Prep Expert vs Kaplan ACT: Which Prep Course is Better in 2026?

Overview

Both Prep Expert and Kaplan are well-established ACT prep providers, but they differ significantly in teaching format, price point, and target audience. Prep Expert was founded by Dr. Shaan Patel, who scored a perfect 36 on the ACT and appeared on Shark Tank, while Kaplan has been in the test prep industry for over 80 years.

Teaching Approach

Prep Expert ACT centers on live online classes taught by expert instructors who scored in the 99th percentile. The 6-week intensive program includes 36 hours of live instruction, proprietary strategies, and a structured curriculum designed to maximize score improvement quickly.

Kaplan ACT offers a blend of on-demand video lessons, live online sessions, and a comprehensive question bank. Kaplan's approach is more flexible, allowing students to study at their own pace while still having access to live instruction when needed.

Content & Materials

Prep Expert provides proprietary strategy guides, practice tests, and access to recorded sessions. The curriculum focuses heavily on test-taking strategies and time management techniques that Dr. Patel used to achieve his perfect score.

Kaplan offers 5+ full-length practice tests, a massive question bank with thousands of practice questions, and their signature "Channel" on-demand video library. Kaplan's content library is significantly larger due to their decades in the industry.

Score Guarantee

Prep Expert offers a 200-point score improvement guarantee or your money back. This is one of the more aggressive guarantees in the ACT prep market.

Kaplan offers a "Higher Score Guarantee" - if your score doesn't improve, you can retake the course for free or get your money back. While less specific than Prep Expert's guarantee, it still provides a safety net.

Pricing

Prep Expert ACT costs $1,196 for the 6-week live online course. This is a premium price point that reflects the live instruction and small class sizes.

Kaplan ACT costs $649 for their live online course, making it roughly half the price of Prep Expert. Kaplan also offers more affordable self-paced options starting around $399.

Technology & Analytics

Prep Expert's platform is straightforward, focusing on live instruction and recorded sessions. The technology is functional but not as sophisticated as some competitors.

Kaplan's Smart Reports technology tracks your performance across question types and difficulty levels, providing detailed analytics on where you need to improve. Their adaptive learning technology adjusts practice recommendations based on your performance.