Curriculum
Beast Academy
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Math Mammoth vs Beast Academy: Steady Mastery or Puzzle Challenge?
Updated · By Edulist · 8 sources
Beast Academy vs Math Mammoth: side by side
| Beast Academy | Math Mammoth | |
|---|---|---|
| Grades and ages | Levels 1–5, ages 6–13 | K to 8 |
| Style | Comic Guide books, challenging practice problems | Short explanation and exercises on the same page |
| Difficulty | Very challenging; many start a level below grade | Rigorous but steady |
| Independence | Some kids alone; many need coaching | Many kids work alone; parent checks |
| Format | Printed books and BA Online (videos, auto-graded) | PDF downloads or printed books from third parties |
| Daily time | 30–60 minutes | Varies; one lesson a day |
| Practice volume | Less repetitive practice | Plenty of practice plus cumulative reviews |
| Price (Oct 2026) | BA Online about $100/year all levels; printed units $30 | About $42.50 per grade; $245.50 K–8 bundle |
| Try first | Online demo; 14-day refund on subscriptions | Free placement tests and samples |
| Next step | AoPS Prealgebra after Level 5 | Algebra 1 program after grade 7 or 8 |
| Scholarship/ESA fit | Curriculum commonly eligible; each program decides | Curriculum commonly eligible; each program decides |
| Scholarship programs on Edulist | None yet | None yet |
Who should choose which
Choose Beast Academy if…
Beast Academy fits math-loving kids ages 6 to 13 who want hard, puzzle-style problems, families who like comics and an online platform with videos, and parents ready to coach through productive struggle.
Choose Math Mammoth if…
Math Mammoth fits most elementary and middle school kids, budget-minded families, students who can read a lesson and practice on their own, and families who want one series through grade 8.
Not sure yet? Save both and decide later. Your wishlist shows which scholarships can pay for each.
Math Mammoth vs Beast Academy: the short answer
Math Mammoth and Beast Academy are both rigorous, both well-reviewed, and both popular with homeschoolers who want more than a basic textbook. They feel very different.
Math Mammoth is a quiet, thorough worktext. Each lesson is a short explanation with exercises right below it, and chapters stay on a topic until it's mastered. It covers K–8 for about $42.50 per grade.
Beast Academy, from Art of Problem Solving, teaches through comics and hard problems. Kids are expected to get stuck, try things and figure it out. It covers ages 6–13 for about $100 a year online.
For most kids, Math Mammoth makes a reliable core. For a child who loves puzzles and gets bored easily, Beast Academy can be the spark.
Teaching approach
Math Mammoth, by Maria Miller, organizes each grade into 8 to 10 chapters. Lessons move from a picture or model to practice, with cumulative reviews and chapter tests. It's known for Singapore-level depth at a lower price. Explanations are brief, so some kids need a parent to unpack harder ideas.
Beast Academy introduces each idea in a comic Guide book or online lesson, then gives challenging practice. Topics run from place value and strategies in Level 2 to exponents, logic and fractions in Level 4 and equations and ratios in Level 5. It's designed so kids don't finish every problem, and families are told to assign work by time, not pages.
What a lesson looks like
Math Mammoth: Your child reads a short explanation, works the exercises on the page, and you check with the answer key. Free videos, many by the author, match many lessons in grades 1–7.
Beast Academy: Your child reads a few comic pages or watches an online lesson, then works practice problems for 30 to 60 minutes. Some problems take several tries. Beast Academy suggests about 12 to 15 days per chapter.
Price and value
As of October 2026, Math Mammoth is about $42.50 per grade as a download, or $245.50 for the full K–8 bundle. You can print pages again for children in your own family. Printed books cost more from third-party sellers.
Beast Academy Online is about $100 a year for all of Levels 1–5, with extra students at $64.99 a year. Printed units are $30 each, and a bundle with a full level of books is about $160 the first year. Subscriptions can be canceled within 14 days for a full refund.
Both are low-cost compared with most curricula. Using both together still costs less than many single boxed programs.
Who should choose Beast Academy
- Kids who love puzzles, comics and challenge
- Strong students bored by routine practice
- Families who want problem-solving skills, not just computation
- Parents who can coach through frustration
Who should choose Math Mammoth
- Most elementary and middle school students
- Families on a tight budget
- Kids who like to read a lesson and get to work
- Families who want one series through pre-algebra
Alternatives to both
- Singapore Math: parent-taught mastery. See Math Mammoth vs Singapore Math and Beast Academy vs Singapore Math.
- Math Academy: adaptive acceleration from 4th grade math. See Beast Academy vs Math Academy.
- Art of Problem Solving: the next step after Beast Academy.
- RightStart Math or Life of Fred: hands-on abacus teaching or story-based math.
See the best math programs for gifted kids and the best elementary math curriculum.
Can you use a scholarship for either?
Often, yes. Curriculum books and online math programs are commonly eligible in education savings account programs such as the Arizona ESA and Florida's FES-UA and PEP. Each program decides, and some require purchases through an approved marketplace. Save both to your wishlist and apply once to the scholarships your family may qualify for.
Alternatives to Beast Academy and Math Mammoth
Neither one feels right? These cover similar ground.
Sources
Questions
Can you use Math Mammoth and Beast Academy together?
Yes, and it's a popular pairing. Math Mammoth covers every topic with steady practice, and Beast Academy adds challenge and problem solving. Many families do a Math Mammoth lesson most days and Beast Academy a few times a week, or the reverse.
Is Beast Academy enough on its own?
For many strong students, yes; it's a full curriculum through Level 5. Kids who need more practice to make skills stick sometimes add a worktext like Math Mammoth or a fact app, since Beast Academy has less repetitive practice.
Which is better for an average student?
Math Mammoth fits a wider range of kids. Beast Academy is genuinely hard, and children with shaky basics or low frustration tolerance can struggle. Try Beast Academy's placement test before committing.
Which is more screen-based?
Math Mammoth is mostly paper once printed, with optional videos. Beast Academy can be all books, all online, or both, so you can choose.
What comes after each?
Beast Academy students usually move to Art of Problem Solving Prealgebra after Level 5. Math Mammoth ends at grade 8 with no Algebra 1, so students move to a high school program after level 7 or 8.
Keep exploring
Keep your favorites together.
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