TOEFL iBT (26+) Complete Preparation Course vs Magoosh ACT Prep

A genuinely deep, well-structured library — roughly 50-53 hours of video across Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing, with 87 downloadable resources, section-by-section strategy breakdowns, and content kept current with the redesigned TOEFL iBT (the Academic Discussion writing task). Reviewers consistently call it "probably the most in-depth course you'll find." The main content caveat is that it assumes intermediate-plus English and is not a beginner English course.

Keino Campbell is the single strongest asset in the package — a Udemy Top 10% Most Engaging Instructor, CELTA-certified ESL specialist, university professor and attorney, with 35,000+ five-star reviews across his TOEFL and IELTS catalogue. Clarity, examiner-awareness and the rare free monthly live group classes draw near-universal praise.

List price around $60-85 but very frequently on sale, with lifetime access, monthly live classes, a certificate and Udemy's 30-day refund. That is a fraction of Magoosh, Kaplan or a tutor. The honest catch is that it leans on standard ETS/official practice rather than bundling its own full-length proprietary mock tests, so serious test-takers buy official material on top.

Strong at the technique level — 30+ assignments, quizzes, and timed Reading/Listening practice that simulates exam pressure — but the most-repeated criticism is that there are no full-length proprietary mock tests created specifically for the course, and the dedicated speaking- practice library is thinner than learners want. Most reviewers recommend pairing it with official ETS TOEFL practice.

Self-reported gains are common and specific across reviews — overall scores up 10-20 points, Reading reaching the 26-27 target band. Because the strategies map onto how the TOEFL is actually scored, motivated self-studiers who do the timed practice tend to report real movement, though reviewers stress success still requires consistent effort.

Magoosh ACT Prep covers all four ACT sections — English, Math, Reading, and Science — across 250+ video lessons, with optional Writing content available. The course has been updated for the Enhanced ACT format, and reviewers at EduReviewer and Sojourning Scholar confirm that the content accurately reflects current exam structure and difficulty. Lead instructor Erika holds 99th-percentile scores on the ACT, SAT, GRE, and GMAT, lending strong credibility to the instruction. A critical note from the PrepScholar comparison blog is that some video lessons were found to contain errors in ACT scoring system information, which slightly offsets the otherwise strong content quality score.

The teaching team at Magoosh is consistently described as "personable and clear" by Test Prep Insight reviewers, and students specifically cite strategy-first instruction that goes beyond memorisation — teaching how to "find the main idea quickly and beat the clock" and providing "tips and tricks to improve overall score." Lead tutor Erika's 99th-percentile credentials are prominently featured. The main criticism is the whiteboard-style video format, which multiple reviewers describe as slightly "on the boring side" despite being instructionally sound. The PrepScholar comparison also flagged specific lesson errors in earlier versions of the course, which Magoosh has since addressed in updated modules.

Magoosh ACT Prep is widely regarded as the best-value ACT prep option in the industry. At $99–$129 for 12-month access — or as little as $79 for a one-month plan — it costs roughly one-tenth of traditional private tutoring ($1,000+) and significantly less than Kaplan ($449–$1,000+) or Princeton Review ($799–$1,599). The 82,000+ students served and a backed +4 point score improvement guarantee (or full refund) are strong signals of institutional confidence in the product. Both Test Prep Insight (9.0/10) and EduReviewer (4.6/5) cite value as Magoosh's single strongest dimension.

The course includes 1,500+ practice questions and four full-length ACT practice tests, each with detailed video and text explanations for every question — a distinctive feature not found in all competitors. Customisable practice drills allow targeted section work. The main limitation, flagged by both Test Prep Insight and the PrepScholar comparison blog, is that the four practice tests are generated from the same question bank rather than being fully unique exams, creating potential overlap if a student cycles through all four. Princeton Review offers 11 simulated ACTs to Magoosh's four, making Magoosh thinner on full-test volume for students who need repeated full-exam simulation.

Magoosh's own review page documents seventeen score improvement entries from students who reached final scores of 28–34, with individual improvements ranging from +1 to +12 composite points. The most commonly reported gains are +3 to +5 points. One student improved from 28 to 33 using Magoosh exclusively. The company reports helping more than 82,000 students, and their score improvement data page (Magoosh Schools Blog) shows that users outperform national averages when they commit 30–40 hours of preparation. The guaranteed +4-point improvement for students scoring under 30 is a meaningful benchmark backed by a refund policy.