Magoosh vs. Kaplan GRE Comparison in 2026

Many students struggle with finding a GRE prep program that fits their learning style, budget, and schedule, leading to frustration and wasted time.

To help you avoid these pitfalls, this article provides an in-depth comparison of Magoosh Vs. Kaplan GRE prep, covering key aspects to guide you in making the best choice for effective, efficient, and stress-free GRE preparation.

Whether you prefer immersive GRE prep, or easily digestible video lessons, this guide will help you decide which course best fits your GRE preparation needs.

Magoosh Vs. Kaplan GRE Comparison Table

Magoosh Vs. Kaplan GRE Overview

Magoosh and Kaplan are both well-known GRE prep providers, but they cater to slightly different audiences.

Magoosh offers a comprehensive, flexible, and affordable online GRE preparation platform designed for self-paced study.

The platform is well-regarded for its extensive resources, user-friendly interface, and value for money, making it a popular choice for students preparing for the GRE.

Here's what you get upon signing up for Magoosh GRE:

• Built-in 1- and 3-month study schedules.
• 290+ concise video lessons covering all GRE topics.
• 1,600+ GRE-like practice questions.
• 1,400+ vocabulary and math flashcards.
• Up to 6 full-length practice tests that closely mimic the real GRE in format and difficulty.
• Over 160 licensed official GRE questions from ETS, complete with detailed answer explanations and sample essays.
• Customizable practice sessions with filters by topic, difficulty, or adaptive mode.
• +5 point score increase guarantee.
• Dedicated mobile apps for iOS and Android, allowing students to study "on any device and 100% online".
• 24/7 access to GRE experts via email, and a responsive help desk.

Kaplan is a traditional test-prep titan with very comprehensive offerings.

At the most basic level, here's what you get upon signing up for Kaplan GRE:

• 180+ hours of instruction and practice.
• 30+ hours of exclusive on-demand lessons on the GRE Channel.
• Customizable Qbank with over 2,500 questions.
• 13 realistic full-length practice tests.
• Official Test Day Experience, where students can simulate the real GRE at a test center.

Unlike Magoosh, Kaplan also offers live-online classroom courses and private tutoring (sold separately).

In summary, Magoosh excels on affordability, flexibility, and usability, while Kaplan stands out on depth of content, official resources, and additional live instruction options.

Magoosh Vs. Kaplan GRE Detailed Comparison In 2026

Pricing

Magoosh offers flexible and affordable GRE prep options, all fully online and optimized for self-paced study.

The Premium + Admissions plan comes with comprehensive graduate admissions support, including expert guidance, video workshops, and sample application materials. Students have 12 months of access to the admissions support package.

Kaplan's GRE courses are significantly more expensive, offering extensive live and on-demand options.

The On-Demand plan includes 30+ hours of recorded instruction, 2,500+ practice questions, and 13 full-length practice tests.

The Live Online plan adds 21 hours of live classroom instruction and personalized homework assignments.

The Tutoring + On-Demand plan includes 10, 20, 30, or 40 hours of 1-on-1 tutoring plus full course access.

Verdict:

Magoosh offers highly affordable GRE prep with flexible access periods (1 or 6 months) and a strong set of features including official GRE questions, video lessons, and a score improvement guarantee.

Kaplan is a premium GRE prep provider, offering more extensive live instruction, additional practice materials, and personalized support.

Kaplan often runs promotions. However, even discounted, their self-paced plan remains multiple times more expensive than Magoosh.

While Magoosh is best suited for budget-conscious, self-motivated learners seeking quality prep at a lower cost, Kaplan caters to those willing to invest more for comprehensive live instruction and additional resources.

Study Schedules

Magoosh includes built-in study schedules and checklists to help students stay on track.

Its platform offers preset 1- and 3-month plans, guiding you through daily tasks so you "always know the best way to study".

This program offers a variety of GRE study plans designed to fit different schedules, goals, and experience levels. There is a 1-month beginner, 1-month advanced, 3-month beginner, and 3-month advanced plan.

Kaplan's self-paced course simply provides 6 months of access; any study plan or pacing is up to the student.

Kaplan does not include guided schedules, though its content is structured by subject. The live online class packages, by contrast, follow set calendars, and the tutoring packages come with a personalized study plan.

Video Lessons

Magoosh's course features over 290 video lessons covering all GRE topics.

These short, focused videos emphasize brevity and clarity, making them ideal for learners who prefer quick, digestible lessons.

The on-demand lectures are taught by expert instructors, and students can replay them anytime on desktop or mobile.

Kaplan's On-Demand course relies on its GRE Channel, offering about 30+ hours of video instruction. They include recorded live sessions and strategy lessons (e.g. Kaplan's live instructors teaching math strategies).

These video lessons are comprehensive and strategy-focused, featuring multiple instructors. However, some videos can be lengthy and less focused on foundational concepts.

The inclusion of live classes with interactive Q&A and personalized homework in the Live Online packages is a strong point, especially for students who would prefer a more guided GRE prep approach.

Verdict:

Both platforms offer quality video lessons but cater to different learning styles.

Kaplan suits those who want in-depth instruction and strategic focus, while Magoosh is better for learners seeking flexible, concise content with strong practice integration.

Practice Material

Magoosh stands out by including licensed official GRE questions from ETS, which are highly realistic and valuable for test preparation.

It also includes up to 6 full-length practice exams with adaptive timing to mimic the real GRE. The system uses adaptive algorithms to generate tests from its pool of 1,600+ practice questions.

The platform also offers customizable practice sets, and adaptive quizzes.

Kaplan offers a much larger practice library, with a question bank that holds about 2,500 GRE-level questions. You can generate unlimited custom quizzes from this bank (selecting topic, difficulty, length, etc.)

This course includes 13 full-length practice tests that closely simulate the GRE test experience, including adaptive scoring and experimental sections.

Kaplan also provides extensive additional practice tools like daily questions and short workouts.

Verdict:

Both platforms offer strong practice materials but differ in quantity, realism, and supplementary resources.

Magoosh is preferred for authentic GRE question practice, while Kaplan excels in volume and test simulation features.

Answer Explanations

Magoosh offers detailed text and video explanations for every practice question in their question bank, providing step-by-step walkthroughs that clarify problem-solving methods and concepts.

After you answer a question, you can watch a short clip where an instructor explains the solution step-by-step. This is great for visual learners, ensuring nothing is glossed over.

Magoosh's use of official ETS GRE questions combined with video explanations enhances the realism and instructional quality of their practice material.

Kaplan provides detailed text-based answer explanations for all practice questions and tests.

These explanations often include alternate approaches to solving problems and strategic insights tailored to the GRE format.

Kaplan's explanations are praised for depth and clarity but may lack the step-by-step visual walkthroughs that video explanations provide.

Verdict:

Magoosh's video explanations provide a more interactive and visual learning experience, which can be especially helpful for complex problems, while Kaplan's detailed text explanations offer thorough conceptual understanding and alternative strategies but lack video walkthroughs.

Analytics

Magoosh has a strong student dashboard and analytics tools.

There is a score predictor tool that estimates your GRE score based on your practice performance, helping set realistic goals. You also get detailed performance analytics broken down by section, question type, and difficulty level, allowing focused review on weaker areas.

The analytics integrate with adaptive practice quizzes and official ETS question performance, so as the dashboard tracks your progress over time, it also adapts your practice recommendations accordingly.

A "smart review" system lets you revisit questions by time spent, difficulty, or topic. You can also bookmark tough questions or take notes on them.

In short, Magoosh's analytics help you drill down on weaknesses and stay motivated.

The dashboard offers plenty of insights to optimize study efficiency, and mobile app access ensures analytics and progress tracking are available anytime, supporting flexible study habits.

Kaplan also offers analytics, but in a more traditional report style.

After each practice test, you are given a detailed score report showing section-level breakdowns and category accuracy. The Qbank similarly tracks your progress by topic, so you can see which areas you've mastered.

Kaplan's analytics also track progress over time, allowing users to monitor improvements and adjust study plans accordingly.

The 'Official Test Day Experience' is one of Kaplan's unique GRE offerings, that simulates real GRE conditions and provides analytics to help reduce test anxiety and improve time management.

Kaplan may not have a flashy dashboard like Magoosh's, but it does provide clear feedback on where to focus.

Verdict:

Both Kaplan and Magoosh offer robust analytics tools that help students understand their performance and tailor their study plans.

Kaplan's analytics are integrated with extensive live and on-demand content recommendations and simulate official test conditions.

Magoosh provides adaptive, user-friendly analytics with integrated score prediction and mobile access, supporting flexible and efficient GRE prep.

Mobile Apps

Magoosh provides mobile apps for GRE prep on iOS and Android, letting you study anywhere.

The online platform is fully responsive, such that you can watch videos, answer questions and tackle flashcards in the app. The app supports offline study and adaptive learning, making it well-suited for self-motivated learners who prefer bite-sized lessons and mobile convenience.

Kaplan, by contrast, has no current GRE app. You can use Kaplan's website on a mobile browser, but there's no dedicated app with offline content.

Score Guarantees

Magoosh guarantees a 5-point increase in your total GRE score, as long as your original score was 320 or below. If you meet the requirements and do not see the 5-point increase, they refund 100% of your money.

The program also offers a 7-day no-questions-asked refund window on their courses.

Kaplan offers a Higher Score Guarantee (HSG). If eligible students do not score higher than their baseline GRE score, Kaplan offers either a tuition refund or free reactivation.

If you meet the requirements and fail to meet the guaranteed score, Kaplan offers either a full tuition refund or free re-enrollment to continue prep.

Keep in mind that Kaplan's guarantee is conditional and requires students to meet its baseline, attendance, and completion requirements.

Verdict:

Kaplan's GRE score guarantee is more conditional and comes with stricter eligibility requirements, while Magoosh's +5-point guarantee is simpler and easier to qualify for.

Magoosh offers a more accessible and straightforward guarantee with a 5-point total score increase promise users, with fewer restrictions and a simpler refund process. It also includes a 7-day unconditional money-back policy.

Verdict: Which GRE Prep Course is the Better Choice?

When deciding between Kaplan and Magoosh for GRE preparation, the choice largely depends on your budget, learning style, and need for support.

Kaplan stands out with the superior production quality of its video lessons that are more interactive, compared to Magoosh's slide-based voice-over videos.

Also, they have a larger quantity of practice resources, and some unique perks, such as the in-person 'Official Test Day Experience' that simulates a realistic test day scenario.

Kaplan also provides essay grading by GRE experts, which is a significant advantage for students aiming to improve their Analytical Writing Assessment scores. By contrast, Magoosh's essays are graded by AI.

This course offers live classes and private tutoring packages, making Kaplan an excellent choice for those who prefer structured, instructor-led learning with comprehensive support.

However, all these benefits come at a higher price point, with self-paced courses starting around $299 and increasing quickly for live and tutoring options.

Students who thrive on immersion and don't mind heavy lectures will appreciate Kaplan's thoroughness. The downside is the cost and complexity: Kaplan's system can feel overwhelming, and the mobile experience is clunkier seeing as there is no dedicated app.

Magoosh, on the other hand, is highly regarded for its affordability and flexibility, offering six months of access to a self-paced online course for just $179.

This platform is very user-friendly and stays focused on core GRE content. Better yet, the short video lessons and Magoosh mobile apps make it easy to squeeze in prep wherever you are.

Magoosh's strength lies in its inclusion of over 160 licensed official GRE questions from ETS, paired with detailed video and text explanations, providing highly authentic practice.

The course also offers a straightforward 5-point score improvement guarantee with a full refund if unmet, along with a more generous refund policy compared to Kaplan.

The trade-off is that Magoosh's material, while ample, is less voluminous than Kaplan's; and there are no live classes or private tutoring options, which might be a drawback for students seeking more interactive or comprehensive support.

In summary, Kaplan is the better choice for students who value extensive live support, high-quality video instruction, and a wealth of practice materials, and who are willing to invest more for a premium experience.

Magoosh is the preferred option for budget-conscious, self-motivated learners who want flexible, self-paced study with authentic GRE practice, strong video explanations and smart study tools for a fraction of Kaplan's price.

Magoosh Vs. Kaplan GRE FAQs

What Are The Main Differences Between Magoosh And Kaplan GRE Prep Courses?

The main differences between Magoosh and Kaplan GRE prep courses lie in pricing, content depth, and delivery style.

Kaplan offers a more comprehensive and premium GRE prep experience, including live online classes, and private tutoring, along with a larger volume of practice material. Their video lessons are more engaging and the course includes essay grading support.

Magoosh, in contrast, is recognized for its affordability and flexibility, with a keen focus on self-paced study.

A major advantage is that this course includes 160+ official ETS GRE questions, and provides detailed video explanations, as well as a user-friendly mobile app, adaptive study schedules, and a straightforward 5-point score improvement guarantee with a full refund if unmet.

How Do The Practice Materials Compare?

Kaplan provides a larger volume of practice questions and tests. Magoosh's practice questions are fewer but include official ETS GRE questions with detailed video explanations, making them closer to actual GRE content.

Kaplan's practice tests simulate the real GRE experience more closely, including experimental sections and in-person test center options.

How Do The Video Lessons Compare?

Kaplan's video lessons have higher production quality with engaging on-camera instructors and a strong emphasis on GRE test-taking strategies.

Magoosh offers shorter, slide-based videos that focus more on general concepts and step-by-step explanations, which may feel less engaging but are concise and effective for many learners.

Which GRE Platform Is Better For Self Study?

Magoosh stands out as the better choice for most independent learners due to its affordability, flexibility, and user-friendly design.

This course offers a comprehensive resource library, complete with customizable study schedules, a personalized dashboard that adapts to your progress, and detailed video explanations for every question, making it ideal for self-paced learners who want clear, focused instruction without the pressure of live classes.

Although Kaplan's self-paced course provided more practice material and more engaging video lessons, the course is far more expensive and the lessons tend to be longer and less flexible for quick study sessions.