checked. A free trial lesson is available before committing to a package.

Can I study offline or on my phone?+

Offline download is not offered, so the question bank and full length tests need a live connection. App delivery is still listed among the 1to1 and app lesson formats, which means phone study works well on a connection, but downloads for flights, commutes or patchy data do not.

How do I get help if a course is not going to plan?+

Support runs on phone and help centre, so a help centre and a phone line cover questions on enrolment and course access. The company trades as TPR Education, LLC d/b/a The Princeton Review, which handles both the enrolment paperwork and the guarantee terms, and the 60 day money back window is the practical route if a course is not working out.

Sources

  • princetonreview.com checked September 30, 2026

    Backs: Exams, Platform type

    “SAT, ACT, AP, PSAT, SHSAT, SSAT, ISEE, MCAT, LSAT, GRE, GMAT, NCLEX, CPA/CMA/CISA, DAT, OAT”

  • princetonreview.com/academic-tutoring checked September 30, 2026

    Backs: Lesson format, Tutor background checks, Number of tutors, Tutor vetting

    “Customized programs with a dedicated tutor for each subject ... Subscription or hourly packages ... Starting at $39.99/hr”

  • princetonreview.com/academic-tutoring/pricing checked September 30, 2026

    Backs: Lesson price from, Price per month, Satisfaction guarantee, Subscription price

    “50 Hours/6 Months $1,449.99 (One-time, $29/hr)”

  • princetonreview.com/college/sat-honors-course checked September 30, 2026

    Backs: Founded, Full-length practice tests, Live classes, Money-back period

    “what we have been delivering since 1981 - SAT 1400+ Course”

  • princetonreview.com/college/sat-selfguided-course checked September 30, 2026

    Backs: Access period, Graded assessments, Prices by exam, Free tier, Free trial, Free trial length, Price from, Tutoring add-on

    “365 days access to online materials”

  • princetonreview.com/help/academic-tutoring-faq checked September 30, 2026

    Backs: Subjects

    “You can get a tutor 24/7 in more than 40 subjects including Math, Science, Social Studies, English, AP Support, Foreign Languages and Business”

  • princetonreview.com/help/online-help checked September 30, 2026

    Backs: Markets, Offline downloads

    “Princeton Review offers classroom and tutoring programs in most cities across the U.S. and Canada”

  • princetonreview.com/legal/enrollment-terms-conditions checked September 30, 2026

    Backs: Headquarters, Legal entity

    “shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York”

  • princetonreview.com/legal/guarantee checked September 30, 2026

    Backs: Guarantee terms, Score guarantee, Support channels

    “Better scores or your money back ... we guarantee you will pass your test if you do all the required work for your program or you will get your money back. This guarantee applies to U.S. and Canada...”

  • princetonreview.com/mobile/apps checked September 30, 2026

    Backs: Practice questions

    “Access 3,700+ practice questions anytime, anywhere”

  • princetonreview.com/tutoring checked September 30, 2026

    Backs: Trial lesson

    “Free Sample Classes & Practice Tests: Join a sample class and experience our stellar instruction and test strategies firsthand”

Compiled from 11 source pages, checked September 30, 2026. We did not open an account.

The Princeton Review

A single provider for exam prep plus tutoring, underwritten by a money back guarantee.

9.1/10See alternatives