The online and paper ACT have the same sections and the same number of questions, and you take both at a test center. The online version adds a built-in Desmos calculator and on-screen tools, and ACT says its scores usually come back sooner. The catch is the device. ACT does not support personal Chromebooks, laptops in Windows S mode, iPads or other tablets.
What is the difference between the online and paper ACT?
| Online | Paper | |
|---|---|---|
| Where | A test center. There is no home testing. | A test center |
| Device | Your own laptop, or one from the test center, chosen when you register | None. You work in a test booklet. |
| Calculator | Built-in Desmos, or your own permitted calculator | Your own permitted calculator |
| Tools | Highlighter, line reader, answer masking, option eliminator, mark for review, magnification, color contrast | No. 2 pencils. Mechanical pencils and pens are not allowed. |
| Scores | ACT says usually sooner than paper | On the dated release in ACT's table |
| Questions | Same content and the same number of questions | |
Sources: ACT's online testing page and test-day checklist, checked on 18 September 2026. Outside the US there is no choice to make: international ACT testing is online only, as covered in the ACT for international students.
Which devices work for the online ACT?
ACT's online testing page says personal Chromebooks, Windows S mode, iPads and tablets are "not supported at this time". If you bring your own laptop, ACT's test-day page says it must be fully charged and you must bring the charger. ACT also has you install its test software, called ACT Gateway, before test day. Run through its setup guide the week you register, so a problem has time to be fixed.
If your only computer is a Chromebook or a tablet, you have two ways out. Ask for a test-center device when you register, or take the paper test.
The SAT's Bluebook app has its own, different device rules, which we cover in SAT device requirements for Bluebook. A laptop that passes one set of rules has not automatically passed the other.
Can you use Desmos on the ACT?
On the online test, yes. ACT's calculator policy says students taking the ACT online have the Desmos graphing calculator built into the testing platform. On paper, there is no Desmos. You bring your own calculator or go without.
On either format, calculators are allowed only on the Math test. ACT bans calculators with computer algebra systems, including every TI-89 and TI-92, the TI-Nspire CAS, the HP Prime and the Casio ClassPad models. The ordinary TI-Nspire, without CAS, is allowed. Check your exact model against ACT's calculator policy the week before, not the morning of.
If you already practice Math on Desmos, the online format keeps that tool in front of you. Our Desmos guide is written for the SAT, but the graphing habits carry over.
Do online ACT scores come back faster?
ACT says so. Its scores page says online scores are usually available sooner than paper ones, because ACT receives an online test as soon as you finish it.
How much sooner is less clear, because ACT's pages give different windows. The scores page says over 97% of scores are online within one to four weeks. The online testing page says two to eight weeks for multiple choice, and five to eight weeks if you took Writing. The test-date table gives a single release date for paper scores on each test. Plan around that dated release, and treat anything earlier as a bonus.
This matters most in October. Paper scores from the 17 October test release on 27 October, five days before 1 November early deadlines. The full calendar is in ACT test dates for 2026-27.
When does the online ACT end?
ACT asks you to be inside the test center by 8:00 a.m. and does not admit late arrivals. Its test-day page gives these end times for the online test:
| What you registered for | Online test ends |
|---|---|
| ACT (English, Math, Reading) | 11:05 a.m. |
| ACT with Science | 11:55 a.m. |
| ACT with Writing | 12:00 p.m. |
| ACT with Science and Writing | 1:00 p.m. |
Should you take the ACT online or on paper?
| If this sounds like you | Choose |
|---|---|
| You need scores fast for an early deadline | Online |
| You do your Math on Desmos | Online |
| You mark up passages and work problems in the margins | Paper |
| Reading on a screen for two hours wears you out | Paper |
| Your only computer is a Chromebook or a tablet | Paper, or a test-center device |
You pick the format when you register. ACT lets you change it until the late registration deadline, for its $49 change fee. The content does not change with the format, and neither does the Composite: both are built as described in how the ACT is scored.
Frequently asked questions
Is the online ACT taken at home?
No. The online ACT is taken at a test center, on your own laptop or a device provided by the center. ACT does not offer home testing for the national ACT.
Can I use a Chromebook for the online ACT?
Not a personal one. ACT's online testing page says personal Chromebooks, Windows S mode, iPads and tablets are not supported. Bring a laptop that passes ACT's setup guide, request a test-center device, or take the paper test.
Does the online ACT have a Desmos calculator?
Yes. ACT says students taking the ACT online have the Desmos graphing calculator built into the testing platform. Paper testers bring their own permitted calculator.
Are online ACT scores faster than paper?
ACT says online scores are usually available sooner, because it receives the test as soon as you finish. Its pages give different windows, so plan around the dated paper release in ACT's test-date table.
Is the online ACT the same as the paper ACT?
Yes in content. Both formats have the same sections and the same number of questions. The differences are the device, the built-in tools and calculator, and how fast scores arrive.
Can I switch from paper to online after registering?
Yes, until the late registration deadline, for ACT's $49 change fee. For the 17 October 2026 test, that deadline is 29 September.