Updated September 30, 2026 · AcademyCue Editorial Team
The Princeton Review vs Zebra Education
What sets them apart
| Compare | The Princeton Review ReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives |  Zebra Education |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $299 | $49Lower |
| Prices by exam | sat: $299 (SAT Self-Paced); sat + act: $499 (SAT & ACT Self-Paced) | TOEFL: from $49 USD (7 Day Access) to $349 USD (2 Year Access); GMAT: from $49 USD (7 Days Access) to $229 USD (1 Year Access) |
| Access period | 12 months | 1 to 24 monthsHigher |
| Live classes | YesHas it | No |
| Practice questions | 3,700 | 6,500Higher |
| Full-length practice tests | 9 | 50Higher |
| Score guarantee | Money back | Higher score |
| 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 | Score increase guarantee of 7+ points on 1-6 month Custom Plans and 15+ points on 6+ month Premium Plans; if the score does not improve you get a full refund of the course cost up to $100; you must complete at least 90% of course content, complete all included practice tests and file the claim within 30 days of your subscription ending. |
| Money-back period | 60 daysHigher | 30 days |
| Tutoring add-on | Yes | Not confirmed |
| Markets | US, CA | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Free trial (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
- Zebra Education scores higher overall: 9.3 vs 9.1.
- Price from is lower at Zebra Education: $49 vs $299.
- Access period is higher at Zebra Education: 1 to 24 months vs 12 months.
- Live classes: only The Princeton Review.
- Practice questions is higher at Zebra Education: 6,500 vs 3,700.
- Full-length practice tests is higher at Zebra Education: 50 vs 9.
- Money-back period is higher at The Princeton Review: 60 days vs 30 days.
- Support channels: only The Princeton Review offers Phone.
- Support channels: only Zebra Education offers Email, Chat.
- Exams: only The Princeton Review offers Sat, Act, Gre.
Our verdict on each
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.
Zebra Education
Zebra Education suits self study candidates who want a deep question bank and repeated timed tests without live teaching. It sits at 2 of 27 brands on full length tests, the strongest side of the offer, and access windows run 1 to 24 months for anything from a short sprint to a long runway.
Score breakdown
| Area | The Princeton Review | Zebra Education |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.7Entry starts at $299, high next to rivals, though the tutoring subscription range of $39.99 to $179.99 softens ongoing cost. | 9.4HigherEntry price of $49 sits below the ranked median on price from, €121.90, with access windows of 1 to 24 months. |
| Offer | 9.23,700 practice questions, 9 full length tests and live classes inside 12 months of access. | 9.2Practice bank of 6,500 questions and 50 full length tests, plus a score guarantee, score backstopped by 30 days. |
| Trust | 9.7A money back guarantee with a 60 day window, plus support on phone and help centre. | Not confirmed |
How the counts compare
| Fact | The Princeton Review | Zebra Education |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $299 | $49 |
| Access period | 12 months | 1 to 24 months |
| Practice questions | 3,700 | 6,500 |
| Full-length practice tests | 9 | 50 |
| Money-back period | 60 days | 30 days |
Choosing between them
Pick The Princeton Review if live classes and money-back period matter most.
Pick Zebra Education if cost, price from, access period, and practice questions matter most.
Where each is licensed and available
| Country | The Princeton Review | Zebra Education |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | United States | Not confirmed |
Where they rank in our lists
| Ranking | The Princeton Review | Zebra Education |
|---|---|---|
| GRE, GMAT, LSAT and MCAT prep | 5 of 21 | 1 of 21 |
Sources behind this comparison
The Princeton Review
- princetonreview.com: 17 facts, checked September 30, 2026
Zebra Education
- bestmytest.com: 12 facts, checked September 30, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | The Princeton Review | Zebra Education |
|---|---|---|
| Exams | Sat, Act, Gre, Gmat, Lsat, Mcat, Nclex, CPA, CfaCovers more | Gmat |
| Legal entity | TPR Education, LLC d/b/a The Princeton Review | Not confirmed |
| Headquarters | United States | Not confirmed |
| Founded | 1981 | Not confirmed |
| Support channels | Phone, Help centre | Email, Chat, Help centre |
Tutoring
| Fact | The Princeton Review | Zebra Education |
|---|---|---|
| Lesson price from | $29 | Not confirmed |
| Subscription price | $39.99 to $179.99 | Not confirmed |
| Trial lesson | Free | Not confirmed |
| Free trial length | 14 days | Not confirmed |
| Subjects | Math, English, Science, Languages, Coding, School | Not confirmed |
| Lesson format | 1to1, App | Not confirmed |
| Number of tutors | 3,000 | Not confirmed |
| Tutor vetting | Screened | Not confirmed |
| Tutor background checks | Yes | Not confirmed |
| Satisfaction guarantee | Better grades guaranteed for students who work with a tutor 2 hours a month for 3 consecutive months in one subject | Not confirmed |
Online courses
| Fact | The Princeton Review | Zebra Education |
|---|---|---|
| Price per month | $39.99 | Not confirmed |
| Free tier | No | Not confirmed |
| Platform type | Curated | Not confirmed |
| Graded assessments | Yes | Not confirmed |
| Offline downloads | No | Not confirmed |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | The Princeton Review | Zebra Education | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price from | $299above the median | $49below the median | $69 |
| Access period | 12 monthsabove the median | 1 to 24 monthshighest quarter | 9 months |
| Practice questions | 3,700above the median | 6,500highest quarter | 3,000 |
| Full-length practice tests | 9above the median | 50highest quarter | 8 |
| Money-back period | 60 dayshighest quarter | 30 daysat the median | 30 days |
Median across 50 listed providers.
Pros and cons
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.
Zebra Education
Pros
- A deep practice bank of 6,500 questions, well above the 3,000 typical across listed brands.
- Full length testing of 50 places it at 2 of 27 brands on that measure.
- Entry price of $49 costs less than the $69 and $65 starting points of the alternatives here.
Cons
- Live classes are not part of the offer, so anyone wanting taught sessions must look elsewhere.
- Coverage is limited to the exams listed, gmat, rather than a broad test catalogue.
- Support runs on email, chat and help centre only, with no phone line offered.
Who each suits
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.
Zebra Education
Who it suits
- GMAT candidates building stamina through repeated full length tests
- Learners who prefer self paced material over live teaching
- Budget shoppers who want a trial before paying
Who should look elsewhere
- Testprep Training, whose entry price of $12.99 is lower if you only need a starting point
- Anyone wanting live classes, since the offer includes none
- Candidates who need help centres and phone support beyond email, chat and help centre
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 | The Princeton Review | Zebra Education |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | Yes | No |
| United States | Yes | No |
Questions about each
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.
Zebra Education
What does Zebra Education cost to start?+
Plans begin at $49, which is the entry figure used across the brands we track. Longer access windows and bundled upgrades cost more, and the exam prices listed run from that same starting point up to the top tier options. Budget for the tier you pick rather than the headline number.
How long can I access the material?+
Access windows are listed as 1 to 24 months, giving room for both a short intensive sprint and a slower schedule. The longer windows suit candidates sitting an exam many months out, while the shortest suit a quick review before a sitting.