5 Steps to a 5 vs MaxYourScore
5 Steps to a 5 is a printed review book from McGraw Hill, one per AP subject, paid once. MaxYourScore is an online course for all 40 AP subjects with a video and quiz for every unit, 5 full-length practice exams per subject with a written exam that you can take on screen or print, rubric feedback on free-response answers and an AI tutor. Most AP exams are now taken in the Bluebook app, so on-screen practice matches test day for most subjects.
Facts about 5 Steps to a 5 checked 2026-11-11 from publisher and retailer listings for the 2027 editions; editions differ, so check the publisher's page for your subject.
Side by side
| Feature | 5 Steps to a 5 | MaxYourScore |
|---|---|---|
| Format | Printed book, plus online practice tests, flashcards and a study plan | Website and app: video lessons, note packets, quizzes, practice exams |
| Price | $29.32 list per subject, paid once (often less at Amazon) | $7.99/month or $49.99/year per subject; Unit 1 of every subject free |
| Full-length practice exams | 3 in the 2027 editions we checked | 5 per subject with a written exam (classic format; 2027-format exams being added) |
| Practice that matches Bluebook | Explains the Bluebook format; interactive online practice tests | Timed sections with flag-for-review, answer elimination, highlighting, notes, zoom and a line reader |
| Paper practice | Yes | Printable exam booklets with a bubble answer sheet, and printable note packets |
| Video lessons | Not listed by the publisher | One video per unit for every subject |
| Free-response feedback | Answer explanations for the practice tests | Rubric grading of typed answers or photos of handwritten answers |
| Tutor | Not listed by the publisher | AI tutor that gives hints and asks questions instead of handing over answers |
| Study plan | Three model study schedules, plus personalized online plans | A study planner built from your exam date, plus a diagnostic that ranks weak units |
| Score estimate | Score your own practice test | Predicted AP score range after each practice exam |
| Money back | Store return policy | 30-day money-back guarantee, plus a Score Guarantee |
What it costs
- A spring review (one subject): 3 months of MaxYourScore cost $23.97, against a $29.32 list price for the book. You can cancel after the exam.
- A full school year (one subject): the annual plan is $49.99, more than the book. You also get the videos, 5 practice exams for subjects with a written exam, free-response grading and the tutor.
- Before you pay anything: Unit 1 of every subject is free with no sign-up, and each subject has a free study guide and a free 20-question practice test.
- Guarantees: every paid plan has a 30-day money-back guarantee. The Score Guarantee refunds every payment for a subject if you score below a 4 after meeting its conditions. To qualify you must watch every unit video to at least 90%, complete every unit quiz with a best score of at least 70%, and submit five qualifying practice exams (at least 80% of multiple-choice questions answered and every free-response question attempted, the last exam at least 3 days before the official exam); then score below 4 in the same school year and claim within 30 days of score release with your score report. Completion is decided on our server from your recorded activity. Full terms.
Screen or paper?
The AP exam is no longer mainly a paper test. For the 2027 AP exams, 24 subjects are fully digital in the College Board's Bluebook app and 12 are hybrid: you read every question in Bluebook and handwrite free-response answers in a paper booklet.
MaxYourScore covers both. The online exam uses timed sections and the same kinds of tools as Bluebook. When you want to practice by hand, or rest your eyes, print any practice exam as a booklet with a bubble answer sheet and lined answer pages, then enter your answers online to get a score. Time accommodations of 1.5x, 2x or untimed are built in.
Which should you pick?
Pick 5 Steps to a 5 if…
- you want to study entirely offline
- you learn best by reading
- you want to pay once and keep the book
Pick MaxYourScore if…
- you want more full-length practice exams, on screen or on paper
- you want feedback on your free-response answers
- you learn best from short videos and a tutor that asks questions
- you want a plan built from your exam date and weak units
Plenty of students use both: a book for reading, MaxYourScore for practice and feedback.
Questions
- Is MaxYourScore cheaper than 5 Steps to a 5?
- For one subject studied over a few months, yes or about even. 3 months of MaxYourScore cost $23.97, against a $29.32 list price for a 2027 5 Steps to a 5 book. Studied all school year, the annual plan is $49.99 for one subject, more than the book. Unit 1 of every subject is free, so you can try it before paying.
- Are AP exams taken on paper or on a computer?
- Mostly on a computer. For the 2027 AP exams, 24 subjects are fully digital in the College Board's Bluebook app and 12 are hybrid: you read every question in Bluebook and handwrite free-response answers in a paper booklet. So on-screen practice matches most exams, and handwriting practice still matters for the hybrid subjects.
- Can I practice on paper with MaxYourScore?
- Yes. With a paid plan, every practice exam can be printed as a booklet with the questions, lined pages for free-response answers and a bubble answer sheet. Afterwards you enter your letters online for a score, and you can photograph handwritten free-response answers to have them graded against the rubric. Note packets print too.
- How many practice exams does each one have?
- The 2027 5 Steps to a 5 editions we checked (AP Calculus AB, Biology, U.S. History and Psychology) advertise 3 full-length practice tests. MaxYourScore has 5 full-length classic practice exams for each subject with a written exam, and is adding exams in the 2027 format.
- Does MaxYourScore have a study schedule like 5 Steps to a 5?
- Yes. The study planner builds a day-by-day plan from your AP exam date and how many minutes a night you have, and the diagnostic ranks your weakest units so the plan starts there.
- When is 5 Steps to a 5 the better choice?
- If you want to study entirely offline, prefer reading to watching, or want to pay once and keep the book, a review book is a good fit. Many students use a book for reading and MaxYourScore for practice exams, feedback and the tutor.