Kaplan vs Princeton Review MCAT 2026 (Which is Best?)

Last updated: September 2026. Written by Josh Hutcheson, OnlineCourseing editor. Every price, practice-test count and guarantee below was re-read on Kaplan’s and The Princeton Review’s own MCAT pages on 21 September 2026. We have not enrolled in either course; this is a comparison of what each one sells. See our review methodology.

THE SHORT ANSWER

See Kaplan On Demand pricing →

Kaplan vs Princeton Review MCAT at a glance

VERIFIED ON EACH PROVIDER’S SITE, 21 SEPTEMBER 2026

Sources: Kaplan’s MCAT course overview and On Demand page; The Princeton Review’s MCAT prep options, Self-Paced page and MCAT 515+ Course page. Both companies run frequent promotions, so check the live price before you buy.

How we compared them

Kaplan and The Princeton Review are the two oldest names in MCAT prep, and both sell a ladder of products that runs from a practice-test pack to one-on-one tutoring. Comparing the brands in the abstract is not much use, because a student choosing between them is really choosing between two specific products at a specific price. So we matched them tier by tier: self-paced against self-paced, live against live, and guarantee against guarantee.

Everything here comes from the two companies’ own course pages as they read on 21 September 2026, and from the AAMC for the exam itself. We have not enrolled in either course, and we do not report student outcomes we cannot verify. Where a company makes a claim about itself, such as Kaplan calling 21 practice tests the most available anywhere, we say whose claim it is.

One disclosure: Kaplan is an affiliate partner, so we may earn a commission if you buy through the Kaplan links on this page. The Princeton Review is not, which is why its links go straight to its site. That has not changed the verdict; on self-paced value, the unpaid option comes out ahead.

Pricing: tier by tier

The headline prices look identical: each company’s cheapest full course costs $1,599. The difference is what the $1,599 buys. Kaplan prices On Demand by how long you keep access, and $1,599 is its four-month plan, the one it labels for January testers. Princeton Review’s $1,599 buys six months of Self-Paced.

Princeton Review’s MCAT menu lists its 515+ Course, 515+ Immersion, a Winter Bootcamp (LiveOnline, 40 hours), the Ultimate Course, Self-Paced, tutoring and a practice pack, but no classroom course. If you want to sit in a room with a teacher, Kaplan’s In Person course, from $3,399, is the only one of the two that offers it.

What self-paced access costs per month

Because the two companies sell different access lengths, the fairest comparison is cost per month of access. On that measure Princeton Review is cheaper at every length both sell:

At six months Kaplan costs $400 more; at a year, $600 more. The case for paying it is Kaplan’s extra three full-length tests, its flashcards and its explainer videos for the official AAMC questions, covered below. If those matter less to you than time, Princeton Review’s longer access is the better buy.

PAYING IN INSTALMENTS

Compare Kaplan On Demand access lengths →

Practice tests and question banks

Practice under test conditions is where most of an MCAT score is made, so this is the section to read closely. The real exam has 230 questions and 6 hours 15 minutes of testing, and both courses are built around rehearsing it.

Kaplan On Demand

• 21 full-length practice tests, which Kaplan says is the most available anywhere, with the official AAMC practice tests integrated into the study plan.
• A 3,000+ question bank you can filter by length, topic and subtopic, plus 1,000 flashcards.
• Explainer videos for 400+ difficult and high-yield questions on the official, scored AAMC practice tests.
• 90+ content refresher videos on the highest-yield topics, and a 7-book subject review set.

Princeton Review Self-Paced and 515+

• 18 full-length practice tests in both courses, plus all official AAMC materials.
• 4,900+ additional practice questions, passage-based and free-standing.
• 35 diagnostic exams and 12 subject-specific tests in Self-Paced (the 515+ lists 89 diagnostic quizzes and 12 section exams).
• 8 MCAT books and 500+ hours of video lessons.

The trade is clear. Kaplan gives you three more full-length exams and better explanations of the official AAMC questions; Princeton Review gives you a much bigger bank of extra questions and more diagnostics. A student whose problem is stamina and timing should lean Kaplan. A student whose problem is content gaps, who needs to drill organic chemistry or physics until it sticks, gets more from Princeton Review’s larger bank.

Whichever you choose, the official AAMC practice exams are written by the test maker and belong at the end of your schedule. Princeton Review’s own 515+ timeline puts them one to two weeks before test day.

The exam both courses prepare you for

Both courses cover the same four sections, because the AAMC sets them. Each section is scored from 118 to 132, for a total of 472 to 528.

Source: the AAMC’s section overview pages and content outline. The CARS section tests reading and reasoning rather than science content, and it is the section most students find hardest to improve, so check how each course teaches it.

How each handles CARS

Kaplan is the more explicit about CARS. On Demand includes unlimited livestreamed workshops, among them in-depth CARS strategy workshops, new CARS Skillbuilders that break passages into short segments for targeted practice, and a revamped CARS approach in its book set. Princeton Review teaches CARS inside its live instruction and diagnostics rather than as a separate product, and its 515+ Course starts with diagnostic exams in both the sciences and CARS so you know where to focus.

Live instruction and support

This is where the two differ most, and it decides the choice for many students.

Kaplan

On Demand is built on prerecorded, teacher-led lessons, available at any hour, with a structured study plan and support from Kaplan’s instructors when questions come up. The live element is the unlimited workshops. For scheduled classes you move up to Live Online, from $2,399, taught by what Kaplan describes as 520+ scoring teachers, or to In Person, from $3,399. Kaplan also runs a private MCAT community and a mobile companion app.

See Kaplan Live Online classes →

The Princeton Review

Princeton Review puts more live teaching into its cheaper course. Self-Paced includes 90+ hours of topic-specific instruction by MCAT experts and unlimited Q&A sessions. The MCAT 515+ Course is the full classroom programme: 123 hours of live instruction over the 12 weeks before your test date, four to six subject-matter instructors, 365 days of access, and flexible attendance, which lets you make up a missed class live in a parallel section and still keep the guarantee.

Princeton Review says it hires only the top 1% of teaching candidates and reports a 4.8 out of 5 rating from 1,687 Google reviews. Those are the company’s own figures; they are consistent with its reputation but are not independent measurements.

Score guarantees, compared honestly

Both companies lead with guarantees, and both attach conditions. The useful question is not whether a guarantee exists but which course carries which one.

Two cautions apply to both. First, the guarantees require you to follow the programme, which usually means attending, completing the practice tests and logging the work; skipping it can void the claim. Second, a refund returns your money but not your time. A guarantee is a sign that a company is confident in its course. It is not a reason to choose one course over the other.

Study tools and AI tutors

Both companies now include an AI tutor, each labelled new on its course page, and describe it in similar terms. Kaplan’s gives personalised study tips, content explanations and resource recommendations on demand, alongside interactive answer explanations in its refresher quizzes. Princeton Review’s MCAT AI Tutor explains the reasoning behind each practice question in a back-and-forth conversation; the company says 86% of students reported improved confidence and performance after using it, a figure from its own student feedback.

Princeton Review has also rebuilt its course dashboard, with an AI study-recommendation tool, a progress summary and an automatically generated study planner. Kaplan’s study plan updates your assignments after a placement quiz and works backwards from the date you need to finish. On paper the two toolsets are similar, so the practice-test and live-teaching differences above should weigh more in your choice.

Which should you choose?

Choose The Princeton Review if…

• You are studying on your own for six months or more. $1,599 buys six months and $1,999 a full year, against $1,999 and $2,599 at Kaplan.
• You want live teaching without paying for a live course. Self-Paced includes 90+ hours of topic instruction.
• You want a live course with a 515 guarantee. The MCAT 515+ Course has 123 live hours and flexible make-up classes.
• You want to try before paying. Self-Paced has a 14-day free trial.

Go to The Princeton Review’s MCAT courses (not an affiliate link).

Choose Kaplan if…

• You are testing within about four months and want the most full-length practice: 21 exams in On Demand.
• You want scheduled live classes for less. Live Online starts at $2,399, against $3,499 for Princeton Review’s 515+.
• You want to learn in a classroom. Kaplan In Person, from $3,399, has no Princeton Review equivalent.
• You learn best from worked explanations. Kaplan’s video walk-throughs of 400+ official AAMC questions are its most distinctive tool.

Explore Kaplan MCAT courses →

Choose neither if…

Your budget is well under $1,000. A full course is not the only route: the official AAMC materials plus a practice product, such as Princeton Review’s $199 Practice Tests & QBank, can carry a disciplined student a long way. Our guide to the best MCAT study resources covers the low-cost options.

Pros and cons

Kaplan

• Pro: 21 full-length practice tests, the most of the two.
• Pro: The widest range of formats, including in-person classes and a bootcamp.
• Pro: Live classes from $2,399, below the $3,499 of Princeton Review’s 515+ Course.
• Pro: Video explanations for 400+ official AAMC questions and a mobile app.
• Con: $1,599 buys only four months, so self-paced access costs more per month.
• Con: The 515 guarantee is limited to its most expensive products.

The Princeton Review

• Pro: Six months of self-paced access for $1,599, and a year for $1,999.
• Pro: 90+ hours of topic instruction included even in Self-Paced.
• Pro: The larger bank of extra questions, 4,900+, plus 35 diagnostic exams.
• Pro: A 14-day free trial and flexible make-up classes in the 515+ Course.
• Con: Three fewer full-length tests than Kaplan (18 against 21).
• Con: No classroom course on its MCAT menu, and its 515+ live course costs $3,499.

Alternatives worth comparing

Kaplan and Princeton Review are not the only serious options. Blueprint is the main alternative, and on price it undercuts both: its Self-Paced MCAT course lists from $1,199, Live Online from $1,999 and its 515+ course from $2,999, as checked on 21 September 2026. It is known for adaptive practice and detailed score analytics. We rank all three, alongside tutoring and budget options, in our guide to the best MCAT prep courses.

Compare every MCAT prep course →

Kaplan vs Princeton Review for other exams

This comparison is specific to the MCAT. Both companies also prepare students for the GRE, GMAT, LSAT and SAT, but their products, prices and guarantees differ exam by exam, so an MCAT verdict does not carry over. For graduate admissions tests, see our guide to the best GMAT and GRE prep courses; for college admissions, start with SAT vs ACT.

Kaplan vs Princeton Review MCAT: FAQ

Is Kaplan or Princeton Review better for the MCAT?

Neither wins outright. For self-paced study, Princeton Review gives more for the money at the same access length: $1,599 buys six months against Kaplan’s four, and it adds 90+ hours of topic instruction. Kaplan has more full-length practice tests (21 against 18), a lower-priced live course (Live Online from $2,399) and more formats, including in-person classes. Choose on the feature you need, not the brand.

Which is cheaper, Kaplan or Princeton Review for the MCAT?

Their cheapest full courses both cost $1,599 as of 21 September 2026, but Princeton Review’s includes six months of access and Kaplan’s four. For a full year, Princeton Review’s Self-Paced is $1,999 and Kaplan’s On Demand is $2,599. For live classes, Kaplan Live Online starts at $2,399; Princeton Review’s MCAT 515+ Course, the only live course priced on its main MCAT page, is $3,499.

Is Princeton Review good for the MCAT?

Yes, particularly for students who want structure and live teaching. Its MCAT 515+ Course has 123 hours of live instruction, 18 full-length practice tests, all official AAMC materials and a guarantee of 515 or a 15-point increase (full or partial refund). The Self-Paced course adds a 14-day free trial, which lets you test the platform before paying.

Is Kaplan good for the MCAT?

Yes, particularly for independent studiers who want as much practice as possible. On Demand includes 21 full-length tests, which Kaplan says is the most available anywhere, a 3,000+ question bank, 1,000 flashcards, video explanations for 400+ questions on the official AAMC practice tests, and unlimited livestreamed workshops, all covered by Kaplan’s Higher Score Guarantee.

Do Kaplan and Princeton Review include official AAMC practice materials?

Yes. Both say their courses include all official AAMC practice materials, including the AAMC practice exams. Kaplan integrates them through its study plan and adds explainer videos for 400+ of the AAMC questions; Princeton Review’s 515+ schedule places the AAMC practice tests one to two weeks before test day.

Which has more MCAT practice tests, Kaplan or Princeton Review?

Kaplan, narrowly: 21 full-length tests in On Demand against 18 in both of Princeton Review’s main courses. Princeton Review has the bigger bank of extra questions (4,900+ against Kaplan’s 3,000+), plus 35 diagnostic exams and 12 subject tests in Self-Paced. Both include the official AAMC exams on top.

Do Kaplan and Princeton Review offer MCAT score guarantees?

Both do, with conditions. Kaplan’s Higher Score Guarantee covers On Demand; its 515-or-15-points guarantee covers only the Online Bootcamp, Premium Tutoring and 515+ Course, and requires extensive engagement. Princeton Review’s MCAT 515+ Course guarantees 515 if you start at 500 or above, or 15 more points if you start below 500, or a full or partial refund. Read the terms before you rely on either.

Can you use Kaplan and Princeton Review together?

You can, but it rarely pays to buy two full courses. A cheaper combination is one full course plus the other company’s practice product: Princeton Review sells its Practice Tests & QBank on its own for $199, with 6 to 10 full-length tests and 4,700+ questions. Add the official AAMC materials either way.

Bottom line

At the same $1,599, Princeton Review gives a self-paced student more time and more live teaching, and Kaplan gives more full-length practice and more ways to learn in a live or classroom setting. Decide which of those you are short of, check the live price on the day, and put the official AAMC practice exams at the end of your plan whichever course you choose.

Start with Kaplan On Demand →

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