Good fit when
You have a Kaplan quote and want to know what a lower-cost or different format would give up.
Before you choose
Compare self-paced instruction with self-paced instruction. Dolphin provides lessons and a personalized plan; live classes and one-on-one tutoring are separate services to evaluate.
Published by Dolphin, one of the options discussed. This is a review of documented features and study fit, not a hands-on benchmark or a measured ranking of learning outcomes.
Which Kaplan option are you replacing?
Kaplan sells several kinds of SAT prep, and the right alternative depends on which one you were looking at. Kaplan listed SAT On Demand at $199 for 6 months of recorded lessons, Live Online from $799 with 18 hours of live teaching, and private tutoring with the live course from $1,999 (checked October 8 and 17, 2026).
Kaplan SAT alternatives compared
Published by Dolphin, one of the options listed. Prices are published list prices from each provider’s own page in October 2026 and can change.
| Alternative | Published price | Best for | Gives up compared with Kaplan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dolphin | Free phone apps; paid Dolphin Web plans with current prices at checkout | Personalized web plan, lessons, Pip help, practice tests, and mistake review | No live classes; one-on-one tutoring is sold separately |
| Bluebook plus Khan Academy | Free | Official practice tests and free lessons | No schedule, teacher, or guarantee |
| Khanmigo | $4 a month or $44 a year | The lowest-cost AI tutor, on top of Khan Academy | Not a test simulator; US residents only |
| OnePrep | Pro by subscription or a one-time pass priced by test date | Paying once for an app with practice and AI help | No live teaching |
| Magoosh | $49 a month or $129 a year | Video lessons with practice questions | No live classes in the base plan |
| The Princeton Review | Self-Paced $299 for 1 year; tutoring packages cost more | A similar big-brand course | Similar cost; live help costs extra |
| UWorld | Question Bank from $99; course from $299 | Detailed written explanations | No live teaching in the base products |
| PrepScholar | From $397; $895 with live classes | A structured program with an optional live upgrade | Live classes cost about as much as Kaplan’s |
How to choose
- If you wanted On Demand, compare Dolphin, Magoosh, and OnePrep. Compare their lessons, practice, review, and total access cost over the same study period.
- If you wanted Live Online, decide whether your student needs teaching or accountability. For teaching, compare PrepScholar’s live option. For accountability, a cheaper app plus a weekly check-in may be enough.
- If you wanted tutoring, consider a few hours of one-on-one help aimed at specific weak spots, from an independent tutor or from Dolphin, which sells one-on-one SAT tutoring separately. Pair it with an app for daily practice.
- Whatever you choose, use College Board’s free Bluebook practice tests to check progress.
Try Dolphin free before paying for a course
Dolphin’s iPhone and Android apps are free and draw from 10,000+ SAT and ACT questions, each with a short video explanation. They adapt to the topics your student misses most. Dolphin Web provides a personalized study plan, lessons, Pip help, full-length practice tests, and detailed review. Try that learning sequence when comparing a self-paced course; a phone session alone does not represent the web program. All paid Dolphin Web Premium plans include a score improvement guarantee: if your student starts at 1250 or lower on the SAT or 26 or lower on the ACT, completes Dolphin’s study plan and does not raise their official score by at least 200 SAT points or 5 ACT points, you can get up to three months of Premium fees back. Enrollment, study, test, and claim deadlines apply. See Dolphin vs Kaplan for a side-by-side comparison.
Frequently asked questions
What is a free alternative to Kaplan SAT prep?
Use College Board's free Bluebook practice tests and Student Question Bank with Khan Academy's free Digital SAT courses. Dolphin's iPhone and Android apps are also free, with SAT and ACT practice questions that each have a video explanation. Dolphin Web, a paid plan, adds a personalized study plan, lessons, unlimited Pip AI help and full-length practice tests.
What is the cheapest paid alternative to Kaplan?
Khanmigo, Khan Academy's AI tutor, was listed at $4 a month or $44 a year in October 2026. OnePrep sells Pro by subscription or as a one-time pass priced by test date; Magoosh was $129 a year. Dolphin Web has paid plans; check the current offer and compare the same access period. Kaplan SAT On Demand was $199 for 6 months before promotions.
What is an alternative to Kaplan's live SAT classes?
PrepScholar listed a package with live classes at $895, and The Princeton Review sells live courses and tutoring. If the live class is mainly for accountability, a lower-cost app plus a weekly check-in with a parent or teacher may cover the same need.
Sources & review
Sources support the feature comparisons below. Price snapshots carry their own dates in the guide; prices, access limits, and plan contents can change. Check the current offer before buying.
- SAT prep courses and tutoringKaplan
- SAT On Demand courseKaplan
- Official SAT Prep on Khan AcademyCollege Board
- Full-length digital practice testsCollege Board
- SAT and ACT prep pricingDolphin
- Score Improvement Guarantee termsDolphin
- Khanmigo pricingKhan Academy
- SAT plans and pricingMagoosh
- OnePrep pricingOnePrep
- SAT Self-Paced packages and pricesThe Princeton Review
- SAT prep plansPrepScholar
- SAT prep productsUWorld
- Dolphin lessons, practice, and study setupDolphin