Best GRE prep in 2026: courses, apps and free practice
The best GRE prep depends on your budget and how you like to learn. Start with the two free official ETS practice tests. GregMat is the cheapest full course, Magoosh suits self-paced video study, and Manhattan Prep suits live classes. Anki or StudyPDF handle vocabulary from your own word lists. Prices are as of October 2026.
The GRE General Test takes about two hours: one essay, two Verbal sections and two Quant sections. Take one free official practice test before you buy anything. The gap between that score and your target tells you how long to plan for, often 4 to 12 weeks, and which section deserves the money.
A simple stack works for most people: official ETS material for realistic practice, one course for strategy, and a flashcard app for vocabulary. Words decide a lot of Text Completion and Sentence Equivalence questions, and a few cards a day beat a long list you read once. Our guide at studypdf.net/answers/how-to-study-for-the-gre lays out a week-by-week plan, and studypdf.net/use-cases/gre-prep-ai shows how to turn your own prep books into practice.
StudyPDF also has a free 20-card GRE vocabulary deck in the browser at studypdf.net/quizzes/gre-vocabulary-flashcards. Each card gives a meaning, an example sentence and a memory hook. Our team wrote it; it is not official ETS material.
Picks by use case
- 1ETS Official GRE PrepBest for: Realistic practice tests from the people who write the GRE
- 2GregMatBest for: A full study plan and live classes on a tight budget
- 3MagooshBest for: Self-paced video lessons with a video for every question
- 4Manhattan PrepBest for: Live classes with a teacher and a fixed schedule
- 5AnkiBest for: Daily vocabulary review with spaced repetition
- 6StudyPDFBest for: Vocabulary cards and quizzes from your own word lists
At a glance
| Tool | Best for | Free tier | Price (October 2026) | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ETS Official GRE Prep | Realistic practice tests from the people who write the GRE | Two full POWERPREP tests and a 10-question mini quiz | POWERPREP PLUS: $44.95 per extra test | Web |
| GregMat | A full study plan and live classes on a tight budget | A full practice exam, diagnostics and Vocab Mountain | Plus $11.99 a month, with PrepSwift $14.99 a month | Web |
| Magoosh | Self-paced video lessons with a video for every question | 7-day free trial with 20+ questions and lessons | $149 for 1 month, $179 for 6 months | Web |
| Manhattan Prep | Live classes with a teacher and a fixed schedule | Free classes, events and a GRE starter kit | On demand $299 to $499, live course about $1,399 to $1,599 | Web, live online |
| Anki | Daily vocabulary review with spaced repetition | Free on desktop and Android, AnkiWeb sync is free | iPhone and iPad app: one-time $24.99 | Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS, web |
| StudyPDFThat's us | Vocabulary cards and quizzes from your own word lists | About 4 materials a week, 2 courses, no credit card | Pro and Ultra plans, see the pricing page | Web, iPhone, iPad, Android |
Prices as of October 2026. Check the vendor's site for the current price.
Tool by tool
1. ETS Official GRE Prep
Best for: Realistic practice tests from the people who write the GRE
ETS makes the GRE and sells its own prep. Two POWERPREP practice tests are free, one untimed and one timed. Extra POWERPREP PLUS tests, the official books and the GRE Mentor course cost money.
Strengths
- The closest thing to the real test, in format and difficulty
- Two full practice tests cost nothing
Limits
- Only two free tests, so save them for a baseline and a final check
- Little teaching: it shows you the test more than how to beat it
2. GregMat
Best for: A full study plan and live classes on a tight budget
GregMat is a GRE course built around daily study plans, live classes and quizzes. A lot of it is free, including a full-length practice exam, diagnostic tests and a vocabulary tool.
Strengths
- Costs a fraction of the big courses, billed month by month
- Daily study plans tell you exactly what to do each day
Limits
- Mostly video and live classes, so it suits people who learn by listening
- Less polished than the large prep companies
3. Magoosh
Best for: Self-paced video lessons with a video for every question
Magoosh sells a self-paced GRE course with video lessons, more than 1,600 practice questions and up to 6 practice tests. It often runs sales, so the price you see can be lower.
Strengths
- Every practice question comes with an explanation
- Six months of access costs only a little more than one
Limits
- No live classes on the basic plans
- Its practice tests are not official ETS tests
4. Manhattan Prep
Best for: Live classes with a teacher and a fixed schedule
Manhattan Prep offers live GRE courses, an on-demand video course and private tutoring, plus adaptive practice tests. It is part of the same group as Kaplan.
Strengths
- Live teaching and a schedule, if you study better with structure
- Strong strategy content for hard Quant and Verbal questions
Limits
- The live course is one of the most expensive options here
- More than you need if your target is only a few points away
5. Anki
Best for: Daily vocabulary review with spaced repetition
Anki is a free, open-source flashcard app that schedules each review for the day you are about to forget. Many GRE students use shared word decks or build their own.
Strengths
- Spaced repetition makes a few hundred words stick with minutes a day
- Shared GRE decks and add-ons
Limits
- You write or find every card yourself
- Vocabulary only: it does not teach Quant or test strategy
6. StudyPDF
That's usBest for: Vocabulary cards and quizzes from your own word lists
Upload your word lists, prep book chapters or notes, and StudyPDF builds flashcards, quizzes and practice exams from them. It tracks which words and concepts you keep missing.
Strengths
- Cards come from the words you actually need, not a generic list
- Anki export (.apkg) on Pro and up, so cards can move to your Anki
- Free 20-card GRE vocabulary deck in the browser
Limits
- Not a GRE course: no official questions and no adaptive tests
- Weekly caps on every plan
How we picked
- We started from what GRE prep needs: realistic practice tests, a way to learn strategy, and daily vocabulary review.
- Free tiers and prices come from each vendor's own site, checked October 2026. Magoosh often runs sales, so we list the regular price.
- We sort by use case, not by rank. Every tool has a real strength and a real limit, StudyPDF included.
- We left out tools whose price or content we could not confirm on their own site.