Every year, on average, over 1.37 million high school graduates worldwide take the ACT for college admissions. It is an important metric that can help you stand out in this competitive race. So, if you are going to take the ACT this year, you must be wondering if there are some good resources that can help you achieve your goals. In this blog, we are going to share some relevant and helpful resources that will improve your score and prepare you for test day.
What Are the Best ACT Prep Books in 2025?
1. Best ACT Prep Book Overall: The Official ACT Prep Guide
Why we recommend this book: Best suited for students who need both in-depth content review and timed practice tests.
Price: US $39, or US $89 when purchased as a set with the four official subject guides.
If you are a student who uses fewer resources and focuses more on practice, and you want a resource that covers the entire ACT content, this is the one to choose. Another reason to select this book over others is that it is created by the same people who make the ACT. The practice questions in this book are some of the most reliable and realistic you will find.
One thing we always say is that to pass any exam, you only need authentic and quality content, multiple revisions, and practice tests—nothing else. This book also includes more practice tests than you might find in other resources. We reviewed this resource and found it includes six full-length practice tests in print, plus access to three additional tests online, making a total of nine. The ACT test makers also provide one free practice test online, which you can access here.
This book also provides access to additional digital study material, including an online practice question bank with 100 practice questions per ACT section.
Another advantage of this book is its detailed answer explanations, which are best for students who struggle to understand short answers. This book also includes tips and tricks that tell you how to approach different types of questions. In short, this is the best comprehensive guide to the ACT and the best place to get your full-length practice exams.
This is why we recommend this book. After looking at it closely, we can say it’s one of the most reliable resources because it’s made by the same people who create the ACT. This resource has the largest collection of full practice tests with detailed answer explanations—not only to learn from your mistakes but also to help you not make those same mistakes on the real exam. That said, it does not provide substantial information on test-taking strategies, so it is recommended to utilize another resource for that piece of your exam preparation.
Other Recommended ACT Prep Resources
If you are looking for other options that cover the entire ACT, the best resources we found are Barron’s ACT Study Guide, which is a great option, and for those looking for additional key test-taking strategies, the ACT Prep Black Book is highly recommended.
2. Barron’s ACT Study Guide
Why we recommend this book: Best for students seeking complete ACT content coverage and plenty of timed practice tests
Price: US $39
As we all know, there are many major companies that publish ACT study guides. Out of the main options out there, we found Barron’s the best for overall prep.
This book includes a total of 6 tests: the first one is a diagnostic test, three are full-length practice tests in print, and two more are online. It also offers a self-assessment and guidance for creating a study plan based on your current level, goal score, and time before test day.
This book also contains more advice on test-taking strategy than many other books in the market. This book will be best for those who want to learn more about how to approach different types of questions and want to learn from realistic advice that has actually helped many students out there.
Many students feel that Barron’s practice questions are more challenging than those in the official practice tests, which is better than having them be too easy.
We recommend always starting with official practice tests or with practice tests that closely mimic the real exam, like ours do. You can then use this book or other trusted resources for extra practice and revisions.
After our analysis, we found several strengths and a few weaknesses in this book. On the positive side, it offers six full-length practice tests, provides practical advice for creating a study plan, and includes questions that generally reflect the style and difficulty of the real ACT. However, some students have noted that the questions can feel harder than those on the official ACT, so we suggest that you go for official ones first.
3. The Princeton Review ACT Prep Book
Why we recommend this book: Best for students seeking complete content review with good test-taking tips
Price: US $25
As we all know, The Princeton Review has been around for a long time helping students with tests. Out of all the prep books we looked at, this one does a good job mixing content review with test strategies.
This book covers all four ACT sections. It explains the concepts you need to know in a clear way. What we like about this book is that it shows you how to think about the test questions. The Princeton Review teaches you ways to get rid of wrong answers fast and pick the right one even when you’re not sure.
The book has four full practice tests. Three are in the book and one is online. This might be fewer tests than other books, but they are good quality. The tests look like the real ACT. The answer explanations help you understand why answers are right or wrong.
Many students have trouble finishing sections on time. This book helps with that problem. It gives you timing tips for each section that actually work.
The book also has practice exercises for areas where students usually struggle. These are good for quick practice when you don’t have time for a whole test.
We found this book works well for students who are getting average scores and want to do better. The tips are easy to use and the content review covers everything without being too much.
4. The ACT Prep Black Book
Best for: Key test-taking strategies and understanding the typical question formats and patterns on the ACT
Price: US $35
It is important to recognize the patterns and traps when planning to take the ACT. Knowing these traps and patterns can prove to be just as beneficial as knowing the content itself. Like other standardized tests, the ACT shows a preference for certain question types and has common errors of reasoning (fallacies) in common incorrect answer choices. Learning about these common patterns will allow you to not only avoid making errors, but the patterns will also highlight the true nature of the question itself.
The ACT Prep Black Book focuses entirely on this side of preparation. Instead of reviewing subject matter, it shows you how that material is tested. You’ll see how questions are usually worded, what kinds of answer traps to expect, and how to approach each section effectively. The book uses official ACT practice questions as examples, which makes the strategies even more reliable.
One thing we always say is that you should prepare for both the what and the how of a test. Knowing the content is important, but knowing how the test makers present that content can make all the difference on test day. This book is designed exactly for that purpose, giving you the tools to think like the ACT and avoid its traps.
If you already feel confident in the ACT’s content but want to improve your speed, accuracy, and time management under pressure, this is one of the best resources to pick up. These strategies can help you pick up extra points even if you’re already a strong student.
Our examination has revealed that the main strength of this book is precisely its clear and practical guidance in taking on the ACT. While it explains how to recognize patterns, avoid traps, and confidently answer each type of question with actual ACT questions as guiding examples, a significant limitation is that it does not cover the actual content. Therefore, it is best when used as a supplementary resource with a more comprehensive text that covers all of the content.
Conclusion
If you want to pass any exam, you need to understand a few things before even getting started. The first thing is to know your “why”—why you want to pass this exam. Then, know “how” you are going to pass it. Learn the format of the exam you’re going to take, understand what kind of questions you will be solving, and decide how you are going to approach them.
The most important thing before starting your preparation is to know which areas you are strong in. But that doesn’t mean you should only study the weaker subjects and ignore the stronger ones. You need to balance your preparation, and here’s why: no one can tell you this better than yourself, because no one knows you better than you.
For the first two weeks, analyze your exam deeply: the exam pattern, format, different sections, and types of questions. To do this, you should look at the official practice tests or the ones that mimic the actual exam. Only then will you truly understand the test. We also suggest taking an official practice test before starting your preparation. This will show you your strong areas and your weak ones.
Once you know this, select a helpful course like our course, where we not only help you boost your score but also guide you to better your admission journey. Our tests mimic the exact ACT exam, so you will be fully prepared for test day.