Key Points
- Magoosh is our top GMAT pick for most test takers at $249 for six months of self-paced prep, with a 7-day free trial.
- The Princeton Review GMAT 645+ course is the best live option at $1,999 for 30 hours of instruction, with a money-back guarantee tied to your starting score.
- The GMAT costs $275 at a test center or $300 online in the U.S. It takes 2 hours and 15 minutes and is scored from 205 to 805.
A strong GMAT score can lower the price of an MBA, and that matters more than it used to. Starting July 2026, Grad PLUS loans count toward a new federal graduate borrowing cap, as we covered in our report on Grad PLUS loans and the borrowing cap. Some schools have already cut prices in response, including UC Irvine's MBA tuition cut, and scholarship money now goes further for many MBA students.
The current GMAT, formerly called the GMAT Focus Edition, has three equally weighted sections and no essay. Prep courses built before February 2024 cover a different test, so every pick below is updated for the current exam. Our what is the GMAT explainer covers the basics, and our GMAT vs. GRE comparison helps if you haven't picked a test.
Best GMAT Prep Courses At A Glance
GMAT prep ranges from free official practice exams to tutoring packages above $5,000. Here's how our picks compare at regular list prices, since several companies run rotating promotions. Our MBA admissions overview explains where the GMAT fits in your application.
| Provider | Best For | Format | Price | Score Guarantee | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Magoosh | Self-study on a budget | Self-paced | $249 to $449 | Up to +70 points or money back | View Plans » |
| The Princeton Review | Live classes with a guarantee | Live online, self-paced, tutoring | $799 to $1,999, tutoring $180/hr | Tied to starting score (645+ course) | View Courses » |
| Kaplan And Manhattan Prep | Official GMAC practice tests built in | Self-paced, live, tutoring | $299 to $3,499 | 655+ or +70 points (655+ course) | View Courses » |
| Target Test Prep | High scorers chasing 715+ | Self-paced, on demand, live online | $299/month to $2,199 | +130 points, or 715+ on top plans | Visit Site » |
| e-GMAT | Lots of adaptive practice | Self-paced with live sessions | $599 to $1,099 list | 7-day money-back only | Visit Site » |
| GMAT Official Prep | Real exam practice | Self-paced | Free to $299.99 | None | Start Free » |
Our Top Pick
Six months of self-paced GMAT prep for $249, with 200+ video lessons, 800+ practice questions and a 7-day free trial.
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Best GMAT Prep Courses Of 2026
Start by taking GMAC's free official practice exam to get a baseline, then pick a course that fits your gap and schedule. GMAC says most test takers prep for 60 hours or more, so the right course is one you'll actually finish, especially if you're working full time while planning to pay for business school.
Best Overall Value: Magoosh
Magoosh offers the best mix of price and content for self-motivated test takers. Premium costs $249 for six months or $349 for 12 months and includes 200+ video lessons, 800+ practice questions and at least two diagnostic tests, all updated for the current exam, according to Magoosh's GMAT plans page. Our Magoosh review walks through the platform.
Magoosh's guarantee promises a score improvement of up to 70 points over your previous score once you finish the program, or your money back. It also offers a 7-day free trial and a 7-day refund window, and plans don't auto-renew. The $449 Premium + Admissions plan adds application help, which can be cheaper than hiring one of the admissions consultants we've reviewed.
A full GMAT course for $249, current-exam content and a free trial. It's the course we'd start with before spending thousands on a live class, money that could otherwise reduce your MBA student loans.
No live instruction, and fewer practice questions than e-GMAT. Students who need a teacher or a fixed schedule should look at a live course like the ones in our Kaplan Test Prep review.
Best Live Course: The Princeton Review
The Princeton Review GMAT 645+ course costs $1,999 for 30 hours of expert-led live instruction, split evenly across Quant, Verbal and Data Insights, according to The Princeton Review. Core Concepts offers 18 live hours for $999, and the Self-Paced course costs $799 with adaptive drills and a 14-day free trial. Our Princeton Review SAT and ACT review covers the company's teaching approach.
The 645+ guarantee depends on your starting score. Students who start below 575 get a full refund if they gain less than 45 points, and students who start between 575 and 635 get a full refund below 615 or half back between 615 and 635, according to the course terms. Private tutoring runs $180 an hour for a 30-hour package, a big line item next to the cost of an MBA.
Structured live classes, a self-paced option and a clear refund schedule based on your starting score. It fits working professionals who need a teacher and deadlines, and it pairs well with our MBA admissions timeline.
At $1,999, the 645+ course costs eight times as much as Magoosh. Students already at 645 or higher aren't eligible for the guarantee and should consider tutoring or the official practice exams covered in our GMAT explainer.
Best For Official Practice Tests: Kaplan And Manhattan Prep
Kaplan and Manhattan Prep now sell GMAT prep as one brand, “Manhattan Prep powered by Kaplan.” Its On Demand course starts at $299 for one month, and the three-, six- and 12-month plans include six official GMAC practice tests, a 1,200+ question set builder and the official GMAT review book, according to Kaplan. Our Kaplan Test Prep review has more.
Live options include the Live GMAT Prep Course, listed at $1,799, and the 655+ GMAT Prep Course at $2,499. The 655+ guarantee requires students starting at 585 or higher to reach 655, and students below 585 to gain 70 points, or they can choose a refund or free re-enrollment. Kaplan runs frequent promo codes, so compare the list price with your expected MBA loan costs.
Official GMAC practice tests included, a 7-day free trial on On Demand and a specific 655+ guarantee on the top course. It's the best pick for test takers who want the official tests bundled in, and our GMAT vs. GRE comparison explains how the two tests differ.
Live courses cost $1,799 to $2,499 at list price, and the Higher Score Guarantee doesn't cover the one-month On Demand plan. Compare it with the cheaper self-paced picks in our Magoosh review.
Biggest Score Guarantee: Target Test Prep
Target Test Prep makes the most aggressive score promise in GMAT prep. Its Self-Study plans guarantee a 130-point improvement, and its OnDemand and LiveTeach plans guarantee a 715 or higher, above the 97th percentile, according to its plans page. Self-Study lists at $299 a month, $949 for four months or $1,099 for six months, which you can weigh against your MBA student loan budget.
The LiveTeach plan lists at $2,199 for 40 hours of live online classes plus the full OnDemand course, about $55 per live hour. Target Test Prep was running a sale of up to $400 off when we checked, and it offers a 5-day trial. A 715+ guarantee is useful mainly for applicants aiming at the most selective programs, like those in our MBA admissions overview.
The highest score guarantee we found and 40 hours of live classes on its top plan. It suits applicants targeting top-10 programs, where the HBS median sits at 685, as our GMAT explainer shows.
Monthly self-study pricing adds up fast past three months, and LiveTeach costs more than most live courses on this list. Budget-minded test takers should start with a cheaper option from our Magoosh review.
Most Adaptive Mock Tests: e-GMAT
e-GMAT lists its plans at $599 for two months, $859 for four months and $1,099 for six months, though it was advertising 50% off when we checked. Every plan includes the same content plus three live sessions a week. The company says the platform has 100+ hours of lessons, 14,500+ practice questions and 215+ adaptive mock tests, which beats any other count we found and suits test takers comparing graduate school admissions timelines.
e-GMAT doesn't offer a score guarantee, only a 7-day, 100% money-back window. That puts the burden on you to judge progress, so take an official GMAC practice exam early and again midway. The live sessions add structure that pure self-study lacks, a useful middle ground for working professionals building a DIY MBA style study habit.
Huge practice volume, live sessions in every plan and a sale running when we checked. It's a strong fit for test takers who learn by doing many timed problems, then reviewing results the way our GMAT explainer suggests.
No score guarantee, and “50% off” sale pricing makes the true price hard to judge. Test takers who want a guarantee should compare the options in our Kaplan review.
Best Free Starting Point: GMAT Official Prep
GMAC, the company that makes the GMAT, gives away a Starter Kit with 70+ sample questions and two full-length official practice exams, according to mba.com. GMAC says its practice exams use the same algorithm, scoring and timing as the real test, which makes them the most accurate baseline you can get. Our what is the GMAT explainer covers each section.
The Premium GMAT Study Collection 2026-2027 bundle costs $299.99 on GMAC's store and bundles GMAC's official prep products. Many courses on this list, including Kaplan's On Demand plans, already include official tests, so check before buying both, the same way you'd avoid paying twice for graduate school costs.
Free official practice exams that score like the real GMAT. Every test taker should start here, whether or not they buy a course, and our GMAT vs. GRE comparison covers which test to choose.
Official materials give you questions and scores, not teaching. Students who need help with strategy or content should add a course from this list, starting with our Magoosh review.
Which GMAT Prep Course Is Best For You?
The best GMAT prep course depends on your gap, schedule and how much structure you need. A test taker 30 points from their target can usually get there with official practice exams and a $249 course, while someone 100+ points away with a demanding job may need a live class. Check your target programs' score ranges first, using our MBA admissions overview.
- Best overall value: Magoosh at $249 for six months.
- Best live course: The Princeton Review 645+, with 30 live hours and a refund schedule.
- Official tests bundled in: Kaplan and Manhattan Prep On Demand.
- Chasing 715+: Target Test Prep, which guarantees it on its top plans.
- Maximum practice volume: e-GMAT, with 215+ adaptive mocks by its count.
- $0 to start: GMAC's free Starter Kit and two official practice exams.
What Is On The GMAT In 2026?
The GMAT has three sections, Quantitative Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning and Data Insights, with 64 questions over 2 hours and 15 minutes, according to GMAC. You pick the section order, can take one optional 10-minute break and can review and change up to three answers per section. Our what is the GMAT explainer covers sample questions.
| Section | Questions | Time | Score Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quantitative Reasoning | 21 | 45 minutes | 60 to 90 |
| Verbal Reasoning | 23 | 45 minutes | 60 to 90 |
| Data Insights | 20 | 45 minutes | 60 to 90 |
| Total | 64 | 2 hours 15 minutes | 205 to 805 |
The three sections count equally toward your total score, which runs from 205 to 805 in 10-point steps, according to GMAC. The old essay is gone, GMAC says the exam doesn't test grammar or vocabulary, and Data Insights now carries a third of your score. Any course or book that still teaches sentence correction or the essay is outdated, as our GMAT vs. GRE comparison notes.
How Much Does The GMAT Cost?
The GMAT costs $275 at a U.S. test center or $300 online, according to GMAC's exam payment page. Rescheduling fees range from $55 to $180 depending on how close you are to test day, and you can send scores to five programs free within 48 hours of getting your official score. Factor those costs into your MBA budget early.
| Fee | Test Center | Online |
|---|---|---|
| GMAT Exam | $275 | $300 |
| Reschedule More Than 60 Days Out | $55 | $60 |
| Reschedule 15 To 60 Days Out | $110 | $120 |
| Reschedule 14 Days Or Less | $165 | $180 |
| Cancel More Than 60 Days Out | $110 refund | $120 refund |
| Cancel 15 To 60 Days Out | $80 refund | $90 refund |
| Cancel 14 Days Or Less | $55 refund | $60 refund |
| Additional Score Report | $35 each | $35 each |
Here's our math on the real cost. A test taker who buys a $249 course, takes the GMAT online twice and sends two extra score reports pays $919. Choosing a $1,999 live course instead pushes that to $2,669. Either way, a 50-point gain that earns even a small scholarship pays for itself, which is why we treat prep as part of financing graduate school.
What Is A Good GMAT Score?
A good GMAT score is one at or above the median for the programs you're targeting, which is GMAC's own advice. A 655 beats about 90% of test takers and a 705 beats about 97%, according to GMAC's August 2026 percentile tables. Harvard Business School's Class of 2027 had a median of 685, according to HBS. Our GMAT explainer covers how schools read scores.
| Total Score | Percentile |
|---|---|
| 755 | 99.8% |
| 705 | 97.5% |
| 685 | 95.1% |
| 655 | 89.6% |
| 625 | 78.2% |
| 605 | 69.4% |
| 585 | 59.9% |
| 555 | 47.4% |
The current GMAT scores lower than the old version. A 655 on today's exam equals a 700 on the old 10th Edition, according to GMAC's concordance table, so don't compare your score with older class profiles. HBS reported a 10th Edition median of 730 alongside the 685 current-exam median, and 44% of its class submitted the GRE instead, a point we cover in our GMAT vs. GRE comparison.
How Much Does GMAT Prep Cost Per Hour?
Live GMAT classes cost about $55 to $67 per hour of instruction at list prices, and private tutoring runs $180 to $220 an hour at the Princeton Review. We divided each course's list price by its published live hours. Self-paced courses from $249 to about $1,600 don't fit this math, but they cost far less in total, which matters when you're weighing MBA loan refinancing later.
| Course | List Price | Live Hours | Cost Per Hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Target Test Prep LiveTeach | $2,199 | 40 | About $55 |
| Princeton Review Core Concepts | $999 | 18 | About $56 |
| Princeton Review GMAT 645+ | $1,999 | 30 | About $67 |
| Princeton Review Tutoring (30 Hours) | $180 per hour | 30 | $180 |
Target Test Prep and the Princeton Review land within about $12 an hour of each other, so the real difference is the guarantee: 715+ at Target Test Prep versus a refund schedule tied to your starting score at the Princeton Review. Pick the promise that matches your goal, the same way you'd compare terms on graduate school loans.
How Do GMAT Score Guarantees Compare?
GMAT score guarantees range from “any higher score” to a 715 or better. Nearly every guarantee requires finishing the course, taking several official practice exams and sitting for the GMAT within a set window. Read the terms before you pay, as you would any loan agreement.
| Provider | What Is Guaranteed | Key Condition |
|---|---|---|
| Target Test Prep (Top Plans) | 715+ | OnDemand or LiveTeach plan |
| Target Test Prep (Self-Study) | +130 points | Self-Study plan |
| Kaplan 655+ Course | 655+ or +70 points | Attend every class, test within 60 days |
| Princeton Review 645+ | Refund schedule by starting score | Starting score below 645 |
| Magoosh | Up to +70 points or money back | Finish the Premium program |
| e-GMAT | No score guarantee | 7-day refund |
Retaking also raises scores. GMAC says retesting adds 20 to 30 points on average, according to its GMAT FAQ, and you can take the exam up to five times in a rolling 12 months. With GMAT Superscore, programs can see your best section scores across attempts, which makes a planned second attempt part of a smart graduate school strategy.
How Long Should You Study For The GMAT?
Plan on at least six weeks of GMAT study, GMAC's own guidance, and expect to put in 60 or more hours, like most test takers. Two to four months is common if you're aiming high. In GMAC's 2020 survey, the median test taker studied about 80 hours, and those scoring 700+ on the old scale studied about 100. Here's a timeline that fits around a full-time job and an MBA application.
- Take GMAC's free official practice exam to get a baseline in all three sections.
- Set a target using the median score at your top programs.
- Study 30 to 60 minutes a day, the pace GMAC recommends, plus a longer weekend session.
- Take an official practice exam every two to three weeks and adjust your focus.
- Book your first test six to eight weeks before your application deadline, since GMAC requires 16 days between attempts.
Leave time for a retake. GMAC requires 16 days between attempts, and many applicants plan two test dates from the start. Pair your study plan with a scholarship search using our graduate school scholarships roundup.
How We Picked The Best GMAT Prep Courses
We reviewed the major GMAT prep providers and kept those with courses updated for the current GMAT. We compared regular list prices, live hours, official practice tests, score guarantees and free trials, and verified each on the provider's site on October 11, 2026. Our editorial standards explain how we handle partner relationships.
Veritas Prep, which we covered in our Veritas Prep review, was folded into Varsity Tutors, and Varsity Tutors says Veritas services ended in May 2022. Varsity Tutors' GMAT page doesn't list prices and still describes the old exam sections, so it didn't make our list.
More Test Prep Rankings From The College Investor
GMAT Prep FAQs
How Many Times Can You Take The GMAT?
You can take the GMAT up to five times in a rolling 12-month period, with no lifetime limit, according to GMAC. You must wait 16 days between attempts. Programs can use GMAT Superscore to see your best section scores, as our GMAT explainer explains.
Is The GMAT Or GRE Better For An MBA?
Most business schools accept either test, according to GMAC. At HBS, 44% of the Class of 2027 submitted the GRE. Take a practice test of each and see our GMAT vs. GRE comparison.
How Long Are GMAT Scores Valid?
GMAT scores are valid for five years, according to GMAC. That gives you room to test before you're ready to apply. Our MBA admissions overview covers timing.
Is A GMAT Prep Course Worth It?
A course is worth it when a higher score could change your admission odds or scholarship offer. With federal graduate borrowing capped starting July 2026, scholarship money matters more. Start with free official exams, then buy only the structure you need, and compare the cost with your MBA loan options.
What Happened To The GMAT Focus Edition?
GMAC now calls it simply the GMAT exam. The Focus Edition replaced the 10th Edition on February 1, 2024, and that format is today's GMAT, scored from 205 to 805. Our what is the GMAT explainer has the details.
Sources
- GMAC: GMAT Exam Structure
- GMAC: GMAT Scores
- GMAC: Exam Payment And Fees
- GMAC: Exam Policies
- GMAC: GMAT FAQs
- GMAC: Register For The GMAT
- GMAC: Prep For The Exam
- GMAC: Official Prep Store
- GMAC: Total Score Concordance Table, August 2026
- GMAC: How Long Should You Study
- Harvard Business School: Class Profile
- Magoosh: GMAT Plans
- The Princeton Review: GMAT Prep
- Kaplan: GMAT On Demand
- Kaplan: GMAT Higher Score Guarantee
- Target Test Prep: GMAT Plans
- e-GMAT: Pricing
Editor: Colin Graves
Robert Farrington is the founder of The College Investor and is widely recognized as one of the nation’s leading voices on student loan debt and saving for college. He holds an MBA from UC San Diego Rady School of Management and has spent over 15 years researching, writing, and advising on student loans, 529 plans, financial aid programs, and saving and investing for young professionals.
Robert has been featured in the The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, NBC News, and Forbes, where he has been a regular personal finance contributor for over a decade. His work combines both professional expertise and personal experience – he successfully navigated his own student loan repayment journey and has helped thousands of readers do the same.
He is committed to making the intersection of personal finance and education transparent and accessible. You can learn more about Robert on the About Page or on his personal site RobertFarrington.com.