Dolphin vs Kaplan for SAT prep: price, format, and fit

Dolphin vs Kaplan at a glance

Published by Dolphin, one of the two products compared. We checked Kaplan’s pages on October 8 and October 17, 2026. Prices and promotions change, so confirm before buying.

	Dolphin	Kaplan
Free option	Free iPhone and Android apps	Free full-length practice test, free events, and a free class trial
Self-study price	Dolphin Web: $100 a month, $150 every 3 months, or $300 a year	SAT On Demand: $199 before promotions, 6 months of access
Live classes	None	Live Online from $799, with 18 hours of live instruction
Tutoring	None	Private tutoring plus Live Online from $1,999
Format	Short adaptive sessions, plus web practice tests and review	Recorded lessons, quizzes, and practice tests; live and in-person options
AI help	Pip: hints before you answer, an explanation after	KapAdvisor AI guidance is listed with the College Advantage bundle; check each course page for AI help
Questions	10,000+ SAT and ACT questions, each with a short video explanation	500+ question bank and 4 practice tests listed with Live Online
Score guarantee	Eligible Dolphin Web Premium plans: start at 1250 or lower on the SAT or 26 or lower on the ACT, complete the study plan, and gain at least 200 SAT or 5 ACT points, or get up to three months of Premium fees back; see Dolphin terms	Higher Score Guarantee on eligible courses, with conditions
Parent view	Free parent account with practice calendar, predicted scores, tests, and skill map	Ask the provider what parents can see

Choose Dolphin if

• Your budget is under a few hundred dollars. The phone apps are free, and three months of Dolphin Web is $150.
• Your student needs practice more than lessons. Dolphin adapts to the topics they miss most and explains every question with a short video.
• They want help right when they are stuck. Pip gives hints before they answer.
• You want to see progress. A free parent account shows practice days, predicted score history, completed tests, and skills.

Choose Kaplan if

• Your student learns best from a teacher. Live Online includes 18 hours of live instruction on a schedule.
• You want one-on-one tutoring bundled with a course.

Use official practice with either

Neither Dolphin nor Kaplan writes official SAT tests. College Board’s Bluebook practice tests are free and are the best way to check progress. In College Board research, students who took more official full-length practice tests scored higher than similar students who took none.

Try Dolphin before you pay for a course

The Dolphin phone apps are free, so your student can try a week of daily practice first. If they still want a teacher after that, you will know a live course is worth the extra cost. See Dolphin plans or other Kaplan alternatives.

Frequently asked questions

Is Dolphin cheaper than Kaplan?

Usually. Dolphin's phone apps are free, and Dolphin Web costs $150 for 3 months. Kaplan's SAT On Demand course was listed at $199 for 6 months of access, its Live Online course from $799, and private tutoring with the live course from $1,999 when we checked in October 2026.

Does Kaplan have a score guarantee?

Kaplan offers a Higher Score Guarantee on eligible courses, with conditions. It gives a refund or extended access if the score does not improve. A guarantee is not a prediction of your score, so read the conditions before buying. Dolphin offers a conditional score-improvement guarantee for eligible web Premium subscriptions; see its terms for qualifying study, score, and refund requirements.

Which is better for short daily practice?

Dolphin. Its free phone apps are built around short adaptive sessions with a video explanation for every question. Kaplan's courses are built around longer recorded or live lessons.

Does Kaplan offer free SAT practice?

Yes. Kaplan lists a free full-length digital SAT practice test, free events, and a free class trial. College Board's Bluebook practice tests are also free and are the official reference.