Magoosh vs. Manhattan Prep GRE Comparison

Struggling to choose between Magoosh and Manhattan Prep for your GRE prep? Picking the wrong course can cost you time, money, and a shot at your dream score.

With so many features, formats, and price points, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. That’s why we’ve broken it down for you – from teaching style and practice quality to score guarantees and mobile access.

This Magoosh Vs. Manhattan Prep GRE guide will help you confidently pick the right prep path to match your learning style and score goals.

Magoosh Vs. Manhattan Prep GRE Overview

Magoosh is well-known for its affordable, flexible, and highly accessible GRE prep. The platform is entirely online and self-paced, making it ideal for students who need to fit studying around work, school, or other commitments.

It offers comprehensive coverage of all GRE sections – Math, Verbal, and Analytical Writing (AWA) – with a strong focus on official content and user-friendly resources.

Here’s what you get upon signing up for the Magoosh GRE course:

• Pre-made 1- and 3-month study schedules.
• 8 full sections worth of official GRE questions licensed from ETS (160+ questions total).
• 290+ concise video lessons covering all GRE topics.
• Over 1600 GRE-like practice questions.
• Highly detailed answer explanations to all questions on the platform.
• Customizable practice sets.
• 1,400+ vocabulary and math flashcards.
• Up to 6 full-length, timed practice tests that simulate the real GRE experience.
• Score prediction.
• In-depth analytics that track your progress, highlight strengths and weaknesses, and help you focus your study time efficiently.
• +5 point total score improvement guarantee or your money back.
• A 7-day no-questions-asked refund policy.
• Dedicated mobile apps for iOS and Android.
• Email and chat support from GRE experts.
• Pausable plans.

Manhattan Prep is a long-established name in GRE preparation, known for its rigorous, instructor-led courses and comprehensive materials.

The company offers a range of course formats, updated materials, and high-quality practice resources. Their offerings include self-paced online courses, and private tutoring packages.

At the most basic level, here’s what you get upon signing up for Manhattan Prep GRE:

• 65+ interactive adaptive video lessons divided into three difficulty levels.
• 10,000+ practice drills and GRE-style questions.
• Detailed video answer explanations.
• 13 full-length, section-adaptive GRE practice tests, including experimental sections.
• Personalized learning paths via diagnostic quizzes that adapt to your strengths and weaknesses.
• Dedicated mobile app for on-the-go practice.

Magoosh Vs. Manhattan Prep GRE Detailed Comparison In 2026

Pricing

Magoosh is still one of the most affordable options, with the 6-month plan priced at $249. This includes all core GRE features plus the score improvement guarantee.

Manhattan Prep is significantly more expensive, with their 6-month self-paced Interact course priced at $499, about double Magoosh's 6-month plan.

Verdict:

Magoosh’s pricing is significantly lower than Manhattan Prep’s, making it ideal for budget-conscious students. Even Magoosh’s 6-month plan is cheaper than Manhattan Prep’s 1-month self-paced option.

Study Formats & Flexibility

Magoosh offers fully online courses, allowing students to study anytime, anywhere, at their own pace.

They even provide a comprehensive mobile app that integrates video lessons, practice questions, vocabulary flashcards, and progress tracking, enabling convenient on-the-go study.

Manhattan Prep offers self-paced online courses (Interact), live online classes (GRE for MBA), in-person classes (e.g., in NYC) and private tutoring, catering to diverse learner preferences.

The Interact course includes 65+ interactive video lessons and 10,000+ practice questions, accessible on desktop and tablet, while Manhattan's standalone app covers practice drills and vocab study on mobile.

Their GRE for MBA course provides about 27 hours of live class time, ideal for students who need structured schedules and direct interaction with expert instructors who are all 99th percentile scorers.

Students can switch between formats (self-paced, live, tutoring) depending on their needs, though live and in-person classes require adherence to scheduled sessions.

Manhattan Prep’s mobile app is mostly for practice questions and does not provide full access to video lessons or course materials, requiring a desktop or tablet for full study.

Verdict:

Magoosh is best for students seeking maximum flexibility, fully online self-paced study, and convenient mobile access.

Manhattan Prep suits students who prefer a range of study formats, especially those who benefit from hands-on, guided learning and want deeper, more rigorous practice.

Instructional Approach

Magoosh offers around 290 short video lessons, typically 3–20 minutes each, designed for efficient learning and easy digestion of concepts.

The program employs a practical, efficient, strategy-focused teaching style, with clear, straightforward explanations that focus more on test-taking strategy rather than academic mastery.

Manhattan Prep’s GRE self-paced program offers 65+ highly interactive video lessons, where you engage with questions, quizzes, and branching scenarios.

The program employs a deep, conceptual, and academically rigorous teaching style, where the lessons feature long-form conceptual instruction with in-depth content that requires engagement and critical thinking.

The course aims to build deep content mastery, not just test tricks.

The lessons are organized into three difficulty levels, helping students progress based on their ability and goals.

Manhattan Prep employs adaptive learning whereby every lesson adapts and quizzes you, and the lessons adjust based on your answers and performance. You’re guided to the appropriate difficulty based on performance.

Each module includes interactive checks, so you're constantly engaged and assessed.

Verdict:

Magoosh focuses on a concise, strategy-driven method, using short video lessons that simplify complex concepts and prioritize test-taking tactics over deep academic theory. It's ideal for independent learners who want flexibility, clarity, and solid results on a budget.

In contrast, Manhattan Prep emphasizes a rigorous, concept-heavy approach, designed to build deep understanding through interactive, adaptive lessons. It’s best for students aiming for top-tier GRE scores, who prefer comprehensive, intellectually demanding instruction.

Practice Material

Magoosh provides 1,600+ realistic and test-like questions that are closely aligned with ETS, and every question comes with detailed video explanations.

The course additionally includes 160+ official GRE questions licensed from ETS, and you also get up to 6 timed and scored practice tests (generated from your pool of 1,600+ practice questions).

There's the option of creating custom practice sets filtered by topic, question type, level of difficulty, etc., offering flexibility in targeted practice.

Manhattan Prep offers far more practice problems, especially if you use their full ecosystem (books + video lessons + Navigator).

You can get access to 10,000+ practice problems, providing a highly thorough preparation experience. Additionally, the course includes 13 full-length, section-adaptive practice tests.

Most answer explanations are text-based, with a few video explanations included within the video lessons.

Manhattan Prep’s questions are more challenging than the actual GRE, which is great for high-achievers who would want to feel over-prepared for the exam.

Verdict:

Manhattan Prep excels in sheer volume and variety of practice questions and tests, ideal for students who want exhaustive, challenging practice.

Magoosh offers a more focused, challenging question set with flexible practice customization and excellent video explanations, making it suitable for learners who prefer quality and customization over quantity. The program also stands out for its inclusion of official ETS questions.

Analytics & Progress Tracking

Magoosh provides an intuitive and user-friendly analytics and progress tracking system.

Its dashboard estimates your score, tracks your learning pace, and compares your performance to other students.

You can review your results by time, difficulty, subject, or bookmarks, and receive personalized study recommendations based on your progress.

The platform’s analytics are easy to read and help you quickly identify strengths and areas needing improvement, making it simple for students to stay on track and motivated.

Manhattan Prep, on the other hand, offers personalized study paths using diagnostic quizzes embedded within its lessons, which recommend which modules to focus on or skip based on your performance.

While it provides detailed data and adaptive feedback, some users report that Manhattan Prep’s data visualization and score analysis can be confusing or less intuitive compared to Magoosh.

The analytics are thorough but may be overwhelming for students who prefer straightforward, easily digestible progress tracking.

Verdict:

Magoosh excels in clear, accessible progress tracking and actionable analytics. Its analytics are digestible, easy to interpret, and great for adjusting focus quickly.

Manhattan Prep offers adaptive, personalized feedback but with a more complex interface that may require extra effort to interpret. Its in-depth, data-heavy tracking is better suited for highly analytical learners or those prepping for 320+ who want to dig into fine-grained metrics.

Score Guarantees

Magoosh offers a clear and student-friendly score guarantee: if you use a Magoosh Premium GRE plan and do not improve your total GRE score by at least 5 points (provided your initial score was 320 or below and you meet their requirements), you are eligible for a full refund of your course fee.

The platform additionally offers a 7-day no-questions-asked money-back policy for all new purchases.

Manhattan Prep offers a Higher Score Guarantee, but like most guarantees, it is conditional and tied to meeting the provider's participation and completion requirements.

Verdict:

Magoosh offers a clear, flexible +5-point increase guarantee, ideal for self-paced learners, with relatively low requirements and a full refund option.

Manhattan Prep’s higher score guarantee is more conditional — often tied to completing all course elements, attending live sessions, and following strict timelines. Refunds are rare; you usually get a free retake instead.

Mobile Access

Magoosh offers a highly flexible and comprehensive mobile app for both Android and iOS, allowing users to access all 1,600 GRE practice questions—including official ETS questions; video lessons, flashcards, and progress tracking directly from their phone or tablet.

The app supports offline study, making it easy to practice and review material anywhere, and users can watch video tutorials, take quizzes, and track their learning seamlessly.

All core course features, including video explanations for every question, are integrated into the mobile experience, and your progress syncs with your main Magoosh account.

Manhattan Prep also provides a mobile app with meaningful study tools, including flashcards, quizzes, and practice drills.

Its app experience is stronger than many competitors, though the full Interact learning path is still best experienced on desktop or tablet.

Overall, Manhattan's mobile support is solid, but Magoosh remains more seamless for fully integrated, phone-first study.

Verdict:

Magoosh still wins for true mobile-first learning with tighter app-to-course integration and offline study support.

Manhattan Prep is also a strong mobile option for drills and vocab review, but students who want full-course depth will rely more on desktop or tablet.

Student Reviews & Outcomes

Magoosh is praised for being a well-rounded, convenient, and affordable course with high quality practice questions – especially for Quant, clear video explanations, comprehensive video lessons, and excellent mobile app access.

Many report significant score improvements, sometimes 10+ points above their baseline.

On the downside, some students wish for more live interaction or a greater variety of official GRE questions.

Manhattan Prep is highly regarded for its interactive and engaging video lessons taught by elite, enthusiastic instructors, its personalized adaptive learning approach, and the extensive practice materials provided.

The inclusion of hard-copy Manhattan Prep GRE books is a notable bonus.

On the downside, some students critiqued limited student support on the self-paced course compared to live and tutoring options. Another common complaint is the higher cost relative to other self-paced GRE programs.

Verdict:

Users who want a rigorous, structured program with exhaustive practice lean toward Manhattan Prep, while those seeking value, convenience, and effective self-study prefer Magoosh.

Magoosh GRE Pros & Cons

PROS

– Affordable for most budgets.

– Flexible, self-paced study schedules.

– High-quality video lessons that explain concepts clearly and concisely.

– Comprehensive video explanations for each question.

– Realistic practice questions with custom practice.

– Official ETS questions included.

– Detailed analytics and progress tracking.

– +5 Points score improvement guarantee

– Full-featured mobile apps with offline capabilities. 

CONS

– Content may feel a little basic for advanced test-takers needing extra edge.

– Limited full length tests. 

Who Should Choose Magoosh GRE?

Magoosh GRE is ideal for:

1. Self-motivated students who are comfortable studying independently.
2. Test-takers on a budget looking for the best value for money.
3. Those looking for flexible, video-driven learning, complete with detailed analytics.
4. GRE re-takers who want the security of a score improvement guarantee.
5. Anyone needing efficient prep in 1–3 months.

Manhattan Prep GRE Pros & Cons

PROS

– Highly interactive, video-based lessons that simulate 1-on-1 tutoring.

– Elite-level instruction, especially in Quant.

– Deep, conceptual curriculum that emphasizes understanding the GRE at a strategic level, not just test-taking tricks.

– The three-tier difficulty system helps learners build from basics to mastery.

– Extensive practice material.

– Detailed analytics & feedback.

CONS

– Quite expensive. 

– Limited mobile optimization.

– Lessons are thorough but can be long and demanding.

Who Should Choose Manhattan Prep GRE?

Manhattan Prep GRE is best for:

-Ambitious students targeting 320+ scores, for whom budget is not a primary concern. -Learners who want deep understanding, not just strategies. -Those who prefer a structured, classroom-style or interactive format with accountability.

Final Verdict: Which GRE Prep Course is the Better Choice?

Magoosh is widely recommended for its well-rounded, convenient, and affordable online course, featuring challenging practice questions – including official GRE questions, comprehensive video lessons, a user-friendly mobile app, and a strong 5-point score improvement guarantee.

It suits self-motivated learners seeking flexible, budget-friendly prep with excellent digital tools.

Manhattan Prep, on the other hand, stands out for its extensive practice materials, rigorous and often harder-than-real-GRE practice tests, and interactive video lessons taught by elite 99th percentile instructors.

It offers a premium, immersive GRE prep experience complete with adaptive learning, ideal for students aiming for top scores and who benefit from structured instruction and accountability.

Ultimately, Magoosh offers great value and flexibility, while Manhattan Prep delivers depth, rigor, and interactivity. Making the best choice depends on your learning style, budget, and GRE preparation needs.

Magoosh Vs. Manhattan Prep GRE FAQs

Which GRE Prep Course Is Better For Quant?

While both Magoosh and Manhattan Prep are strong in GRE Quant, Manhattan Prep goes deeper into the more advanced topics.

Which GRE Prep Course Is Better For Verbal?

Magoosh is more accessible when it comes to their coverage of the GRE verbal section, whereas Manhattan Prep is more rigorous but sometimes not closely aligned with real GRE style.

How Do Their GRE Practice Materials Compare?

Magoosh offers high-quality practice questions that are closely modeled after official GRE questions, especially when it comes to Quant. They provide thorough video explanations and the flexibility of creating custom practice sets for targeted learning.

The downside is that their full length tests are not adaptive.

Manhattan Prep provides more extensive and advanced practice, especially suited for high scorers and those seeking a test-like, structured experience with adaptive full-length exams.

While their practice questions are high-quality, they are also very challenging and reported to be harder than the real GRE.

Is Magoosh Enough To Get A Top GRE Score?

Yes, Magoosh can absolutely help you score 325+, but it depends on your starting level, learning discipline, and how you use the platform.

Supplementing the course with official ETS practice tests is always recommended, and you may also need advanced vocab practice (e.g., GRE Big Book or Word Power Made Easy).