Best GRE® Prep Courses Compared: An Honest Guide

Choosing a GRE® prep course is a big decision.

You are about to spend anywhere from nothing to several thousand dollars. The choice can shape your study timeline, your score, and in some cases whether you reach your goal at all. It makes sense that you want to get it right.

So you start researching. And quickly, you notice something.

Every "best GRE® prep courses" article looks roughly the same. A comparison table. Star ratings. A winner at the top. Affiliate links sprinkled throughout.

Some of those articles are paid placements. Not all of them. But enough of them that the whole category is hard to trust.

We are not writing another one of those.

We do not have brand partnerships with any prep company. We have no affiliate links in this post. We do not make money if you choose GregMat over Magoosh or Manhattan Prep over Kaplan. One of our founders previously taught at TestCrackers, which we mention for live classes — but we do not receive a commission for that recommendation either.

What follows is our take on the major GRE® prep options. Organized by what they cost. How efficient they tend to be. And who they fit best.

The framework: cost versus efficiency

Before we get into individual providers, it helps to understand the landscape.

GRE® prep options fall into five tiers, roughly ordered by cost:

1. Free resources
2. Books
3. Digital self-paced courses
4. Live classes
5. Private tutoring

As you move up the cost ladder, the efficiency tends to improve. That does not mean a more expensive option is always better for you. It means that, on average, students who invest more tend to need fewer study hours per point of score improvement.

Here is what we have seen from working with students across every tier:

These are averages. Some students will be much faster. Some will be much slower. Your results depend on your starting score, your target score, how consistently you study, and how well the provider fits your learning style.

Think of the numbers as a planning tool, not a promise.

Tier 1: Free resources

You can reach your target GRE® score using only free resources. People do it every year. It is possible.

The trade-off is time. Free resources tend to be the slowest path for most students. Not because the content is bad — there is excellent free material available. The issue is that you have to assemble your own curriculum. You have to figure out what to study, in what order, and how to track whether you are improving.

That assembly work takes time. And without a structured plan, it is easy to spend weeks on topics that do not move your score.

Who free resources fit best:

Students with a long timeline (a year or more), a tight budget, and a system for staying on track without external deadlines. If you are highly self-directed and comfortable building your own study plan, free resources can work. Plan for the full 60 hours per point.

If your schedule is variable or you do not have an external structure yet, that is worth accounting for. A free resource list does not come with a schedule or accountability. Some people thrive in that environment. Others find that the freedom turns into drift.

If you go this route, start with the free PowerPrep practice tests from ets.org. ETS is the organization that makes the GRE®. Their free materials are the closest thing to the real exam. Pair those with our complete GRE® study guide and our post on how to start your GRE® studies to build a framework for yourself.

Khan Academy also has free math content that covers most of the quant concepts on the GRE®. It is not GRE®-specific, but if you need to rebuild foundational math skills, it is a good starting point.

Tier 2: Books

The best book set we have used and recommended over the years is the Manhattan Prep GRE® strategy guides.

We have no relationship with Manhattan Prep. We do not get a commission for recommending them. We recommend them because, in our experience, they give you more useful content per dollar than anything else on the market.

The set covers all the major quant and verbal topics. The quant books are particularly strong if you have not done math in a while. The verbal books break down question types in a way that most other books do not.

Are they perfect? No. Some editions have not been fully updated for the shorter GRE® format that launched in 2023. But the core strategies are still relevant, and the practice problems are well-constructed.

Even older editions from the library work. If you pick up a used copy from 2020 or 2021, the math content is almost identical. Just be aware that the practice test format has changed — the exam is now shorter with fewer questions per section.

Who books fit best:

Students who learn well from reading, who want a structured curriculum without paying for a digital platform, and who are willing to put in 50 hours of study per point of improvement. At roughly $200 for a full set, you are buying back about 100 hours of life compared to going the free route.

The other book worth getting regardless of which tier you choose: the Official GRE® Guide published by ETS. The questions in it are real retired GRE® questions. No third-party provider replicates the exact style and nuance of official GRE® questions, especially on the Verbal side. Pair the Manhattan Prep books with the Official Guide and you have a strong foundation.

Tier 3: Digital self-paced courses

This is the most crowded category in GRE® prep. There are a lot of providers, a lot of advertising, and a lot of claims that are hard to verify.

Despite the marketing, most digital self-paced courses teach roughly the same material. The core concepts of the GRE® do not change from one platform to another. What differs is the teaching style, the interface, the structure, and the quality of the practice questions.

So instead of ranking them from best to worst, we will tell you what each one does well and who it fits.

GregMat+

GregMat is the most affordable paid GRE® prep option on the market. At $7.99 per month, it costs less than a Netflix subscription.

That price point would not mean much if the content were weak. But it is not. GregMat offers live classes, recorded lessons, study plans, vocabulary tools, and practice problems. The teaching style is conversational and direct. The Verbal instruction is particularly strong — Greg himself is one of the best Verbal teachers in the GRE® space.

There is also a PrepSwift add-on for $2 more per month that gives you short review videos for studying on the go.

Who GregMat fits best: students who want a lot of content for very little money, who like a casual teaching style, and who are comfortable with a platform that is more "functional" than polished. The interface is not as refined as some competitors. But if you care about instruction quality per dollar, GregMat is hard to beat for most students.

The main limitation: the practice questions are not as close to official GRE® quality as some competitors. Pair GregMat with the ETS Official Guide and PowerPrep tests for the best results.

Magoosh GRE

Magoosh is the best-known budget option in GRE® prep. Their platform is video-based, self-paced, and priced at $149 for one month or $179 for six months of access.

Magoosh has been in the GRE® space for a long time. Their roots are in GRE® before they expanded to other tests. The teaching quality is strong for the price. They offer 1,500+ practice questions and 340+ video lessons. They also have a 5-point score improvement guarantee.

Who Magoosh fits best: students who want video-based instruction, a structured platform, and a low price point. If you are on a tight budget but want more guidance than books alone, Magoosh is a good choice.

Where Magoosh is less strong: the practice questions tend to be slightly easier than the real exam, especially on Quant. Some students find that the video format is less efficient than text-based learning for certain topics. And the interface, while functional, has not changed much in years.

Target Test Prep (TTP)

TTP is widely regarded as the strongest option for GRE® quant. Their curriculum is deep, structured, and methodical. If your starting quant score is low or you feel like you never really learned the underlying math, TTP is built for you.

They offer a self-paced platform with text-based lessons and screencasts. Pricing is $179 per month, with discounts for longer commitments. The monthly cost is higher than Magoosh or GregMat, but the depth of the quant curriculum is hard to match.

Where TTP is less strong: verbal. For years, their quant curriculum was the main draw and verbal was secondary. If your verbal score is already decent and quant is your bottleneck, TTP is probably the best fit in this tier.

Achievable

Achievable is a newer entrant in GRE® prep. Their platform is adaptive — it adjusts the difficulty of content based on your performance. Pricing is around $199 for a full course.

The adaptive approach is interesting. Instead of a fixed curriculum, you get a personalized path that focuses on your weak areas. The content is text-based with some interactive elements.

Who Achievable fits best: students who like adaptive learning and want a mid-range option between Magoosh and TTP. The platform is still growing, so the content library is not as deep as more established providers. But the adaptive approach can be efficient if you want to skip topics you already know.

Kaplan

Kaplan is the biggest brand name in this tier. Their self-paced GRE® course costs around $449. They also offer live online courses at a higher price point (covered in the next section).

Kaplan's strength is breadth. They offer a lot of practice questions, a lot of video content, and a well-organized platform. Their books are widely available in bookstores and libraries.

Who Kaplan fits best: students who want a big-brand option with a polished platform and a lot of content. Kaplan is a reasonable choice if you are unsure what you need and want a course that covers everything.

Where Kaplan is less strong: the teaching style can feel corporate and generic. The practice questions are decent but not as close to official GRE® quality as ETS materials. You are paying partly for the brand name.

How to choose between them

Do free trials. Most of these platforms offer some form of free access or a money-back guarantee. Spend a few hours with each one before committing.

The best digital self-paced course is the one that fits your learning style. If you learn better from text, TTP might feel natural. If you prefer video, Magoosh or GregMat might be a better fit. If quant is your focus, lean TTP. If verbal is your focus, lean GregMat. If budget is the main constraint, GregMat at $7.99/month is the best value we have seen.

Do not overthink the decision. Roughly 30 to 50 percent of students end up switching providers or using multiple providers during their prep. It is normal. Get in motion, see how it feels, and adjust if you need to.

Tier 4: Live classes

Live classes typically cost $1,000 to $2,200 and offer about 30 hours of study per point of improvement.

The main providers in this space are Manhattan Prep, Kaplan, and Princeton Review. All offer live online courses with an instructor.

What you get with a live class that you do not get with self-paced:

The ability to ask questions in real time. An instructor who can explain a concept a different way if the first explanation does not click. A fixed schedule that keeps you accountable.

What you trade off:

Less flexibility. You are on someone else's schedule. And the quality of the instructor matters a lot — sometimes more than the brand name on the course.

Manhattan Prep is the strongest option we have seen in this tier for GRE®. Their live courses start around $1,699 and go up from there. They have experienced instructors and a well-structured curriculum. Their GRE® for MBA course, which includes live classes, costs around $2,000. They also offer a score guarantee — if you do not improve by at least 6 points per section, you get your money back or can retake the course.

Kaplan and Princeton Review are larger operations with more course dates and bigger class sizes. The instructor quality varies more since many of their teachers are newer to the field. Princeton Review tends to be the most variable in instructor quality, in our experience.

Who live classes fit best:

Students who want structure, accountability, and the ability to ask questions — and who learn better in a group setting than on their own. If self-paced video courses have not worked for you in the past, a live class might be the right upgrade.

One note: if you are considering a live class, check the class size before you sign up. Some providers cap classes at 10 to 15 students. Others run lectures with 50 or more. The smaller the class, the more opportunities you have to ask questions and get individual attention.

Tier 5: Private tutoring

Private tutoring is the most efficient option by hours per point, but also the most expensive. Rates typically start around $100 to $300 per hour and go up from there.

With tutoring, you get personalized instruction tailored to your specific weaknesses. You get someone who can watch how you approach problems and identify patterns you would never see on your own. And you get accountability — someone who knows whether you did your homework.

The efficiency gain comes from eliminating the time you would otherwise spend on topics you already understand or on strategies that do not fit your learning style. Every hour is targeted at your specific gaps.

Who tutoring fits best:

Students with a tight timeline, a specific score target, and the budget to support it. If you are aiming for a competitive program and your score is close but not quite there, tutoring can be the difference between one more retake and being done.

It is also the right call for students who have tried self-paced or live classes and hit a wall. If your score has plateaued after 40 or 50 hours of study, a tutor can usually identify the issue faster than you can on your own.

How to find a good tutor:

The best way to find a tutor is through referrals from your personal and professional network. Ask friends, classmates, or colleagues who have taken the GRE® who they worked with and whether it helped. A referral from someone you trust is worth more than any online listing.

One independent tutor worth knowing about in the GRE® space is Vince Kotchian. He has been tutoring the GRE® for over a decade, wrote the GRE® For Dummies book, and is well-regarded in the test prep community. We have no financial relationship with him. We mention him because finding experienced GRE® tutors is harder than finding GMAT® tutors, and his materials and approach are well-regarded.

Tutor platforms and aggregator sites tend to be a letdown. The tutors there are often generic — they teach multiple tests and rarely have deep GRE® expertise. The platforms prioritize volume over quality, and the matching process usually does not account for what matters: whether the tutor's teaching style fits how you learn.

If you cannot get good referrals from your network, reach out to us on our contact page and we will help you with a recommendation. We do not have paid referral relationships with anyone. No kickbacks. It is just our best guess based on experience.

What the advertising does not tell you

A few things we want you to know before you spend any money:

A lot of "best GRE® prep course" articles are paid placements. Companies pay to be featured. Some sites are transparent about this. Many are not. If an article has affiliate links, assume the ranking is influenced by those links.

A high score guarantee is not always what it sounds like. Some providers offer a "score guarantee" that simply means you get your money back if you do not improve. Read the fine print. The conditions are often stricter than the marketing implies. Manhattan Prep's 6-point guarantee is one of the more generous ones, but it still requires you to complete all the coursework and take the real exam within a specific window.

More practice questions is not always better. Some providers advertise thousands of practice questions. But if those questions are not similar in style and difficulty to official GRE® questions, the practice value is limited. Official materials (the Official Guide, PowerPrep tests from ETS) should almost always be part of your prep alongside whatever course you choose.

The provider you pick matters less than how you use it. Students reach their target score with free resources and a disciplined plan. Students also spend thousands on tutoring and do not improve. The provider is a tool. Your consistency, your review process, and your willingness to adjust when something is not working matter more than which logo is on your dashboard.

How to decide

Here is a simple way to think about it.

If your budget is close to zero: start with free resources. Use ETS PowerPrep tests, Khan Academy for math, and our complete study guide to build your structure. Plan for a longer timeline.

If you can spend $100 to $300: get the Manhattan Prep GRE® strategy guides and the ETS Official Guide. That combination gives you a structured curriculum and real practice questions.

If you can spend $150 to $500 and want structure: GregMat+ at $7.99/month is the best value if you like video and a casual teaching style. Magoosh at $179 is a good alternative with a more traditional platform. If quant is your weakness, Target Test Prep at $179/month is worth the premium. Do free trials where available and pick the one that feels most natural.

If you can spend $1,000 to $2,200 and want live instruction: Manhattan Prep is the option we recommend most in this tier. Their experienced instructors and structured curriculum make them a strong live class choice for GRE®. If you need more schedule flexibility or a lower price, Kaplan is an alternative.

If you want maximum efficiency and have the budget: consider private tutoring. The hours-per-point math tends to work out well, especially if your timeline is tight. Reach out to your network for referrals, or contact us and we will help you find the right fit.

And regardless of which tier you choose: take a baseline practice test first. You can read more about how to do that in our guide on how to start your GRE® studies. Knowing your baseline score changes which option makes sense for you.

A note on switching providers

If you are in the middle of a prep program and it is not working, it is okay to switch.

It is not failure. It is not wasted money. It is new information.

Most students switch providers at least once during their prep. In our experience, roughly 30 to 50 percent do. It is normal.

The hardest part of switching is the feeling that you are starting over. But the knowledge you built does not disappear when you switch platforms. You are not back to zero. You are starting from a more informed place.

If your practice test scores have not moved after 40 to 50 hours of study with your current provider, that is a signal. Not a guarantee that you need to switch, but a signal worth investigating.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which GRE® prep course is best?

There is no single best course for everyone. It depends on your budget and what you need. If your budget is close to zero, start with free ETS materials and Khan Academy. If you can spend $100 to $300, the Manhattan Prep GRE® strategy guides plus the ETS Official Guide are the best value. If you can spend $150 to $500, GregMat+ at $7.99/month is the best value for video instruction, Magoosh at $179 is a good traditional option, and Target Test Prep is the strongest choice for quant. If you can spend $1,000 to $2,200 and want live instruction, Manhattan Prep is the option we recommend most. For maximum efficiency, private tutoring is the fastest path per point of improvement.

How much does GRE® prep cost?

GRE® prep costs range from $0 (free resources) to $5,000 or more (comprehensive tutoring packages). Books cost around $100 to $300. Digital self-paced courses range from $7.99/month (GregMat+) to $449 (Kaplan). Live classes cost $1,000 to $2,200. Private tutoring typically costs $100 to $300 or more per hour.

Are GRE® prep course reviews trustworthy?

Some are not. A significant number of "best GRE® prep course" articles contain affiliate links or paid placements. Some sites are transparent about this. Many are not. Look for reviews from sources that do not have a financial incentive to recommend one product over another. Reddit forums like r/GRE can be helpful, but even there, some posts are subtly promotional.

Should I use official GRE® materials alongside my prep course?

Yes. Official materials (the Official Guide, PowerPrep practice tests from ETS) should almost always be part of your prep regardless of which course you choose. No third-party provider creates questions that are exactly like official GRE® questions in style and difficulty. Official materials give you the most accurate sense of what the real exam will feel like.

Is a GRE® prep course worth it?

For most students, yes — some form of structured prep is worth the investment. The efficiency gain from moving up one tier (for example, from free to books, or from books to a digital course) tends to save about 100 hours of study time. Whether that trade-off makes sense depends on your budget, your timeline, and how much your time is worth to you. Our post on how long to study for the GRE® breaks down the math in more detail.

Can I study for the GRE® for free?

Yes. Free resources can get you to your target score, but they tend to be the slowest path. Plan for roughly 60 hours of study per point of score improvement if you are using only free materials. ETS PowerPrep tests, Khan Academy, and our complete GRE® study guide can help you build a structure without paying for a course.

GregMat or Magoosh: which is better?

Both are strong budget options, but they fit different students. GregMat at $7.99/month is the better value and has stronger Verbal instruction. Magoosh at $149 to $179 has a more polished platform and a longer track record. If you want live classes and a very low price, GregMat wins. If you want a more traditional self-paced platform with a score guarantee, Magoosh is the safer bet. Try both free trials and see which teaching style clicks for you.

Should I switch GRE® prep providers if my score is not improving?

If your score has not moved after 40 to 50 hours of study, it is worth investigating whether the issue is your provider, your study method, or something else. In our experience, roughly 30 to 50 percent of students switch providers at some point during their prep. It is normal. Try to diagnose the problem before you make a change — sometimes the issue is study habits, not the platform.

Want to learn even more?

If you are just getting started and want a shorter roadmap, check out how to start your GRE® studies.

If you want the full framework — from baseline test to test day — our complete GRE® study guide walks through every phase of prep.

If you are not sure what score you need, our guide on what is a good GRE® score breaks down the numbers by field and program type.

And if you are wondering whether the GRE® is even that hard, our post on is the GRE® hard gives you an honest take based on years of working with students.