There are few things more frustrating when preparing for a major exam than investing time and money into study materials only to find out they’re either seriously lacking in quality or don’t offer questions that fully represent the concepts on the exam.
Fortunately, you can access a wide array of free and low-cost SAT prep materials through your smartphone. These offer invaluable convenience, self-paced study, and progress monitoring right in your pocket. This way you don’t have to be subjected to the high cost of some SAT prep courses.
How Can SAT Apps Help You Prepare for Exam Day?
Before the advent of mobile apps, SAT prep required expensive books, paying for practice exams, and spending weekends attending costly classes. While those resources can still be helpful, not every student has the time or money to invest in them.
Worst yet, it’s nearly impossible to ensure they will give you the most bang for your buck before you drop the cash.
Apps solve many issues with traditional prep strategies, offering many benefits that can help you get closer to that coveted 1600 score.
So, what can the best SAT prep apps provide?
- Many of the best apps for SAT prep include highly interactive components like games and digital flashcards that keep a new generation of tech-minded students engaged with the material.
- Built-in progress monitoring keeps you accountable while providing visual evidence of all the work you’ve already done.
- You can access the materials anytime and anywhere without hauling around heavy books.
- They appeal to audio, visual, and kinesthetic learning styles through videos, diagrams, hands-on interaction, audio cues, and explanation articles.
- Push notifications provide reminders to keep up with your studying, and you can often customize these to come at pre-scheduled times that you have set aside for SAT preparation.
- Some offer access to in-the-moment tutoring to help you conquer your most challenging concepts.
- AI platforms can diagnose your current knowledge, then allow you to skip over the things you already know and hone in on topics you need to cover before the exam.
Top 10 Best Apps for SAT Prep
We scoured the App Store and Google Play to find the best apps for SAT prep and gathered our top ten picks to help you feel confident on test day.
These cover a range of needs, from simple vocabulary decks to comprehensive online courses complete with timed practice tests.
SAT Practice, Prep, Flashcards by Varisty Tutors LLC
Available on:
- App Store (Free)
- Google Play (Free)
Top 3 Features:
- Levelized questions get more difficult according to your performance.
- Includes free diagnostic and practice tests.
- Explanations for incorrect answers.
About SAT Practice, Prep, Flashcards:
Varsity Tutors SAT Practice, Prep, Flashcards app offers materials for all three test sections – Math, Critical Reading, and Writing – with an impressive array of free resources. From easy-to-use flashcards to timed, full-length practice tests, you’ll feel prepared for the rigor of test day.
One of the best features is diagnostic testing, which breaks down your performance and helps you hone in on key areas with pertinent materials. Before diving into the mock exam, you can also choose from focused concept lists for a quick refresher.
For less intensive study, there’s a Question of the Day feature that keeps your mind sharp with challenging queries similar to those on the SAT exam.
Memorize: Learn SAT Vocabulary by LIKECRAZY, Inc
Available on:
- App Store ($4.99)
- Google Play ($4.99)
Top 3 Features:
- More than 6,000 words in an intuitive flashcard format.
- AI-based difficulty progression.
- Built-in audio pronunciation.
About Memorize: Learn SAT Vocabulary:
No matter where you are in your SAT prep journey, you can easily squeeze a few minutes with Memorize: Learn SAT vocabulary into your day without feeling like you’re wasting time. That’s thanks to the AI platform that adapts the study materials to your level, ensuring you’re only working on the words you still need to learn rather than the words you already know.
As you progress through the 6,000-word dictionary, the app increases the difficulty level accordingly while tracking your overall performance. It also increases the size of the flashcard set, pulling out words you’ve mastered and reshuffling in the ones that need review.
SAT Exam Prep and Practice by Magoosh
Available on:
Top 3 Features:
- Extensive video lesson library.
- Material progress tracker to help you monitor your learning.
- Easy user interface and clean layout.
About SAT Exam Prep and Practice:
If you’re starting from scratch with your studying, there are few better options than the Magoosh SAT Exam Prep and Practice app. It’s formatted similarly to an online course, with video lessons, more than 1,500 questions, and a built-in study schedule to keep you on track.
The 200+ video library is ideal for students who have already done diagnostic tests and know the content areas they need to work on or those who are just starting to study and want to go over all possible topics on the exam.
In addition to the practical materials, you also have any-time access to tutors who can help you nail particular concepts and video explanations for questions you are struggling with.
PerfectPrep– ACT & SAT Prep by Accellab, LLC
Available on:
- App Store ($9.99 per month)
Top 3 Features:
- Users can create their own flashcard sets from the available words.
- Share your progress with accountability partners.
- 7-day free trial.
About PerfectPrep– ACT & SAT Prep:
Whether you’re planning on taking both the ACT and SAT or only want to focus on one, PerfectPrep is a comprehensive app with integrated social features to help you stay accountable to your study plan.
You’ll begin your SAT prep journey by setting your test date, allowing the app to divide the study materials into daily practice sections, and ensuring you cover every concept before sitting for the exam.
The subject practice tests, flashcards, knowledge base, and video lessons provide an unbeatable support system to prepare you for the in-app timed practice exams that provide a predicted score based on your performance and detailed explanations for incorrect answers.
SAT Flashcards: Prep and Vocab by Magoosh
Available on:
Top 3 Features:
- Math and English words are organized into flashcard decks.
- The “smart” review adjusts the overall difficulty and how often words appear.
- Wordlist created by expert SAT tutors.
About SAT Flashcards: Prep and Vocab:
Magoosh gets a second entry on our list of the best apps for SAT prep with their vocabulary-focused SAT Flashcards platform. Unlike similar apps of this ilk, it focuses on both Critical Reading words and math concept vocabulary, setting it apart as one of the most helpful flashcard programs you can invest your time in.
Each deck includes definitions, sentences, and an efficient learning algorithm that adjusts the difficulty while tracking your progress. However, it only consists of 350 words, so it’s best to use it as a supplement rather than your primary prep resource.
Almost Fun SAT by Almost Fun, Inc.
Available on:
- App Store (Free)
Top 3 Features:
- Completely ad-free, which means fewer distractions.
- Engaging topics make practicing for the SAT (almost) fun.
- Available offline, so you always have access to study materials.
About Almost Fun SAT:
The founder of Almost Fun SAT built the app with low-income and non-traditional learners in mind based on her experiences growing up in rural China and as a first-generation immigrant to the United States.
After watching how deeply the inequity of access to prep materials affected her family and neighbors, she set out to create a way to provide students who might only have a few minutes between school, jobs, and family obligations to tap into the content.
Not only is it designed to be engaging – with short videos, exciting topics, and personalized instruction – but it also includes real-world examples of how the information serves young professionals in their careers.
Suppose you find repetitive study unbearable or question the purpose of learning topics like grammar, geometry, and vocabulary. In that case, this app could be the catalyst you need to stay on track.
New SAT Vocabulary by Hola Academy
Available on:
- App Store (Free)
- Google Play (Free)
Top 3 Features:
- Words are arranged from beginner to advanced for levelized learning.
- The game-based format keeps you engaged.
- An in-app discussion forum connects you with other students for support and tips.
About New SAT Vocabulary:
Conquer your SAT word study goals with Hola Academy’s New SAT Vocabulary, packed with over 1,000 words curated by an expert team of researchers. It is organized into four levels – Pre-Beginner, Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced – with multiple units of study within each.
You can access four app modes, including multiple-choice, spelling, true/false, and matching, so you can select the mode that appeals to your learning style in a fun, gamified learning environment. No matter what you choose, each word includes illustrations to help make the vocabulary more concrete.
The app also analyzes your progress to help you target the vocabulary you’re struggling with and provides valuable diagnostic statistics to keep you up-to-date on your growing knowledge.
SAT Math Test Prep by YourTeacher.com
Available on:
- App Store (Free to download, $9.99 one-time purchase for full access)
Top 3 Features:
- Access the pro version with a 3-day free trial before you commit to purchase.
- Detailed video instructions walk you through the process and equations for solving problems.
- Lessons are brief but informative.
About SAT Math Test Prep:
Math is a point of contention for many learners, often causing anxiety about taking the SAT exam. One way to conquer stress is to practice concepts you’re unsure of, and SAT Math Test Prep offers that in a simple app.
While it’s not as feature-laden as many other options on this list, it is one of the best math-focused resources, making it valuable for those who feel confident about the exam’s Critical Reading and Writing sections.
This app is an excellent option if you’re hoping to squeeze some quick SAT math prep into your day. Just be aware that you may need to supplement with additional resources to practice topics other than mathematics.
Khan Academy
Available on:
- App Store (Free)
- Google Play (Free)
Top 3 Features:
- The personalized learning library covers an impressive topic range for more in-depth learning.
- Includes eight official College Board practice exams.
- Provides personalized practice recommendations and instant feedback.
About Khan Academy:
Most students are familiar with Khan Academy but may not be aware that it offers one of the most comprehensive SAT prep apps available on the market. In addition to thousands of interactive quizzes, lessons, and hints, you’ll also be able to put your skills to the test with eight official practice exams from the College Board.
While that’s already impressive, what truly sets Khan Academy apart as the best app for SAT prep is its personalization. Once you complete the practice tests, College Board sends Khan Academy your results, tailoring your upcoming lessons to target what you missed specifically. This resource isn’t available through any other app that we could find.
They also provide start-to-finish support, with diagnostic quizzes and study tips to help you begin your journey to college admission content that empowers you with information as you choose the right school based on your future goals.
It also comes with many standard features, including a customized practice schedule, video content, and question explanations, making it one of the most jam-packed resources for acing the exam.
SAT Prep App by Guilardi Mob
Available on:
- Google Play (Free with in-app purchases to turn off ads)
Top 3 Features:
- Earn badges as you move through the material.
- Tutorial videos help you master complex topics.
- View analytics about your strengths and weaknesses.
About SAT Prep App:
Guilardi Mob’s SAT Prep App is newly enhanced for 2022 and brings a veritable cornucopia of practice questions, video lessons, and mock exams to your smartphone. With more than 1,000 questions with detailed answer explanations, it’s ideal for those who are starting from scratch or want to cover every topic that they might face during the actual test.
As you move through the material, you’ll earn badges and receive reports on your progress, adding an element of gamification that infuses a little fun into your daily study routine. It also customizes its course offerings according to your practice results, making your review more efficient and effective.
One thing to keep in mind is that the app does display ads at any time, including during practice tests. You can turn them off with an additional purchase, but this may not be the best choice if you’re looking for a free app without distractions.
Wrapping Up
The SAT is one of the most important events of a college-bound high schooler’s life, so being well-prepared is crucial. With the best SAT prep app, you can find low-cost, convenient study materials that help you achieve the score you’re dreaming of without the downfalls of more traditional study strategies.
Finding apps that appeal to your learning style is one of the best benefits. Rather than investing time, money, and energy into resources only to find them impossible to get through, you can quickly delete apps you don’t like and try again with a different one.
That means that studying feels less like a chore and more like an accomplishment, helping you grow your confidence as you get closer to test day.
Good luck, and study hard!
