SAT prep compared
Khan Academy vs Pathiva for the Digital SAT
Khan Academy: free Digital SAT courses. Pathiva: Digital SAT practice tests with an AI Score Debrief and an AI coach. Here’s what each gives you for the Digital SAT, and what each costs.
Khan Academy vs Pathiva: the short answer
Khan Academy has free Digital SAT courses with lessons and practice by skill, but no full-length practice tests of its own. Pathiva adds 10 full-length practice tests, an AI Score Debrief after every test and a 24/7 AI coach that knows your results. It costs $80 for 6 months, about $14 a month.
- No credit card
- 800+ students
- Score guarantee on Premium
Khan Academy and Pathiva, side by side
| Khan Academy | Pathiva | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free; its AI tutor, Khanmigo, is $4 a month | $80 for 6 months, about $14 a month |
| Free to use | Yes: Every SAT lesson, video and practice question | Partly: A free 40-question diagnostic with a projected score, no card needed, plus 4 free SAT tools |
| Full-length practice tests | No: None of its own: it points you to the free Bluebook tests | Yes: 10 full-length Digital SAT practice tests |
| Test tools like the real SAT’s | No: Lessons and exercises, not a test screen | Yes: Desmos calculator, reference sheet and Mark for Review, as in Bluebook |
| Question bank and custom quizzes | Partly: Practice exercises for every skill, at 3 levels | Yes: SAT question bank with custom quizzes by skill, length and timing |
| Quizzes picked from your results | Partly: A Course Challenge shows which skills to work on; you pick the practice | Yes: Smart quizzes picked from your practice history, plus retries of questions you missed |
| Questions written by people | Yes: Developed with College Board | Yes: Written by SAT educators, not generated by AI |
| Answer explanations | Yes: Written explanations, hints and short video walkthroughs | Yes: A written, step-by-step explanation for every answer |
| Review of every practice test, with what to fix first | Partly: A review course for each official Bluebook test, the same for everyone | Yes: An AI Score Debrief after every test: where your points went and what to fix first |
| AI tutor or coach that knows your results | Partly: Khanmigo, an AI tutor at $4 a month, for learners 18+ in the US or through a parent’s plan | Yes: A 24/7 AI coach that answers from your own results |
| Personal study plan | Partly: Mastery tracking, plus a Course Challenge that shows your gaps | Yes: A 7-day study plan after every practice test |
| Score guarantee | No: None, as a free course | Yes: 100+ points over a recent official SAT score, or a full refund; conditions apply |
This comparison covers what Pathiva offers, so it isn’t a full list of what Khan Academy has. Every fact about Khan Academy comes from official pages, listed at the end.
Why choose Pathiva
Choose Pathiva if…
- You want 10 full-length practice tests, timed like test day.
- You want a Score Debrief after every practice test: where your points went and which fixes are worth the most.
- You want to ask an AI coach questions at any hour and get answers based on your own test results.
- You want a 100+ point score guarantee: finish all 10 tests, and if your next official SAT isn’t 100+ points above a recent one, get your $80 back.
- You want quizzes picked for you from your own practice history, so you don’t have to choose what to drill.
- You want to drill the exact skills you miss, with quizzes built from a question bank.
- You want a short plan for the week, rebuilt after every practice test you take.
- You want to practice on a screen like the real SAT’s, with the Desmos calculator built in.
Also included with Pathiva
- Questions written by SAT educators
- A step-by-step explanation for every answer
Pathiva’s score guarantee has conditions: you need an official SAT score from the 6 months before you buy, all 10 practice tests done within your 6 months, and an official SAT within 30 days of your last one. It refunds the $80 you paid, once per customer. See the Terms and Conditions.
See where your points are before you choose
Take a free 40-question diagnostic in a Bluebook-style interface. You get a projected score and the skills to fix first.
How much Khan Academy costs
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Digital SAT Math; Reading and Writing | Free | Lessons, practice at 3 levels and short videos |
| Khanmigo | $4 a month or $44 a year | The AI tutor, for learners 18+ in the US or through a parent’s plan |
Prices as Khan Academy listed them on October 28, 2026, in US dollars. They change, so check before you buy.
How much Pathiva costs
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | A free 40-question diagnostic with a projected score, no card needed, plus 4 free SAT tools |
| Premium | $80 for 6 months | 10 full-length practice tests, an AI Score Debrief after every test, a 24/7 AI coach that knows your results, smart quizzes picked from your practice history, a question bank with custom quizzes, a 7-day study plan after every practice test and a 100+ point score guarantee (with conditions) |
All sales are final except under the score guarantee: see the Terms and Conditions.
What Khan Academy offers for the SAT
Khan Academy has 2 free Digital SAT courses, one for Math and one for Reading and Writing, with lessons, practice exercises at 3 levels and short video walkthroughs. A Course Challenge, a short test covering all the skills, suggests which ones to work on.
It has no full-length practice tests of its own: it sends students to College Board’s Bluebook app for those, and it doesn’t import scores from them. Its review course for each official test is the same for everyone.
Khanmigo, Khan Academy’s AI tutor, costs $4 a month or $44 a year. Learners must be 18 or older and in the US, or get it through a parent’s plan.
Questions about Khan Academy and Pathiva
Does Khan Academy have SAT practice tests?
Not full-length ones. Its courses have practice exercises, and for full-length practice tests Khan Academy sends students to College Board’s Bluebook app.
Is Khan Academy SAT prep free?
Yes. The Digital SAT courses are free. Khanmigo, its AI tutor, costs $4 a month or $44 a year.
Is Khan Academy enough for the SAT?
Its courses cover the skills on the Digital SAT. For full-length practice tests it sends students to College Board’s Bluebook app, and its review course for each official test is the same for everyone: it doesn’t import or see your scores.
What’s a good alternative to Khan Academy for the SAT?
Pathiva, if you want 10 full-length practice tests, an AI Score Debrief after every test and a 24/7 AI coach that knows your results. It costs $80 for 6 months, about $14 a month, and you can start with the free 40-question diagnostic.
How much does Khan Academy cost compared with Pathiva?
Khan Academy: Free; its AI tutor, Khanmigo, is $4 a month. Pathiva: $80 for 6 months, about $14 a month.
Pathiva makes this comparison. Every fact about Khan Academy comes from the pages below, as they read on October 28, 2026:
- Helping your students prepare for the Digital SAT (Khan Academy help center, for teachers) (opens in a new tab)
- Digital SAT courses (opens in a new tab)
- Khanmigo for learners (opens in a new tab)
- Khanmigo for parents (opens in a new tab)
- Khanmigo for the SAT (Khan Academy blog) (opens in a new tab)
- Khan Academy’s SAT courses (College Board) (opens in a new tab)
- Review courses for the official tests (College Board) (opens in a new tab)
Something out of date? Tell us at info@pathiva.com.
Khan Academy is a trademark of Khan Academy, Inc. Khan Academy is not affiliated with, and does not endorse, Pathiva.