Magoosh Review, Pricing, Features, Pros, Cons, Top Alternatives

Magoosh is an online test prep platform with video lessons and practice tests for exams like the GRE, GMAT, and LSAT. This article covers Magoosh user reviews, pricing, and offerings in 2025. We also compare Magoosh to alternatives (such as My Engineering Buddy) and explain how the service works.

Magoosh Reviews and Testimonials

• Trustpilot: Magoosh has about a 4.6/5 rating on Trustpilot. Most users give 5 stars, praising its clarity and helpful lessons. Many comments say it improved their learning; for example, one student said Magoosh taught them how to study for the LSAT.
• SiteJabber: There are very few SiteJabber reviews (only 1) giving 2/5. This is not enough data to draw conclusions. It suggests at least one unhappy user, but overall the sample is too small to judge.
• Reddit: Reddit posts show mixed feedback. Some users say Magoosh is solid if you also study official materials. Others warn Magoosh may be too easy or “watered down” for serious prep. A common tip is to use extra study sources alongside Magoosh.
• Student Reviews: On Magoosh’s own site, students share positive success stories. For example, one student called Magoosh “the best test preparation company” they had used. These testimonials highlight high satisfaction but come from self-selected users.
• GMAT Club: This forum shows an average 4.6/5 rating from 340 reviews. Users praise Magoosh’s value and structured lessons, especially in Quant. Some note the Verbal section is weaker. Overall, this community view is quite positive.

Is Magoosh legit? Yes. Magoosh has been in business since 2009 (over 15 years) and has positive ratings across platforms. It is widely recognized as a reputable test prep company.

Overall, Magoosh reviews are mostly positive. Students often praise the clear video lessons and affordable pricing. Criticisms focus on the lack of live help and occasional content gaps. In general, user sentiment is favorable, confirming Magoosh as a solid choice for self-paced test prep.

Magoosh Pricing

Pricing Range

• GRE: $99 for 1 month or $129 for 6 months.
• GMAT: $199 for 6 months or $249 for 12 months.
• SAT/ACT: $129 for 12 months self-study, or $399 with live classes.
• LSAT: $199 for self-study plans, plus a one-time $115 LSAC LawHub fee.
• MCAT: $399 for 12 months access (noted as a bargain by reviewers).

What Students Say About Pricing

Students and reviewers frequently note that Magoosh is very affordable. One Reddit user pointed out that Magoosh’s 6-month plan ($179) is “significantly more affordable” than Kaplan’s options ($449+ to $1,000+). A review of the MCAT course called the ~\$400 price “a true bargain” and “an absolute steal” compared to alternatives around \$2,000. In general, Magoosh is seen as excellent value in the industry.

Hidden Costs

Magoosh advertises no hidden fees. There is no signup or cancellation charge, and you can cancel within 7 days for a full refund. The only extra costs are official test fees: for example, LSAT students must pay a one-time $120 LawHub fee. Otherwise, the plan prices listed on Magoosh’s site are the total costs.

How Pricing Works

Magoosh offers subscription packages (often 1, 6, or 12 months) and sometimes bundles (like adding admissions help). You can pay in full or split most plans into 4 monthly payments. Seasonal promo codes are common (e.g. 30% off with code HEADSTART, 20% off with JUMPSTART. Students can also get discounts through partners (e.g. Student Beans). Overall, Magoosh pricing is transparent, and many find ways to save.

Free Trial

Magoosh provides a free trial for its courses. You can try out most Magoosh programs for 7 days without a credit card. The trial usually includes a set of sample lessons or questions, so you can test the content and format before buying.

Refund Policy

Magoosh has a clear refund policy. Officially, you can cancel within 7 days of purchase for a full refund (no questions asked). They also offer a score-improvement guarantee: for example, a +5 point GRE or +10 MCAT increase, otherwise they refund you. Users report that this works in practice: one Redditor got a $179 refund when their GRE score did not improve by the promised amount.

Magoosh Alternatives

• My Engineering Buddy: MEB is a tutoring platform offering live one-on-one help in 100+ subjects (mainly engineering and math). It provides 24/7 WhatsApp support and quick tutor matching, which students find very helpful. Unlike Magoosh, MEB’s services are live and on-demand, with personalized attention. However, MEB charges by the hour (often around $20/hr) while Magoosh charges flat course fees.
• Kaplan: Kaplan is a long-established test prep company with live classes, textbooks, and many practice tests. It has much more content than Magoosh, but is far more expensive. Magoosh is purely online and self-paced, whereas Kaplan offers in-person/online classroom options. Many users say Magoosh gives a great value (“bang for the buck”) while Kaplan provides extra resources for those who can afford it.
• Princeton Review: Like Kaplan, Princeton Review offers live courses and one-on-one tutoring for exams. Its SAT/ACT/GRE courses include additional materials (books, extra classes) but cost $500–$2,000 or more. Magoosh’s advantage is price: at $179 it covers the same core material. Reviews note that Magoosh lacks ’s depth and live guidance, but many learners accept this tradeoff for Magoosh’s lower cost.
• Khan Academy: Khan Academy is a free option (for SAT, LSAT, etc.) created with exam boards. It has high-quality practice materials and videos, but it offers no live support. Magoosh is paid but adds personalized support (e.g. email tutors) and covers a wider range of tests. Khan is great if you want free study, while Magoosh gives more structure and help for a fee.
• Other Tutoring Services: Platforms like Chegg Tutors, Varsity Tutors, or private tutoring offer homework help in many subjects. They often charge hourly rates similar to MEB and can connect you to experts in specialized areas. Compared to Magoosh, these services provide live, personalized sessions for any topic (not just test prep), but lack a structured course curriculum. These are alternatives if you need targeted help rather than a full test course.

How it Works?

For Students

Students start by selecting the exam they’re preparing for—such as GRE, GMAT, TOEFL, IELTS, SAT, ACT, MCAT, or LSAT—on the Magoosh homepage. After signing up, they get immediate access to video lessons, practice questions, and timed mock tests. Magoosh is a self-paced learning platform, so students can study anytime, anywhere using a web browser or mobile app. There are no live tutors or sessions to schedule. Instead, students can post questions within the app, and Magoosh’s expert team answers them typically within 24–48 hours. The platform includes study schedules, progress tracking, and score predictors to help students stay on target.

For Tutors

Magoosh does not operate like a tutoring marketplace (e.g., Wyzant or My Engineering Buddy), so independent tutors cannot join the platform to get students. Instead, Magoosh hires in-house academic experts to create content (such as video lessons, practice questions, and written explanations). Tutors and content specialists are usually recruited through job postings on platforms like LinkedIn or directly on the Magoosh careers page. These roles require strong standardized test scores and excellent communication skills. Selected candidates go through interviews, test reviews, and demo lessons before joining the Magoosh team. Tutors are salaried or paid per project, and they contribute to course development rather than offering real-time 1:1 session.

Fees and Commissions:

Magoosh does not operate a freelance or tutoring marketplace model. Instead, they hire in-house content creators and academic experts. These are paid roles—usually salaried or contract-based. There is no commission model or tutor-set hourly fee structure like on Wyzant or MEB. Tutors do not pay any fees to join.

Earnings:
Based on reviews from employees and job postings, Magoosh pays tutors (i.e., content creators, instructors) competitively—typical compensation ranges from $20 to $40 per hour depending on the exam and the project type. Full-time staff may receive salaries, while part-time and contract roles are paid per task or hourly.

Hours:
Since Magoosh is not a live tutoring platform, tutors create content rather than schedule sessions. Work is often asynchronous and deadline-driven. Contractors typically work flexible hours based on project timelines. Full-time roles follow a more structured schedule.

Student Volume:
Magoosh serves hundreds of thousands of students globally. Since the service is self-paced and content-driven, the “volume” for tutors refers more to project assignments and content demand than direct student interactions.

Tips:
Applicants who want to work with Magoosh should focus on strong standardized test scores (usually 95th percentile+), strong writing or video skills, and ability to explain complex topics clearly. Sample lesson submissions are typically part of the application process.

Likes:
Tutors and employees appreciate the flexibility, collaborative team culture, mission-driven work, and clear expectations. Many reviewers on Glassdoor mention the supportive management, good work-life balance, and meaningful impact on students’ success.

Dislikes:
Some team members note that compensation can be lower than corporate or technical roles, especially for part-time contractors. Others mention limited growth paths or that asynchronous work can feel isolating. However, most feedback is positive, especially regarding company values and transparency.

Magoosh Company Information

Magoosh was founded by education entrepreneurs (Hansoo Lee, Bhavin Parikh, and Pejman Negin) in 2009. It is based in Berkeley, California. The company’s mission is to make test prep “accessible, effective, and enjoyable” for all students. Today Magoosh claims to have helped over 10 million students worldwide. It offers online prep for exams such as the GRE, GMAT, SAT, ACT, LSAT, MCAT, TOEFL, IELTS, and others. Content is delivered via video lessons, practice problems, full-length practice tests, and mobile apps.

Unique features include video answer explanations for every question, a customizable practice session generator, and clear progress analytics. Students also benefit from a score-improvement guarantee and mobile apps for study on-the-go.

USP

• Video and text solutions for every question (unlike many rivals with text only).
• Customizable practice quizzes (students can focus on specific topics or difficulty levels).
• Very affordable pricing (often less than half the cost of classroom courses).
• Up to 7-day refund policy and score guarantee (e.g. +5 GRE points).
• User-friendly website and dashboard.
• 24/7 email support from tutors.
• Mobile app for studying on the go.

Drawbacks

• No live or one-on-one instruction – Magoosh is entirely self-study (videos and written content).
• Fewer full-length practice tests than some competitors.
• Less depth in some subjects (the Verbal/reading sections have fewer materials compared to Quant).
• Simple video style (whiteboard teaching), which some find less engaging.
• Materials are only in English (no multilingual support).

Comparison with My Engineering Buddy

My Engineering Buddy (MEB) and Magoosh serve different needs. MEB provides live, on-demand tutoring and homework help across many technical and advanced subjects. In contrast, Magoosh offers prerecorded video courses for standardized tests. MEB tutors work one-on-one (via video chat or WhatsApp) and tailor help to the student’s specific course. Magoosh students study independently on the platform. MEB’s approach is more personalized and broader (100+ subjects), while Magoosh’s is structured and focused on test prep. Pricing also differs: MEB charges by the hour (~$20/hr) whereas Magoosh sells complete course access. For students needing advanced coursework tutoring, MEB fills gaps that Magoosh’s self-study model leaves.

Customer Support and Policies

Customer Support: Magoosh provides support through an in-app “Help” button and email (help@magoosh.com). They typically respond within 24 hours (often faster) to questions about lessons and practice problems.

Refund Policy: Magoosh offers a 7-day no-questions-asked full refund. To cancel, users simply email support within the first 7 days.

Score-Improvement Guarantee: Magoosh provides explicit score guarantees (e.g., +5 GRE, +10 MCAT, +100 SAT, etc.). If students meet all conditions and don’t reach the required improvement, they can receive 100% of their money back.

Overall, Magoosh offers clear email support and formal policies that compare well with live tutoring platforms, although it lacks real-time chat or phone support.

Global Reach and Localization

Magoosh has a global footprint, with students in 185+ countries. All of its materials and support are in English. MEB is also global (its founder says the goal is to help students “no matter where they are”), but its tutors mainly operate in English. Both platforms serve an international user base. MEB stands out by offering round-the-clock local-time support (24/7 matching) for students around the world.

Magoosh’s Future Plans

• AI-driven personalization: Magoosh already uses AI analytics to adapt study plans to each student’s performance. We expect more AI tools (e.g. chatbots or adaptive quizzes) going forward.
• Institutional partnerships: The company is building out B2B services. It has developed a dashboard for schools and integrated with the Schoology LMS, suggesting a push to partner with educational institutions.
• New content and formats: Magoosh continues updating courses for new exam formats (for example, the new digital SAT) and plans to expand into more test subjects. It has released new e-books and study guides in 2024–25.
• Mobile and app features: As mobile learning grows, Magoosh will likely enhance its apps and interactive features to keep students engaged anywhere.

FAQs About Magoosh

• How does Magoosh compare to My Engineering Buddy? Magoosh is mainly for standardized test prep (GRE, GMAT, SAT, etc.) with self-paced videos. My Engineering Buddy offers live one-on-one tutoring and homework help in many subjects. MEB is better for personal course help, while Magoosh is designed for exam preparation.
• Is Magoosh legit? Yes. Magoosh has been an established company for over 15 years and has positive reviews on multiple platforms.
• What exams does Magoosh cover? Magoosh provides courses for GRE, GMAT, LSAT, MCAT, SAT, ACT, TOEFL, IELTS, Praxis, and more.
• Does Magoosh offer a free trial? Yes. Most Magoosh courses have a 7-day free trial (no credit card needed) allowing you to try lessons and questions.
• Does Magoosh guarantee score improvement? Yes. They have a score increase guarantee (e.g. +5 on GRE, +10 on MCAT) or you get your money back.
• How do I cancel Magoosh? You can cancel within 7 days of purchase by emailing Magoosh for a full refund. After 7 days, refunds are not given unless the score guarantee conditions are met.

Conclusion

Magoosh is a low-cost leader in video-based test prep. It offers clear, concise lessons and a satisfaction guarantee. Its strengths include affordability and flexible study plans, but it has no live tutoring and fewer practice tests. For students who need advanced, personalized tutoring, My Engineering Buddy is a smart choice: MEB provides 24/7 access to expert tutors in many subjects. In 2025, many students use MEB for tough coursework and Magoosh for standardized exams, combining the best of both worlds.