Acely vs Kaplan: SAT & ACT prep, more content, better value

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.

Acely vs Kaplan comparison showing practice tests and questions

Quick verdict

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.

Feature comparison

Compare Acely to Kaplan to see how they stack up.

Feature

Acely
Kaplan

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+

Head-to-head: Acely vs Kaplan

A closer look at the areas that matter most for test prep.

Practice content volume

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.


Personalized study planning

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.


AI tutoring

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.


Digital test readiness

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.


Value for money

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.

Acely app showing practice questions with difficulty levels and remix options

Why students choose Acely over Kaplan

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

What students say

Real results from students who chose Acely over expensive alternatives.

SAT +120 pts

His SAT went up 120 points. I wish we’d started sooner.

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

1200 → 1520

I got 1520 which is what I wanted

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

Pricing comparison

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

Start your free trial

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

Ready to improve your SAT or ACT score?

Start your free 3-day trial of Acely

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Frequently asked questions

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.