Khan Academy is one of the most widely used educational platforms in the world, and for good reason. It is free, well-organised, and covers a broad range of high school subjects. Most students preparing for college-level exams encounter it at some point.
But "covers a broad range" is not the same as "covers everything your teen needs." Catalyst Test Prep offers six distinct programmes: SAT, ACT, PSAT, AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC, and AP Physics. Across those six subjects, Khan Academy has no dedicated content for two of them, significant structural gaps in three more, and only one area where it functions as a genuinely strong standalone resource.
This guide covers every subject side by side, so you can make a fully informed decision rather than discovering the gaps after your teen has spent weeks on the wrong resource.
This is the one area where Khan Academy is genuinely strong. Its Official SAT Practice is a formal College Board partnership, meaning the content comes directly from the organisation that creates the SAT. That makes it the most accurate free practice resource available for any standardised test.
Khan Academy's SAT offering includes:
College Board research covering nearly 250,000 students found that completing 20 or more hours of Official SAT Practice on Khan Academy is linked to an average score gain of 115 points. That is a meaningful result from a free resource.
What Khan Academy cannot provide is live instruction. When a student keeps missing the same question type repeatedly, Khan shows the correct answer and a written explanation. It cannot observe the student's reasoning process, identify where the thinking breaks down, and correct it in real time. For students who plateau after initial gains, or who are targeting a score above 1350, that instruction gap is where progress stalls.
Catalyst adds: 1:1 live sessions with a dedicated tutor, a diagnostic-driven personalised plan, a score improvement guarantee, and monthly parent progress reports. The most effective approach for most students is to use Khan Academy as the primary practice material and Catalyst for live instruction, which is exactly how many Catalyst students structure their prep. For more on why the format difference matters, see our comparison of 1:1 SAT tutoring vs. group classes.
The PSAT and the SAT share the same College Board framework, which means Khan Academy's SAT prep material is broadly relevant to PSAT preparation. Students can use the same exercises, videos, and practice recommendations for both tests.
However, there is no dedicated PSAT course on Khan Academy, and there is a meaningful strategic difference between SAT prep and PSAT prep that this overlap does not address. The PSAT/NMSQT is not just a practice SAT. It is the qualifying test for the National Merit Scholarship Programme, and students who score in the top percentile (the Selection Index threshold varies by state) become National Merit Semifinalists. That status carries scholarship eligibility and college application advantages that go well beyond the test score itself.
Preparing strategically for the PSAT means understanding the specific scoring thresholds in your state, allocating prep time accordingly, and building toward a specific Selection Index target rather than a general SAT improvement. That level of strategic focus is not available through a self-paced platform.
Catalyst's PSAT preparation is built around the student's individual target score and timeline, with live instruction that accounts for the specific scoring structure and stakes of the PSAT/NMSQT. For families with a student who has National Merit potential, this difference matters significantly.
This is the starkest gap in the comparison. There is no ACT prep course on Khan Academy. There are no ACT practice tests, no ACT-specific strategy content, no lessons organised around the ACT's unique structure, and no content for the ACT Science section, which has no equivalent on the SAT or in any of Khan Academy's test prep material.
Students can use Khan Academy's general math and grammar content, which overlaps with some ACT subject matter. But using general subject resources is not the same as ACT preparation. The ACT has a different format, different pacing demands, different question logic, and a Science section that tests data analysis and experimental reasoning skills. None of that is covered.
For any student who is taking the ACT, this comparison is effectively settled. Khan Academy cannot help with ACT preparation. Catalyst offers a full 1:1 live ACT programme covering all four sections (English, Math, Reading, and Science), with ACT-specific strategy, timed practice tests, and the same diagnostic-driven personalised approach used across all of Catalyst's programmes.
If your teen is still deciding between the SAT and the ACT, a free diagnostic test for both can identify which test format is better suited to their strengths. Many students perform significantly differently on the two exams, and choosing the right one is a strategic decision with real consequences. Our guide to free SAT and ACT diagnostic tools is a useful starting point.
Khan Academy has full AP Calculus AB and AP Calculus BC courses, with video lessons and practice exercises covering limits, derivatives, integrals, series, and the additional units that BC adds beyond AB. The content is well-organised and useful for concept review. For a student who already has a strong math foundation and is using Khan Academy to fill specific knowledge gaps, it is a legitimate resource.
But there are two structural gaps that matter for students targeting a 4 or 5 on the AP exam.
First: Khan Academy's AP courses are not officially reviewed or endorsed by the College Board. Unlike the SAT prep, which is a formal College Board partnership, the AP content is independently produced content aligned to the AP course frameworks. It is not the same as AP Classroom (the College Board's official AP platform, available through schools). This distinction matters when assessing how closely the practice questions mirror actual AP exam difficulty and phrasing.
Second: Free-response questions account for approximately 50% of the AP Calculus score, and Khan Academy does not provide structured FRQ preparation. AP Calculus FRQs are not just harder versions of multiple-choice questions. They require specific notation, step-by-step written justification, correct use of units, and clear mathematical communication that the College Board graders score against explicit rubrics. Students who practice only multiple-choice questions, however thoroughly, arrive at the exam unprepared for half of their score.
Catalyst's AP Calculus preparation includes live sessions focused on FRQ structure, notation, and justification practice. Tutors work through past AP FRQs with students, score responses against College Board rubrics, and build the written mathematical communication skills that multiple-choice practice alone cannot develop. For students targeting college credit or placement, this is where the outcome difference between free content and structured instruction shows up most directly.
AP Physics is where the distance between Khan Academy and Catalyst is most significant, for two separate reasons.
AP Physics C does not exist on Khan Academy. Khan Academy has AP Physics 1 and AP Physics 2, which are algebra-based physics courses. AP Physics C (Mechanics and Electricity and Magnetism) is calculus-based, and there is no dedicated AP Physics C course on Khan Academy as of 2025. Khan Academy has publicly stated it is building AP Physics C courses, but they have not launched. Students who need AP Physics C preparation cannot rely on Khan Academy for this subject at all.
For AP Physics 1 and 2, Khan Academy's content has meaningful limitations for exam readiness. Khan Academy's AP Physics 1 course was significantly updated in June 2025 to align with the College Board's revised Course and Exam Description, which is a positive development. The core concepts are covered. However:
AP Physics 1 consistently has one of the lowest pass rates of any AP exam. Roughly 42 to 48 percent of students who take the exam score a 3 or above. That pass rate reflects the difficulty of the subject and the inadequacy of most self-study approaches for a course that requires integrating conceptual physics reasoning with mathematical problem-solving and experimental analysis.
Catalyst's AP Physics preparation covers all relevant course variants with live 1:1 instruction that goes beyond what any free platform can provide: hard multi-step problem practice, experimental design coaching, FRQ structure, and exam-specific strategy from a tutor who knows the student's specific gaps.
Not sure where your teen stands across their SAT, ACT, or AP subjects? A free diagnostic from Catalyst maps exactly which topics need the most work, so you start with a plan rather than a guess.
A fair comparison acknowledges what Khan Academy gets right, and it gets a lot right.
Across every subject, the structural difference is the same: Khan Academy provides content. Catalyst provides instruction.
Content tells you what the answer is. Instruction tells you why you got it wrong and what to change. Those two things produce very different outcomes over a 12 to 24 week preparation period, especially for students who are not naturally strong self-studiers or who are targeting competitive scores and grades.
Specifically, across all six Catalyst programmes, live instruction adds:
For a student who is self-directed, starting well ahead of their exam or test date, and working on a subject where Khan Academy has adequate content, self-study is a legitimate approach. For students targeting strong outcomes on any of the six programmes Catalyst offers, the consistent pattern in the research is that structured live instruction accelerates progress more reliably than self-paced content alone. Our guide to why personalised prep works better than generic courses covers the underlying reasons in detail.
Khan Academy is likely the right starting point if:
Catalyst is the more appropriate choice if:
If you are still deciding which path makes sense for your teen's specific situation, the clearest first step is a diagnostic test that shows exactly where they stand across the relevant subjects. Our guide to signs your teen needs personalised prep can also help clarify whether structured instruction is the right next step. For families thinking through the financial side, our breakdown of the ROI of test preparation puts the investment in context against scholarship eligibility and college outcomes.
No. Khan Academy has no dedicated ACT prep course, no ACT-specific practice tests, and no ACT strategy content. Students can use Khan Academy's general math and grammar lessons, which overlap with some ACT topics, but there is no structured ACT programme. Catalyst Test Prep offers a full 1:1 live ACT curriculum covering all four ACT sections: English, Math, Reading, and Science.
No. Catalyst offers SAT, ACT, PSAT, AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC, and AP Physics. Khan Academy has no ACT course and no AP Physics C course. For AP Calculus and AP Physics 1 and 2, Khan Academy has free content but no full-length AP exam practice and no FRQ coaching, which is a significant gap since free-response questions account for roughly half of most AP exam scores.
No. Khan Academy's Official SAT Practice is a formal College Board partnership, but its AP courses are not officially reviewed or endorsed by the College Board. They are independently produced content aligned to the AP course frameworks. This contrasts with AP Classroom (the College Board's own AP platform, available through schools), which is the official source for AP practice materials and past exam questions.
No, not as of 2025. Khan Academy has AP Physics 1 and AP Physics 2 (algebra-based), but no dedicated AP Physics C Mechanics or AP Physics C Electricity and Magnetism course. Khan Academy has announced these are in development. Students who need AP Physics C preparation currently need to look elsewhere. Catalyst covers AP Physics as part of its 1:1 live tutoring programme.
Not adequately. Khan Academy has strong concept videos and exercises, but does not offer structured FRQ practice with grading, notation coaching, or justification practice. Free-response questions account for roughly 50% of the AP Calculus AB and BC exam scores. This section requires specific written skills: correct notation, step-by-step justification, and clear mathematical communication scored against College Board rubrics, all of which require dedicated practice beyond concept review.
For most students aiming for a 4 or 5, no. AP Physics 1 has one of the lowest pass rates of any AP exam. Khan Academy's updated AP Physics 1 course covers core concepts well, but its practice problems lean toward single-concept questions rather than the complex multi-step problems on the actual exam. It also lacks adequate FRQ practice and full-length timed exam simulations, both of which are essential for exam readiness beyond content knowledge.
Khan Academy's SAT prep covers the PSAT skill set, since both tests use the same College Board framework. However, there is no dedicated PSAT-specific course, and the strategic focus needed for PSAT prep (particularly for students targeting National Merit Scholarship eligibility) differs from general SAT improvement. Catalyst's PSAT preparation is built around individual score targets, including the state-specific Selection Index thresholds relevant to National Merit qualification.
Yes. Catalyst Test Prep offers a score improvement guarantee across its programmes. Khan Academy does not offer any form of outcome guarantee, which is expected for a free resource. For families investing in dedicated exam or AP preparation, Catalyst's guarantee provides accountability and confidence that the programme is oriented toward a measurable result, not just content delivery.
Yes, and for subjects where Khan Academy has content, the combination works well. Khan Academy's concept videos and exercises serve as useful review material between Catalyst sessions. Tutors often direct students to specific Khan Academy modules for concept reinforcement, while live sessions focus on harder problems, FRQ coaching, and exam strategy. For ACT and AP Physics C, Khan Academy has no content to supplement.
Catalyst provides live 1:1 instruction covering not just conceptual content but also free-response coaching, timed exam practice, notation and justification skills, and exam-specific strategy. Khan Academy provides free concept review but no live instruction, no FRQ preparation, and no outcome guarantee. For students targeting a 4 or 5 on AP exams, particularly in calculus and physics, the difference between concept exposure and structured exam preparation has a direct impact on results.
Khan Academy is a genuinely valuable resource, and for SAT prep in particular, it is the best free option available. Used consistently and honestly, it produces real score improvements for the right type of student.
But across six subjects, the pattern is consistent: Khan Academy covers concepts. It does not cover the ACT. It does not cover AP Physics C. It does not coach FRQ technique. It does not tell your teen why the same question type keeps tripping them up. And it does not guarantee any outcome.
For students with competitive score targets, approaching AP exams with a specific grade goal, or taking the ACT, structured live instruction is not a luxury upgrade on top of Khan Academy. It is the part that makes the difference between consistent improvement and a plateau that self-study alone cannot break through.
The clearest starting point, regardless of which path you choose, is to know exactly where your teen stands. A free diagnostic shows which subjects need the most work, sets a realistic timeline to test or exam day, and makes every study hour count rather than guessing at priorities.
Ready to turn a prep plan into real score and grade gains? Catalyst's 1:1 live online programme across SAT, ACT, PSAT, AP Calculus, and AP Physics starts with a free diagnostic to benchmark your teen's starting point and build a personalised path to their goal.
