Choosing the best GMAT prep course, like choosing a business school, is all about what works best for you as an individual. There is no objectively ‘best’ course that is right for everyone, but there are eight GMAT courses that should be on your radar in deciding which option suits your needs. One way to choose a course is to attend a free session or engage with some free material to see what suits you best.
To make your decision, you’ll have to consider your learning style, and which course elements—from price to score guarantees—matter most to you. Don’t worry. We’ve done the hard work for you and have broken down the pros and cons of what we consider the eight best GMAT online prep courses.
Top 8 Best GMAT Prep Courses
Here’s what you need to know about the best GMAT prep courses at a glance. Click the company’s name to read our full, honest review of their offerings!
| Company | Price of Self-paced course | Private tutoring price | Score improvement guarantee | Practice questions and tests | Length of access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Magoosh | $249 (get 10% off here!) | $110 per hour | 50+ score improvement guarantee | 1,300+ practice questions and two practice tests. Subscribers get a 40% discount on GMAT Official Practice Exams
|
One-year access |
| Princeton Review | $799 | $167 an hour | 620+ starting score required to be eligible for the guarantee of a 700+ score | 3,000+ practice problems and 10 practice tests | Four-month access |
| Target Test Prep | $99 per month to $399 for 6 months access | $300 per hour | Score improvement guarantee only applies to your quantitative score | 3,000+ practice questions | One-month to four-month access |
| Manhattan Prep | $549 | $225 per hour | N/A | 1,100+ questions and six practice tests |
Six-month access |
| Kaplan | $599 - $799 | $2,499 for 10 hours | Score improvement guarantee | 5,000+ questions and nine practice tests | Six-month access |
| PrepScholar | $259 | 4 hours of tutoring from $799 | 60+ score guarantee | Access to 1,000+ questions and 4 practice tests |
One-month to four-month access |
| e-GMAT | $349 | N/A | N/A | 4,500+ questions and five practice tests | Six-month access |
| Veritas Prep | $699 | $2,650 for 10 hours | 50+ score improvement guarantee | 5,000+ questions and 12 practice tests | One-year access |
Magoosh: Best Value For Money
- $249 self-study and $799 for guided study (including six hours of private tutoring)
- Private tutoring: $110 per hour
- One-year access
- Two practice tests
- 1,300+ practice questions
Review
We’re not just tooting our own horn here! Magoosh is consistently ranked among the best GMAT prep courses. And that is not just due to the low price, but to the quality of content, which is on par with competitors. While the cost of Magoosh courses is much lower, you are getting all the content and support you need to ace the test, with one of the best GMAT online prep courses available.
- You can sign up for a seven-day free trial. There is a money back guarantee if you don’t like the product within seven days.
- 50+ score improvement guarantee on the total premium package
- There is 24/7 email support for students.
- Not only do you get a year’s access to content (the longest access period in the best prep course list), but you can also pause your plan if you need to.
- Accurate score predictor based on scores and official reports of previous students
- Study schedules and checklists, a progress tracker, and smart feedback can help you stay on track.
- Magoosh is the only test prep company on the list to offer both video and written answer explanations.
Cons:
- You get only two practice tests. This drawback is offset slightly by the fact that Magoosh subscribers get an exclusive 40% discount on GMAT Official Practice Exams.
Want to give Magoosh a try? Use this coupon to get 10% off Magoosh GMAT premium!
Princeton Review: Most Comprehensive Course
- Price: From $699 to $1599
- Private tutoring: $167 per hour
- Four-month access
- 3,000+ practice problems
- 10 full-length adaptive practice tests
Review
This is a go-to comprehensive course with great question explanations and quality content. Princeton Review offers solid, tried, and tested courses. The fact that this course includes expert feedback on your Analytical Writing Assignment essay means it is really a comprehensive solution. The self-paced offering starts at $699 and includes a one-on-one session with a GMAT expert.
Pros:
- Access to live GMAT explanation sessions
- There are adaptive drills that simulate the way the GMAT algorithm increases or decreases the level of difficulty according to your ability.
- 10 full-length adaptive practice tests and a detailed report after each one
- If you don’t improve your score you can get a refund on your tuition. You are also able to repeat the program for free if you are not satisfied.
- Time-saving adaptive video-based lessons
Cons:
- Students only get four months of access to content.
- The interface and videos are not as slick as those of companies like Manhattan.
- The course is comparatively expensive.
Target Test Prep: Best Quant-focused Prep Course
- Price: From $99 per month to $399 for six months’ access
- Private tutoring: $300 per hour
- 3,000+ practice questions
- 800+ Quant videos and 400+ Verbal videos
Review
For a long time, Target Test Prep focused on Quant only and built up a reputation as an excellent Quant course. Now, there is a verbal component added at no extra cost. The price differential between offerings applies to the length of access to the course, so you can access the same extensive content for $99 a month.
- All test prep plans include live expert support
- The content has inbuilt Intelligent metrics and error analysis
- You can test out the course by paying $1 for a five-day trial
Cons:
- There are no practice tests provided. While you can get free and paid-for practice tests from other sources, computer-adaptive practice tests would have made this offering more competitive.
- The score guarantee only applies to your quantitative score.
Manhattan Prep: Best Video Lessons
- $549 for their on-demand course
- Private tutoring: $225 per hour
- Six-month access
- 1,100 practice questions
- Six practice tests
Review
Manhattan Prep is known for its engaging videos and instructors. The materials are top-notch and the self-study GMAT guides frequently make the best GMAT books lists.
- Materials are engaging and tutors have a reputation for dynamic and entertaining lessons.
- You get access to a discussion forum to delve into GMAT topics.
Cons:
- There is no score guarantee.
- Practice tests are known for being slightly more difficult than the GMAT itself. This could be a pro or a con depending on what motivates you.
Kaplan: Best For Extra Resources
- $799 for their on-demand course
- Tutoring: $2,799 for 10 hours
- Six-month access
- Nine practice tests
- 5,000+ test questions
Review
Kaplan delivers in the quality and quantity of resources. You get extra resources like an MBA Admissions Guide, and GMAT prep books filled with strategies and practice questions. You also get access to Kaplan’s GMAT Channel with videos on a range of topics. More importantly, Kaplan is also the only company that can arrange for you to get a trial run at the test center – and take a practice test under real GMAT testing conditions.
- Kaplan’s extensive question bank adapts to your performance.
- There is a score improvement guarantee – or your money back.
Cons:
- Courses are expensive. Compared to competitors, Kaplan’s courses come with a hefty price tag.
PrepScholar: Best Personalized Experience
- Price: $69 to $259
- Private tutoring: 4 hours of tutoring from $799
- From one to four months of access
- 1,000+ practice problems
- Four computer adaptive practice tests
Review
PrepScholar’s GMAT prep course is designed around personalization. Students take a diagnostic test upfront, and their proprietary algorithm works to create a custom study plan. You can also see which skills you have mastered and which you still need to work on on your student dashboard.
- The personalized curriculum is perfect for those studying under time pressure.
- There is a 60+ score guarantee—the most impressive of our ranked GMAT test prep courses. Note that you can only use an official test as a baseline.
Cons:
- PrepScholar does not have as many practice questions as its competitors. To be fair though, few students get through all the practice questions on offer, in addition to those in the Official guide.
- Your access period for PrepScholar is well below those of competitors—you get only four months of access for their flagship Completely Customised Online GMAT Prep course.
E-GMAT: Best Verbal Course For Non-native English Speakers
- Price: $349
- Six-month access
- 4,500+ practices questions
- Seven practice tests
Review
e-GMAT has a reputation for helping non-native English speakers improve their Verbal scores. Highly ranked and dedicated tutors are employed full-time.
- You get a customized study plan.
- Ability quizzes isolate your areas of weakness so you can focus on gaps.
- There is a seven-day money-back guarantee if you are unhappy with the course.
- The scoring algorithm of practice tests tries to mimic that of the GMAT.
Cons:
- There are no one-on-one tutoring options available.
Veritas: Best For Admissions Consulting Combos
- $699 for self-study and $1,399 for live classes
- Private tutoring: $2,650 for 10 hours
- One-year access
- 5,000 questions
- 12 practice tests
Review
Veritas ties with Kaplan as the test prep company with the largest database of practice questions (5,000+). As Veritas specializes in test preparation as well as admissions consulting, you can consider GMAT admissions bundles to work on your whole application.
- 50+ score improvement guarantee
- GMAT courses come with free admissions consulting
- You can attend the first GMAT lesson for free to see if Veritas is for you.
- Every instructor has a 99th percentile score.
- You can retake the course free of charge within 12 months of your course start date.
Cons:
- There is no personalized study plan option included with the $699 package.
Best GMAT Prep FAQ
Are the more expensive GMAT prep courses worth the price?
Show Answer
That depends on what you are getting. Don’t make the mistake of thinking an expensive course is necessarily a better one. In general, expect to pay more for more one-on-one time with an instructor. Private tutoring can often be the best way to identify and address gaps in your knowledge. If you are unsure about which is the best GMAT online prep course for you, you can ask if they’ll allow you to sit in on a session before you make up your mind.
What’s the difference between online and in-person GMAT prep courses?
Show Answer
While the content should be the same, in-person GMAT prep courses give you the chance to ask any questions you might have about the topics. In-person classes can also make you feel more accountable and can give you access to a group of peers all going through the same thing. The best GMAT online prep courses, on the other hand, will give you all the materials you need to work around your schedule timelines and ability level. Whether in-person or online classes are better for you, will depend on your learning style, schedule, and requirements.
What are the best GMAT prep apps?
Show Answer
One of the few things you need to rote learn for the GMAT is idioms. Idioms are tested in an estimated 1 out of 5 Sentence Correction questions, so they are vital to know. This GMAT idioms flashcards app from Magoosh gives you all the most tested idioms specific to the GMAT, in an easy-to-learn flashcard format.
Speaking of easy-to-learn flashcard formats, the Magoosh Math flashcards give you an overview of all the GMAT math rules. While math is very much about practice, these flashcards make the general rules that you’ll need for Data Sufficiency more explicit and easier to remember.
If you are looking for a mental math workout before the test, look no further than the Math Tricks app and Calculator: The game app which allow you to practice the mental math tricks that can speed up your problem-solving in the GMAT. While these are not GMAT apps per se, they will help you to solve mental math problems more quickly and creatively.
The Wiley Efficient Learning mobile app also needs a mention as a must-have GMAT app. It is essentially a more portable version of the Official Guide. It will give you access to the same Official Guide Questions in the book and online question bank, just on the go.
What materials should I use in my GMAT prep?
Show Answer
You’ll want to get a copy of the GMAC Official guide so you can practice with real GMAT questions. But you’ll also need some guidance on how to answer the questions. For insights, tools, and strategies, you should get hold of some kind of GMAT prep books or courses. Don’t underestimate the usefulness of a GMAT study schedule. Learn how to build your own GMAT study schedule to keep yourself motivated and accountable.
Remember the best GMAT prep materials are the ones that work best for you. Part of the emphasis on practice is to get a sense of what works for you. Everyone is slightly different in their approach so experiment while you are practicing to adapt generic strategies to your benefit.
Whichever method of study you choose, try not to get too bogged down in the theory. Don’t learn the theory in isolation without considering how the GMAT tests different concepts. The GMAT is all about practice—and gaining as much insight into the test and the question types as you can from each question you practice.
In your first phase of studying you might find it useful not to focus too heavily on timing. Rather, learn the concepts at your own pace. Once you have a good idea of how to answer questions you can introduce timing in the second phase. Lastly, you should have practiced a number of mock tests before you take the GMAT to get a feel of the test, build up stamina and see what checks and balances you can introduce to improve your score.
These are our top picks for the best GMAT online prep courses! Like we mentioned earlier, the best GMAT prep course may vary greatly depending on your study style, strengths and weaknesses, and even your reason for taking the GMAT. Nevertheless, we hope this list can help you decide which prep course or study method works best for you. Good luck! 
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