Kaplan is a trusted test prep brand, but it offers only 4 SAT practice tests and 500 questions at its entry tier. Acely includes 30 SAT tests, 9,000 questions, a personalized study plan, and an AI tutor on every plan, starting at a fraction of Kaplan's cost.
Kaplan has been around for years, yet only offers 4 SAT practice tests and 500 practice questions at its entry tier, compared to Acely's 30 SAT practice tests and 9,000 questions. Kaplan's personalized study plan requires a $1,600 investment; Acely includes it starting at $49/month. And Acely's AI tutor is available on every plan, while Kaplan's KapAdvisor requires their $650 tier or above.
Compare Acely to Kaplan to see how they stack up.
SAT practice tests
30 full-length tests
4 full-length tests
ACT practice tests
20 full-length tests
3 full-length tests
SAT practice questions
9,000 expert-created
500
ACT practice questions
5,000 expert-created
2,000 (official only)
Personalized study plan
All plans
Only on $1,600+ plan
AI tutor
All plans
KapAdvisor, $650+ only
Performance dashboard
All plans
Limited
Free trial
3 days
No
Starting price
$149/month
$650
Annual price
$588/year ($49/mo)
$1,600+
A closer look at the areas that matter most for test prep.
Acely offers 30 full-length digital SAT practice tests and 9,000 questions, more than seven times the practice tests and eighteen times the questions Kaplan provides in its standard SAT course (4 tests, 500 questions). For ACT prep, Acely provides 20 tests and 5,000 questions vs Kaplan’s 3 official tests and 2,000 questions.
Both Acely and Kaplan offer personalized study plans, but the pricing difference is significant. Acely includes a personalized, auto-updating study plan in every subscription starting at $49/month. Kaplan’s personalized plan requires spending $1,600 or more. Acely’s plan also updates automatically based on your session performance; Kaplan’s plans are more structured and static.
Acely’s AI tutor is included in all plans and is purpose-built to discuss only SAT and ACT topics, reducing distraction and ensuring accuracy. Kaplan’s KapAdvisor AI is only available at the $650 tier and above. Students on Kaplan’s lower-cost plans have no AI tutor access at all.
Acely’s practice tests are specifically designed for the digital SAT and enhanced digital ACT formats, mirroring the interface, question types, and pacing conditions of the actual test. Kaplan has updated its materials, but with only 4 SAT tests, students have substantially less opportunity to practice in test-like conditions. Notably, Kaplan’s public FAQ still references the old paper SAT format, including timing references to the SAT with essay, which no longer exists on the digital SAT.
Acely’s annual plan costs $588/year and includes 50 full-length practice tests, 14,000+ questions, a personalized study plan, an AI tutor, a performance dashboard, and pacing insights. Kaplan’s comparable feature set costs $1,600 or more. At the $650 entry point, Kaplan provides significantly less content than Acely’s $149/month monthly plan.
More content, lower cost, and it all starts at $49/mo
7x more SAT practice tests (30 vs 4)
And 18x more SAT questions, 9,000 vs Kaplan’s standard 500
AI tutor included on all plans
Kaplan restricts KapAdvisor to $650+ tiers only
Personalized study plan from $49/month
Kaplan requires a $1,600+ investment for the same feature
3-day free trial
Kaplan offers no free trial at any tier
Fully updated for today’s digital formats
Acely’s content reflects the current digital SAT and enhanced ACT, no outdated references
Performance dashboard and pacing insights included
Know exactly where time is lost after every practice test
Real results from students who chose Acely over expensive alternatives.
We paid several hundred dollars for a week-long class with a private tutor and my son’s score went up a little. Several months later, we started using Acely and his SAT went up 120 points. I wish we would have started with this his junior year.
Beth, Parent
I couldn’t afford private tutors for the SAT. I found Acely on Instagram and the subscription was much more affordable compared to the other options. I worked towards the August SAT exam and received my score yesterday. I couldn’t have done it without Acely.
Samali, Acely SAT Student
Acely delivers everything Kaplan offers at $1,600, for less than the cost of a single month with a Kaplan private tutor.
Acely
$49/mo
Billed annually ($588/year). Or $149/month, $99/month billed quarterly.
Monthly price
$149/month
Annual price
$588/year ($49/mo)
SAT practice tests
30
ACT practice tests
20
SAT practice questions
9,000
Personalized study plan
From $49/mo
AI tutor access
All plans
Free trial
3 days
Kaplan
$650+
SAT self-paced course starts at $650. Personalized plan from $1,600. Tutoring available separately.
SAT Live Online Course
$799 (promo: $640)
Annual plan (equiv. features)
$1,999 (promo: $1,600)
SAT practice tests
4
ACT practice tests
3 (official only)
SAT practice questions
500
Personalized study plan
From $1,600
AI tutor access
$650+ (College Advantage) only
Free trial
No
Start your free 3-day trial of Acely
Common questions about Acely vs Kaplan.
Yes, significantly. Acely starts at $149/month or $588/year ($49/month). Kaplan's SAT self-paced course starts at $650, and a personalized study plan requires spending $1,600 or more. Acely also offers a 3-day free trial; Kaplan does not.
Yes. Acely offers 30 full-length digital SAT tests and 20 full-length ACT tests (50 total). Kaplan's standard SAT course includes 4 practice tests. Acely's SAT question bank (9,000 questions) is also approximately 18 times larger than Kaplan's standard offering (500 questions).
Kaplan offers an AI tool called KapAdvisor, but it is only available in the $650 tier and above. Acely includes its purpose-built AI tutor, restricted to SAT and ACT topics, in all subscription plans at no extra cost.
Kaplan is a strong choice for students who want live, instructor-led classes or one-on-one private tutoring with a human expert, especially for graduate and professional exams (GRE, GMAT, LSAT, MCAT). For high school students preparing for the digital SAT or ACT who want maximum flexibility, content volume, and affordability, Acely is the stronger option.
For students who enjoy working with 1:1 tutors, there are also many tutors who use Acely in conjunction with tutoring. These tutors can spend more time with students on what matters because Acely takes care of sourcing material, scoring tests, and showing strengths and weaknesses.