Magoosh vs Khan Academy SAT

Sale: 20% OFF Code: TPI20

Claim Discount

In order to make this comparison as helpful as possible, let’s a detailed look at how the individual study materials/categories from each company stack up. 

SAT Lessons & Strategies

Our team of SAT experts prefers Magoosh’s video lessons over Khan Academy’s, mainly because they’re short, engaging, and straight to the point. We love how the Magoosh instructors actively mark up the slides in red ink as they explain concepts, making key takeaways stand out.

These bite-sized videos do a great job of keeping students’ attention while covering everything they need to know in a digestible way. In contrast, Khan Academy’s videos feel more like dull PowerPoint presentations, making it harder to stay focused and absorb the material.

Live SAT Classes

Next, our team also gives Magoosh a clear win when it comes to live classes—mainly because Khan Academy doesn’t offer any. If you’re the kind of student who benefits from real-time instruction, being able to ask questions, and interacting with classmates, Magoosh is the better choice.

Their classes meet twice a week, and the instructors do a great job of breaking down tough SAT concepts while keeping students engaged. The instructor we observed was an absolute pro, delivering useful tips and clear explanations that made the extra cost well worth it for students who need structured guidance.

Digital SAT Practice Tests

When you sign up for Khan Academy’s SAT course, you only get access to one full-length practice test. On the other hand, Magoosh provides three full-length adaptive practice exams, which can make a big difference in your prep.

Those extra tests give students more opportunities to pinpoint weak areas, fine-tune their strategies, and get comfortable with the SAT’s pacing and format.

That said, one big advantage of Khan Academy is its official partnership with the College Board, meaning its practice test comes straight from the test makers. This ensures the content, format, and difficulty level are as accurate as possible.

While Magoosh’s practice tests are expertly crafted and closely mimic the real SAT, they aren’t quite as official as what Khan Academy provides.

Cost Comparison

When it comes to cost, Khan Academy easily takes the win since it’s completely free, while Magoosh requires a paid subscription.

That said, Magoosh’s pricing is pretty reasonable, with their self-paced course listed at $129. Even their live class package stays under $400, making it a budget-friendly option compared to other paid SAT prep programs.

On top of that, Magoosh often runs discounts of at least 10%, making it even more affordable.

Score Improvement Guarantee

One big perk of Magoosh’s SAT prep is their +7 score improvement guarantee, something Khan Academy doesn’t offer. This means if your SAT score doesn’t go up by at least 7 points after using Magoosh, you get your money back—giving you some extra peace of mind (similar to PrepScholar).

For students aiming for a higher score, this guarantee adds real value, ensuring their investment in test prep pays off.

SAT Tutoring Options

One major advantage of Magoosh is that students can email expert SAT tutors whenever they have questions, while Khan Academy doesn’t offer this kind of support. If you’re stuck on a tricky math problem or confused about a grammar rule, you can reach out and get a clear, detailed explanation.

This extra level of guidance can be a game-changer, especially for students who need a little more help understanding tough concepts. Having access to real SAT experts makes studying more effective and less frustrating, giving you the support you need to stay on track.

Verdict: Which SAT Prep Option Is Better?

At this point, it’s pretty clear that our team thinks Magoosh is the better choice for Digital SAT prep. They outperform Khan Academy in almost every important area—better video lessons, live classes, more practice questions and tests, tutor support, and a solid score improvement guarantee.

So, if you’re serious about boosting your SAT score, we definitely recommend checking out Magoosh’s courses. That said, Khan Academy is still a great free resource, and we see it as a useful supplement to reinforce tricky topics.

➡️Read Next: Magoosh vs Kaplan SAT