Dolphin vs Princeton Review for SAT prep: price, format, and fit

Dolphin vs Princeton Review at a glance

Published by Dolphin, one of the two products compared. We checked The Princeton Review’s own pages on October 8, 2026. Prices change, so confirm before buying.

	Dolphin	The Princeton Review
Free option	Free iPhone and Android apps	14-day trial of Self-Paced; free SAT app inside ChatGPT
Paid price	Dolphin Web: $100 a month, $150 every 3 months, or $300 a year	SAT Self-Paced: $299. SAT and ACT Self-Paced: $499. With 10 tutoring hours: $699
Access length	Month, quarter, or year, renewing until you cancel	1 year of access listed for Self-Paced packages
Format	Short adaptive practice sessions plus web practice tests and review	Recorded lessons and practice, with live classes and tutoring sold separately
AI help	Pip, an AI study assistant: hints before you answer, an explanation after	No AI tutor listed on the Self-Paced page
Human teaching	None	Live classes (Essentials lists 18 hours of instruction) and tutoring packages
Questions	10,000+ SAT and ACT questions, each with a short video explanation	Princeton Review lessons, drills, and practice tests
ACT included	Yes, same app	Separate SAT-only and SAT-and-ACT packages
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	Check The Princeton Review’s current terms
Parent view	Free parent account with practice calendar, predicted scores, tests, and skill map	Ask the provider what parents can see

Choose Dolphin if

• Cost matters. Three months of Dolphin Web is $150, and the phone apps are free.
• Your student studies best in short sessions. Dolphin is built for short sessions that adapt to the topics they miss most.
• They want help in the moment. Pip gives hints before they answer and explains the question after.
• You want to follow along. A free parent account shows practice and progress.
• They might switch to the ACT. One Dolphin account covers both tests.

Choose The Princeton Review if

• Your student needs a teacher. Live classes give a fixed schedule and someone to answer questions in real time.
• You want tutoring hours in one package. The $699 package adds 10 hours of on-demand tutoring to self-paced prep for both tests.
• They prefer a long, ordered course with lessons to watch from start to finish.

What both are missing

Neither one is official SAT practice. Use College Board’s free Bluebook practice tests as checkpoints with either tool, and review every missed question. See our guide to reviewing practice tests.

Try Dolphin first for free

Because the Dolphin phone apps are free, your student can try a week of daily practice before you pay for anything. If they need more structure or a live teacher after that, you will know exactly what to look for in a course. See Dolphin plans or our Princeton Review alternatives guide.

Frequently asked questions

Is Dolphin cheaper than Princeton Review?

Usually. Dolphin's phone apps are free, and Dolphin Web costs $150 for 3 months or $300 for a year. Princeton Review's SAT Self-Paced course was listed at $299 for a year of access when we checked on October 8, 2026, and its packages with live teaching or tutoring cost more.

Does Princeton Review have an AI SAT tutor?

Its SAT Self-Paced page did not list an AI tutor when we checked. The Princeton Review does offer a free SAT app inside ChatGPT. Dolphin includes Pip, an AI study assistant that gives hints before you answer and explains the question after.

Which is better for a student who needs a teacher?

The Princeton Review. It sells live classes and packages with tutoring hours. Dolphin is a self-study app with AI help, not a live class or a human tutor.

Can I use Dolphin and Princeton Review together?

Yes. Some students use a course for lessons and Dolphin's free phone app for short daily practice between sessions. Use College Board's free Bluebook tests to check progress with either.