GRE Exam Books: Best Preparation & Study Materials

Two free POWERPREP Online tests from ETS come before any GRE books you buy. They are full-length practice tests, and ETS adds a free Math Review PDF. Paid official GRE books come next, and books from other publishers come last. ETS says many people prepared using only free materials.

The GRE books 2027 list you need depends on your starting level. Read the GRE syllabus first so you know what the GRE books must cover. Then use the GRE exam pattern to plan your practice around the real timing.

The best GRE books 2027 list has three layers of GRE books for preparation. They are free ETS tools, paid ETS books and tests, and unofficial books from other publishers. Official material has real GRE questions, so it comes before everything else.

Which are the best GRE books for 2027?

The best GRE books are The Official Guide to the GRE General Test and two Official GRE practice question books. ETS publishes both, and they carry real GRE questions. Use the free POWERPREP tests and the free Math Review alongside them.

Are GRE books from ETS enough?

For many candidates, yes. The GRE books ETS publishes are a base. ETS states that many people have prepared successfully using only the free materials. Add paid official GRE books online from ETS when you want more real questions. Add unofficial books only if you need a different teaching style.

Three checks decide which GRE books 2027 suit your preparation. Did ETS make them? Do they match the current 1 hour 58 minute test? Do they cover your weak section? Get these three right and the brand matters little.

1. Source. Books from ETS use real GRE questions. Other books use questions written by their own authors.
2. Edition. The current test has no Analyze an Argument essay and has 12 and 15 questions per measure. Older editions differ.
3. Weak section. Pick the GRE books that match your lowest section, not the biggest book on the shelf.

Should I buy second-hand GRE books?

A second-hand copy is fine only if it is the current edition and the pages are not marked. A copy from before September 2023 describes the older test. ETS lists its product title for the Official Guide as Fourth Edition, while its description says third edition. Check the cover and the ETS page before you buy GRE books online or in a shop.

Is there a GRE books free PDF?

There is a GRE books free PDF only from ETS, for the Math Review. It has 198 pages, with exercises and answers for each part. A free PDF of a paid GRE book is not an ETS release. Use the Math Review link on this page. ETS also gives sample questions with explanations on the section pages of its website.

The right GRE books depend on your prep style, so decide that before you spend money. The table gives a starting set of GRE books ETS offers for each type of candidate.

The GRE results page explains how to reach the Diagnostic Service. Whatever your style, start with the free tools in the first row.

The best GRE books for Quantitative Reasoning are from ETS. They are the free Math Review and the Official GRE Quantitative Reasoning Practice Questions. The test needs high school maths no higher than a second course in algebra. It has no trigonometry or calculus.

The Quantitative section has four content areas: Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry and Data Analysis. The Math Review covers all four, with exercises and answers.

Which GRE book is best for Quant?

Start with the Math Review, then do the Official Quantitative Reasoning practice questions. The Math Review teaches the topics. The practice questions show how ETS asks them. Practise with the on-screen calculator guidelines that ETS publishes, because you cannot bring your own.

Do I need an extra book for Data Interpretation?

No. Data Interpretation sets are part of the Data Analysis area. The Math Review has a section of data interpretation examples. Add the practice question book if you want more sets.

The best GRE books for Verbal Reasoning are the Official GRE Verbal Reasoning Practice Questions and The Official Guide. The Verbal section tests Reading Comprehension, Text Completion and Sentence Equivalence. ETS publishes no word list.

Passages come from the sciences, business, arts, humanities and everyday topics. No specialised knowledge is assumed. So practise reading across subjects, not only from prep books.

Which GRE book is best for vocabulary?

ETS names no single word-list book. It lists a partner flashcard product at US$50 for six months. Vocabulary is tested through Text Completion and Sentence Equivalence, so also learn words from practice questions. ETS also says a question that looks familiar may differ, so memorising answers does not work.

Which unofficial GRE books cover Verbal?

These are widely used unofficial titles:

• Cracking the GRE (The Princeton Review).
• Kaplan GRE Prep Plus (Kaplan Test Prep).
• Barron's GRE (Barron's Educational Series).
• Manhattan Prep GRE Strategy Guides (Manhattan Prep).
• Nova's GRE Prep Course (Nova Press).

ETS does not endorse them. Edition numbers change, so check that the one you buy matches the post-2023 test.

The best GRE preparation for Analytical Writing is the ETS Issue topic pool and writing practice, not a general book. The test has one 30-minute task, Analyze an Issue. The Analyze an Argument task was removed in 2023.

Which GRE book is best for Analytical Writing?

The Official Guide and the ETS Issue topic pool serve you best among GRE books ETS offers. ETS has published the entire pool of Issue topics, so you can practise on topics that may appear. A trained rater and ETS's e-rater engine score the essay on a 0 to 6 scale. The ETS word processor has no spell-check or grammar-check, so practise typing without them.

Do older GRE books teach the wrong essay?

Yes, if they are from before September 2023. Those books teach two essays, and the test now has one. Skip the Analyze an Argument chapters. The GRE answer key page explains how ETS scores the essay and the score review.

These are the GRE books 2027 profiles, with level, strengths, limits and who should use or skip each title. Official items are marked ETS. Unofficial items are not ETS products.

The Official Guide to the GRE General Test (ETS)

This is the main paid official book. It has real questions and two book tests, plus two POWERPREP Online tests, as ETS describes it. It costs US$45 on the ETS page. It suits self-study candidates at all levels. Strengths: real questions from the makers of the test. Limit: the product title says Fourth Edition while the description says third, so check the cover. Necessary for self-study; optional if you use POWERPREP PLUS.

Official GRE Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning Practice Questions, Volume 1, Third Edition (ETS)

These GRE books ETS sells are two separate books of 150 real questions each, US$25 each. They suit candidates who finished the Official Guide and need more drilling. Strength: extra real questions for one section. Limit: practice sets only, with no full test. Optional.

POWERPREP Online and POWERPREP PLUS Online (ETS)

POWERPREP Online gives two free full-length tests, one untimed and one timed. POWERPREP PLUS adds three more tests with never-before-published real questions, scores, explanations and difficulty levels. ETS prices it at US$44.95 per test. The ETS India page shows ₹3,305.08 per test, read on 20 October 2026. Strength: real questions with scores, explanations and difficulty levels. Limit: paid tests are sold separately. POWERPREP Online is necessary for everyone. POWERPREP PLUS is optional.

Math Review PDF (ETS)

This is a free 198-page PDF with Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry and Data Analysis, with exercises and answers. It suits beginners and candidates away from maths for years. Limit: it teaches topics, not test strategy. Necessary if your maths is rusty.

Other ETS tools

The ETS Super Power Pack costs US$80 and the Value Combo eBook costs US$45 with 300 questions. The Official GRE Mentor is a self-paced course with 500+ authentic practice questions. ETS shows no price on its page. These are optional, and they suit candidates who want a guided course from ETS.

Cracking the GRE (The Princeton Review) and Kaplan GRE Prep Plus (Kaplan Test Prep)

These are unofficial strategy books from test-prep publishers. ETS does not endorse them. Strength: a teaching style different from ETS and extra practice. Limit: the questions are not ETS questions, so difficulty can differ. Suitable for candidates who find the Official Guide dry. Skip them if you have limited money, and buy only a post-2023 edition.

Barron's GRE (Barron's Educational Series), Manhattan Prep GRE Strategy Guides (Manhattan Prep) and Nova's GRE Prep Course (Nova Press)

These are unofficial too, and ETS does not endorse them. Use them as a second opinion on strategy, not as your base. Edition numbers were not checked for this page, so confirm the latest edition with the publisher.

GRE Books: Frequently Asked Questions

GRE books vs coaching material is a question of structure, not content. ETS publishes the real questions, and class material is not ETS content.

A coaching class gives a schedule, someone to ask and feedback on your essays. A book gives questions you can do at your own pace. ETS says many people have prepared successfully using only free materials, so a class is not required.

Use class material for structure and official GRE books for real-question practice. Always check class material against the GRE exam pattern. It must match the post-2023 test, including its single essay.