Maqsad
Maqsad is a Karachi-based mobile-first edtech platform preparing Pakistani students for MDCAT, ECAT, BCAT, and O-Level entry exams via live classes, 15,000+ practice MCQs, and mock tests, operating freemium and cohort-based paid batches for individual student consumers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersKarachi, Pakistan
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Maqsad does
Maqsad (Pvt.) Ltd. is a Karachi-based, Pakistan-domiciled edtech company founded in 2021 that operates a mobile-first online entry-test preparation platform. The platform delivers bundled preparation for four high-stakes Pakistani exams: MDCAT (medical and dental college admissions), ECAT (engineering admissions covering NUST, NED, GIKI, UET, and FAST entry tests), BCAT (business school admissions at IBA Karachi and LUMS), and O-Level/IGCSE (Cambridge international curricula). Core product components include daily live classes, recorded video lectures, 15,000+ practice MCQs per exam with adaptive spaced-repetition question banks, weekly full-length mock tests with ranking, performance analytics, and WhatsApp-based instant doubt resolution. Distribution is via a Google Play Android app and a web app at maqsad.io, supported by WhatsApp communities, a YouTube channel, blog content, and institutional partnerships with schools such as Aga Khan, Concordia, The City School, and Citizens Foundation.
The business model combines freemium access with cohort-based paid batches and a newer 1:1 tutoring service. Free tiers provide substantial content to drive top-of-funnel acquisition, while premium plans unlock full question banks, all video lectures, and mock tests. Batches for the 2026 cycle are priced at PKR 10,000-15,000 (approximately $36-$54), materially below the PKR 60,000-65,000 charged by traditional offline academies. Go-to-market is product-led and direct-to-consumer, leveraging word-of-mouth, WhatsApp communities, and social channels. The company has raised approximately $4.9 million in venture funding across a $2.1M pre-seed (Indus Valley Capital, Alter Global, Fatima Gobi Ventures, September 2021) and a $2.8M seed (Speedinvest and Indus Valley Capital, March 2023), and reports 4M+ app downloads, 45,000+ enrolled students, 16M+ doubts resolved, and the #1 education-app ranking on Pakistan's PlayStore.
Maqsad firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Maqsad
- Legal name
- Maqsad (Pvt.) Ltd.
- Website
- https://maqsad.io
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Maqsad is a Karachi-based mobile-first edtech platform preparing Pakistani students for MDCAT, ECAT, BCAT, and O-Level entry exams via live classes, 15,000+ practice MCQs, and mock tests, operating freemium and cohort-based paid batches for individual student consumers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Maqsad industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Online Test Preparation
- NAICS
- Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Higher Education Admissions & Placement Exam Prep (GRE/GMAT/LSAT/MCAT) (EDAGADAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Curriculum, Instructional Materials & Practice Testing for GED/HiSET (EDAAABAO)
Keywords
Where Maqsad is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Karachi
- HQ country
- Pakistan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
Maqsad business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Premium Subscription Plans: Students pay for premium access to full question banks, all video lectures, full-length mock tests, and detailed analytics. Free tier provides basic access to substantial content.
- Batch Enrollment: One-time enrollment fees for specific exam batches (e.g., MDCAT Charlie Batch 2026, ECAT 2026 batch) with pricing at Rs. 10,000-15,000 per batch
- 1:1 Tutoring: Personalized one-on-one tutoring services connecting students with quality teachers for individual attention
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | ECAT 2026 Batch - NED/NUST/GIKI/UET Preparation |
| Freemium | Monthly | MDCAT Preparation - Full Access |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | 1:1 Tutoring |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Maqsad product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Maqsad is a mobile-first online education platform delivering entry-test preparation for Pakistani students targeting MDCAT (medical), ECAT (engineering), BCAT (business), and Cambridge O-Level/IGCSE exams. The platform combines daily live classes, 15,000+ adaptive MCQs per exam, weekly full-length mock tests, recorded video lectures, performance analytics, and WhatsApp-based doubt solving, sold primarily via freemium subscriptions and exam-specific batch enrollments.
Product overview
Maqsad is Pakistan's leading online entry test preparation platform structured as an integrated academy, mobile app, and website with 4M+ downloads. The platform operates across four core exam preparation tracks: MDCAT (medical college admission), ECAT (engineering college admission covering NUST NET, NED, GIKI, UET, and FAST), BCAT (business schools including IBA Karachi and LUMS), and O-Level (Cambridge exams). Each track offers bundled components including daily live classes, recorded video lectures, 15,000+ practice MCQs, weekly mock tests, aggregate calculators, and WhatsApp community access. The platform also offers a 1:1 Tutoring service for personalized learning and supplementary resources like the Big Book of MDCAT. The Maqsad Blog provides educational content, university guides, and exam strategy articles. All offerings are accessible via mobile app (Android/Chrome), web platform, and YouTube for free content.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Maqsad Mobile App & Web Platform Core delivery platform for Maqsad's online entry-test preparation, available as an Android mobile app (4M+ downloads) and Chrome web application, hosting live classes, video lectures, MCQ banks, mock tests, and analytics for MDCAT, ECAT, BCAT, and O-Level students.
- MDCAT Preparation Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) preparation product covering PMC/NUMS syllabi for grades 9-12, including daily live classes, 15,000+ MCQs, weekly mock tests, recorded video lectures, and WhatsApp doubt-solving. Sold via premium subscription and batch enrollment.
- ECAT Preparation Engineering College Admission Test (ECAT) preparation covering NUST NET, NED, GIKI, UET, and FAST entry tests with daily live classes, weekly counselling, full-length mock tests, and 15,000+ practice MCQs. Sold as a batch subscription (e.g., Rs. 10,000 discounted from Rs. 15,000 for ECAT 2026 batch).
- BCAT Preparation Business College Admission Test (BCAT) preparation product targeted at IBA Karachi and LUMS, with targeted MCQ practice, concept lectures, full-length mock tests, and EDGE Learning mentors for Pakistani business school applicants.
- O-Level Preparation Cambridge O-Level and IGCSE exam preparation product offering live classes, past paper practice, and expert teacher guidance for the May/June 2026 series and beyond.
- 1:1 Tutoring Service Personalized one-on-one tutoring service connecting students with top-quality Pakistani teachers for individual attention, covering grades 6-12, CAIE & Edexcel IGCSE, and O & A Levels. Sold as pay-as-you-go sessions with a demo class option.
- Big Book of MDCAT Physical printed preparation book containing notes, MCQs, and physics formula sheets aligned with the MDCAT syllabus, sold as a supplementary standalone study resource alongside the digital platform.
Quantifiable outcome
- 500+ university admissions facilitated to top institutions
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Maqsad
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Maqsad technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Maqsad partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators9 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Maqsad competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Prepladder: India's leading medical entrance test (NEET PG) prep platform with a similar mobile-first, freemium-to-paid model, video-lecture + MCQ content library, and high-stakes admissions focus. Closest direct comparable on product, model, and target student persona.
- Doubtnut: India-based freemium education app with WhatsApp-style doubt-solving, MCQ practice, and video lectures for school and competitive exam prep. Closely mirrors Maqsad's mobile-first + doubt-resolution mechanic.
- Testbook: India's freemium government and competitive exam preparation platform emphasizing mock tests, MCQ banks, and live classes. Shares Maqsad's freemium + test-bank + mock-test core mechanic and target user.
Broad incumbents
- Unacademy: One of India's largest online learning platforms offering freemium test prep, live classes, and educator marketplaces. Larger, broader incumbent with overlapping capabilities but a wider portfolio beyond admissions exam prep.
- PhysicsWallah (PW): India's largest YouTube-led EdTech with freemium JEE/NEET test prep, mobile-first delivery, and aggressive price positioning. Closely parallels Maqsad's freemium + low-cost batch model and student demographic.
- Vedantu: Established Indian EdTech offering live online classes, test prep, and tutoring across K-12 and competitive exams. Overlaps with Maqsad on live-class + freemium GTM but operates across broader curricula.
- Byju's: Global EdTech incumbent with test-prep products (NEET, JEE) and K-12 learning offerings. Operates at much larger scale but addresses overlapping exam-prep use cases for South Asian student populations.
Regional players
- SABAQ (Foundation): Pakistani EdTech delivering localized digital learning content for K-12 schools. Same geography but different segment (K-12 classroom content vs. admissions test prep), making it a regional thematic comparable rather than direct competitor.
- KnowledgePlatforms: Pakistan-based EdTech providing digital learning platforms and content for schools and teachers. Regional peer in same geography with adjacent B2B/B2C EdTech business model.
Others
- CollegeDunia: India-based admissions discovery and preparation platform helping students compare colleges and prepare for entrance exams. Adjacent to Maqsad on the admissions-counseling side of the funnel though not a direct test-prep competitor.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Maqsad social profiles
Digital presenceMaqsad financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Maqsad leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Maqsad funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors6 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Maqsad M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Maqsad
What does Maqsad do?
Maqsad is a mobile-first online education platform delivering entry-test preparation for Pakistani students targeting MDCAT (medical), ECAT (engineering), BCAT (business), and Cambridge O-Level/IGCSE exams. The platform combines daily live classes, 15,000+ adaptive MCQs per exam, weekly full-length mock tests, recorded video lectures, performance analytics, and WhatsApp-based doubt solving, sold primarily via freemium subscriptions and exam-specific batch enrollments.
Is Maqsad a public or private company?
Maqsad is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Maqsad founded?
Maqsad was founded in 2021. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Maqsad based?
Maqsad is headquartered in Karachi, Pakistan, in the Asia region.
How does Maqsad make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Premium Subscription Plans are the primary driver. The others are batch Enrollment and 1:1 Tutoring.
Who are Maqsad's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Prepladder, Doubtnut and Testbook. Broad incumbents are Unacademy, PhysicsWallah (PW), Vedantu and Byju's. Regional players are SABAQ (Foundation) and KnowledgePlatforms. CollegeDunia is listed as an others.
Does Maqsad have an API?
No public API is recorded for Maqsad.
What industry is Maqsad in?
Maqsad's product category is Online Test Preparation. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAGADAC, Higher Education Admissions & Placement Exam Prep (GRE/GMAT/LSAT/MCAT), with a secondary code of EDAAABAO, Curriculum, Instructional Materials & Practice Testing for GED/HiSET. Its NAICS code is 611691 and its SIC code is 8200.