Curriculum
Beast Academy
$99.99/yr(0)
Beast Academy vs Math Academy: Puzzles or Speed for Advanced Math Kids?
Updated · By Edulist · 8 sources
Beast Academy vs Math Academy: side by side
| Beast Academy | Math Academy | |
|---|---|---|
| Grades and ages | Levels 1–5, ages 6–13 (about grades 1–6) | 4th grade math through AP Calculus and university math |
| Core goal | Deep problem solving and reasoning | Efficient mastery and acceleration |
| Format | Comic Guide books, Practice books, BA Online with videos | Web only; adaptive lessons and problems |
| How it adapts | Parent places by test; assign by time, not pages | Diagnostic, knowledge graph and spaced review |
| Engagement | Comic characters and puzzles | XP points; no games |
| Daily time | 30–60 minutes | About 20–40 minutes, 3–5 days a week |
| Parent involvement | Some; coaching on hard problems | Low; parent oversight account |
| Accreditation | No | Courses accredited by ACS WASC; UC Directory listed |
| Price (Oct 2026) | BA Online about $100/year; books $30 per unit | $49/month per student |
| Try first | Demo and samples; 14-day refund on subscriptions | No trial; full refund if canceled in first 30 days |
| Next step | AoPS Prealgebra after Level 5 | Continues through calculus and beyond |
| Scholarship/ESA fit | Curriculum commonly eligible; each program decides | Online courses often allowable; check your marketplace |
| Scholarship programs on Edulist | None yet | None yet |
Who should choose which
Choose Beast Academy if…
Beast Academy fits curious kids ages 6 to 13 who enjoy challenge and comics, families who want contest-style thinking, and parents who can coach through hard problems now and then.
Choose Math Academy if…
Math Academy fits motivated students from about 4th grade up who want to go far fast, teens who need accredited high school math with transcripts, and families who want the system to plan and review for them.
Not sure yet? Save both and decide later. Your wishlist shows which scholarships can pay for each.
Beast Academy vs Math Academy: the short answer
Both programs are favorites with families of strong math students, and the names sound alike. They do very different jobs.
Beast Academy, from Art of Problem Solving, teaches elementary math through comic-style books and an online platform. Problems are hard on purpose. The goal is to teach kids how to think when they don't know the method yet.
Math Academy is an adaptive online system. A diagnostic finds the edge of what your child knows, then a knowledge graph and spaced review move them through courses from 4th grade math to AP Calculus and university math, efficiently and with little busywork.
For a puzzle-loving 7-year-old, Beast Academy is the clear choice. For a motivated 11-year-old ready to race toward algebra and beyond, Math Academy is.
Teaching approach
Beast Academy introduces each idea in a comic Guide book, then gives a Practice book or online set full of challenging problems. Topics run from place value and strategies in Level 2 to exponents, logic and fractions in Level 4 and equations, ratios and statistics in Level 5. Kids aren't expected to solve every problem, and many start a level below grade.
Math Academy only teaches a topic once its prerequisites are solid, then schedules reviews so they come neither too early nor too late. Advanced problems also give credit to the simpler skills inside them, which cuts repetition. Progress is measured in XP, about one minute of focused work each.
What a lesson looks like
Beast Academy: Your child reads a chapter in the Guide or watches a lesson online, then works on practice problems for 30 to 60 minutes. Beast Academy suggests about 12 to 15 days per chapter and assigning work by time, not pages. Some kids work alone; others need a parent to coach on the hardest problems.
Math Academy: Your child logs in and works the next lesson or review the system picks, solving problems to earn XP. Quizzes come about every 150 XP. A typical goal is 20 to 40 XP, three to five days a week. Parents set goals and schedules in an oversight account.
Price and value
As of October 2026, Beast Academy Online is about $100 a year (about $8.34 a month billed annually) for all of Levels 1–5, with extra students at $64.99 a year. A bundle with a full level of printed books is about $160 the first year, and printed units are $30 each. Subscriptions can be canceled within 14 days for a full refund.
Math Academy costs $49 a month per student, with no free trial but a full refund if you cancel in the first 30 days.
Beast Academy is one of the best values in elementary math. Math Academy costs more, but it works as a complete, self-running course for students who can work independently.
Who should choose Beast Academy
- Elementary kids who love puzzles and comics
- Families who want contest-style problem solving
- Strong students who need challenge, not just speed
- Parents who can coach now and then
Who should choose Math Academy
- Motivated students from about 4th grade math up
- Kids who want to move years ahead efficiently
- Homeschool teens who need accredited math courses with transcripts
- Families who want the program to plan everything
Alternatives to both
- Art of Problem Solving: the next step after Beast Academy, with books and live classes.
- Singapore Math and Math Mammoth: rigorous, lower-key elementary options. See Beast Academy vs Singapore Math and Math Mammoth vs Beast Academy.
- Russian School of Math: teacher-led classes with challenge.
- Brilliant: interactive problem solving for older students.
See the best math programs for gifted kids and more gifted math options.
Can you use a scholarship for either?
Often, yes. Curriculum books and online math programs are commonly eligible in education savings account and scholarship programs; Florida's PEP handbook, for example, lists curriculum and instructional materials. Math Academy says it is an approved vendor for some charter homeschool networks. Each program decides which vendors qualify, so check your program's marketplace, such as the Arizona ESA. Save your pick to your wishlist and apply once to the scholarships your family may qualify for.
Alternatives to Beast Academy and Math Academy
Neither one feels right? These cover similar ground.
Sources
Questions
Can my child switch from Beast Academy to Math Academy?
Yes, and it's a common path. Math Academy's diagnostic places students by what they know, so a child finishing Beast Academy Level 4 or 5 can take it and start at the right course. Some families use both for a while: Beast Academy for puzzles, Math Academy for steady progress.
Is Math Academy good for an 8-year-old?
Usually not yet. Its courses start at 4th grade math, and the company says students should know multiplication facts through 12. Younger strong kids typically do better with Beast Academy's comics and hands-on problems.
Which is harder?
Beast Academy's individual problems are harder, often puzzle-like with no obvious method. Math Academy is demanding in a different way: steady daily work, little hand-holding, and lost XP for rushing or guessing.
Does Math Academy teach problem solving like Beast Academy?
Math Academy focuses on mastering the standard sequence quickly and thoroughly, not on contest-style puzzles. Families who want both sometimes add Art of Problem Solving books or classes alongside it.
Which is cheaper?
Beast Academy online is about $100 a year for all levels, with extra students $64.99 a year. Math Academy is $49 a month per student, about $588 a year. Math Academy's price covers a full, self-running course that can go all the way to calculus.
Keep exploring
Keep your favorites together.
Browse learning products and save a wishlist on this device. Applications and pledges are not open.