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ABC mouse vs Khan Academy vs Brighterly: What’s the Best Choice for Kids in 2025?

Are you trying to choose between ABC mouse vs Khan Academy vs Brighterly for your kid? While they are all popular e-learning platforms, each one comes with its pros and cons. Here I am using my experience as a math teacher to analyze the features, learning method, pricing, and parents’ reviews of the three in order to help you select the right option for your child.

Key points

• ABCmouse is a mobile app using gamification to teach small kids basic school skills.
• Khan Academy offers a free curriculum in diverse subjects based on prerecorded videos and practice.
• Brighterly is a customizable math and reading program built on 1:1 tutoring with top-of-the-top teachers.

ABCmouse vs Khan Academy vs Brighterly: Quick comparison

The most significant difference between Khan Academy vs ABCmouse vs Brighterly is that the first two rely on prerecorded videos and interactive activities, while the third uses 1:1, fully customized tutoring. Additionally, ABCmouse and Khan Academy are designed for use at school or at home, and Brighterly focuses on learning at home. Having said that, the latter helps both students attending public schools and their homeschooled counterparts.

	ABCmouse	Khan Academy	Brighterly
Best for	Game-based, step-by-step approach to learning basic concepts for young kids	Structured lessons for self-motivated students across various grade levels	1:1, private tutoring to excel at math & reading & build confidence
Academic subjects	Math Reading Science Social studies Arts Music	Math Reading & language arts Life skills Science Social studies Test prep More	Math Reading ELA
Grades	PreK-2	PreK-college	1-9
Notable features	Gamification Prerecorded animated videos Books Games Songs Puzzles Rewards	Comprehensive curriculum Structured courses Prerecorded videos with human teachers Practice problems & exercises	100% personalized learning plan 1:1, face-to-face tutoring Top-notch teachers Award-winning curriculum Continuous progress tracking & reporting Flexible schedule Free resources Affordable price
Personalized approach	Limited	Limited	✅
Common Core accordance	❌	✅	✅
Progress tracking	✅	✅	✅
Learning disabilities compatibility	Limited	✅	✅
Trustpilot score	1.3	3.6	4.5

 

ABCmouse vs Khan Academy vs Brighterly cost: Pricing comparison

	Platform cost	Free features
ABCmouse cost	From $14.99/month	30-day free trial
Khan Academy cost	Free (Donations are welcomed) $4/month for Khanmigo, AI-powered tutor	Prerecorded videos Practice exercises
Brighterly cost	From $17.30/lesson (3 lessons/week, 12-month subscription)	Free first lesson Free math & reading worksheets Free math & reading tests

Khan Academy stands out as a completely free learning platform, with the exception of the AI tutor. ABCmouse is quite cheap, too. Brighterly costs more than the two alternatives – but less than other online tutoring platforms – because of the face-to-face interaction with professional math and ELA teachers and the real-time feedback.

ABCmouse vs Khan Academy vs Brighterly: Which online educational platform is the best?

When choosing the most appropriate learning program for your child from ABC mouse vs Khan Academy Kids vs Brighterly, you should factor in your kid’s grade, level, strengths, weaknesses, and needs. Brighterly stands out with the full customization of the learning plan and materials, face-to-face communication with qualified teachers, and the Common Core adherence.

What makes ABCmouse and Khan Academy similar to one another and different from Brighterly is the prerecorded animated video lessons and the lack of interactivity. But they are still different from one another. ABCmouse is appropriate for a limited age group (2-8 years) and is entirely based on the concept of gamification. Khan Academy takes a more traditional approach to learning but still deprives children of real teachers. Meanwhile, it can work for a wider range of students, from PreK to college and beyond.

What is Brighterly? Main features & benefits explained

The Brighterly math and reading platform is an online tutoring program for math, reading, and ELA for grades 1-9. The learning path is individualized according to the requirements of each student and delivered in 1:1 sessions. All tutors are professional teachers with strong experience.

Why is Brighterly so popular among US families?

What makes Brighterly the #1 choice for more than 200,000 parents across the United States is the unique amalgamation of high-degree personalization, qualified and polite tutors, engaging teaching style, and ability to meet the needs of diverse students, as demonstrated in reviews on Trustpilot.

Brighterly features: Main distinguishers

• 1:1, real-time tutoring
• Ultimate personalization
• Skilled and relatable tutors

1:1, real-time tutoring

Unlike ABC mouse and Khan Academy, the Brighterly model moves away from prerecorded videos and online practice, which can feel impersonal and detached for small kids. Instead, the Brighterly math and reading program is based on face-to-face, online tutoring given on an individual basis.

I’ve seen one-on-one tutoring repeatedly prove its benefits over the years, and there’s plenty of research on the topic, too. Specifically, high-dose tutoring (4 times/week) can bring elementary school students gains equivalent to 30 school days over the course of an academic year.

Ultimate personalization

When I compare Khan Academy vs ABC mouse vs Brighterly, I see that all three provide personalization, but Brighterly’s approach is truly unmatched. It all starts with a free assessment to place your child in the right level, measure their academic strengths and weaknesses, and assess their personal preferences.

Then, the assigned tutor (based on required specialization and experience) prepares a personal learning plan together with educational materials. Parents are invited to participate in the selection of reading topics to boost engagement, as they best know what their child likes and dislikes.

Once tutors start implementing the curriculum (which is Common Core-aligned and STEM-focused), they additionally adapt their teaching style on the go. In this way, they make sure that your child benefits from every single session. As you can see in Trustpilot reviews, Brighterly teachers and lessons are actually able to instill interest in school and passion for learning.

Skilled and relatable tutors

One more Brighterly feature that I need to emphasize is the quality of tutors. They all hold a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree and 5+ years of experience in their subject matter. But that’s not all. They have been trained in pedagogy to know how to turn studying into a fun and exciting activity without overrelying on gamification.

Working with tutors who love their job can make all the difference for your child, and that’s what Brighterly math and reading tutors offer.

The combined result of high academic achievements, rich teaching experience, excellent interpersonal skills, and a compassionate nature helps Brighterly tutors make lessons effective for students with diverse needs.

Since a tutoring platform is only as good as the teachers it has, I’d say Brighterly has a very solid foundation. 

How much is Brighterly? (Paid and free options)

• 1-month learning plan: From $20.70/lesson
• 3-month learning plan: From $20.20/lesson
• 6-month learning plan: From $19.40/lesson
• 12-month learning plan: From $17.30/lesson

Starting at only $17.30/class, Brighterly offers affordable 1:1 tutoring at costs much below the national average tutoring rates per hour, ranging between $20 and $80. The affordable price you see above is calculated for 3 classes/week.

At the same time, the platform provides a range of free resources to augment the learning process. To begin with, you get the first lesson totally free to evaluate the quality of the tutors and decide if this is the right platform for your child’s needs.

Then, even without a subscription, families can use the free math tests and reading tests to assess their kids’ knowledge and level and decide if they need tutoring. In case you enroll, you can repeat the evaluations periodically to see the progress that your student is making.

Another asset that you get for free with Brighterly is math worksheets and reading worksheets for kids. These are excellent tools to provide your child with extra practice outside the school classroom and tutoring sessions. The worksheets are grade-appropriate and skill-focused for targeted skill-building.

What is ABCmouse com? Full list of features

• Step-by-step learning path in diverse subjects for young kids
• Supplemental school curriculum based on gamification
• Mobile app accompanied by hands-on educational materials

How does ABCmouse work?

ABCmouse is a mobile app that uses a game-based learning approach to help small kids build skills in core and other academic subjects. The program depends on prerecorded videos, books, games, puzzles, printables, and other fun activities. Additionally, parents can purchase printed ABCmouse workbooks and learning kits for extra practice.

What age is ABCmouse for?

ABC mouse is designed for children aged 2-8 years, which translates into PreK-2 grade. The platform is able to cover the needs of such a diverse range of ages by organizing the lessons into 10 levels.

Does ABCmouse help with reading?

ABCmouse has an early reading curriculum that covers the requirements for young readers. The ABCmouse reading program teaches alphabet, phonics, letter recognition, parts of speech, and other topics.

Indeed, ABCmouse provides access to subjects that neither Khan Academy nor Brighterly offers. The whole range includes:

• Reading and language arts
• Numbers and math
• Science
• Social studies
• Arts and colors
• Music

The main feature of ABC mouse is the strong emphasis on gamification. Kids have their own customized avatar and can earn tickets through awards by completing tasks. There is also an interactive zoo, aquarium, and farm. This methodology definitely has the potential to spark the interest of young kids, but it might turn ABCmouse into an entertaining rather than educational activity in front of the screen.

Is ABCmouse good?

My overall impression is that while ABCmouse can add value through extra practice of basic skills, it cannot be used as an independent curriculum. This point is particularly important for roadschooling families. Moreover, I think that the lack of real interaction with teachers is a major downfall, as it’s of crucial importance for effective learning of both academic knowledge and social skills when it comes to small children.

Can I get ABCmouse for free?

ABCmouse is not available for free, but the cost is relatively low. The ABCmouse price for access to the app is $14.99/month or $45/year, with a 30-day free trial. It’s available from ABCmouse Web, Google Play Store, Apple App Store, and Amazon.

For more exercises to solidify skills, parents can purchase printed materials from the ABCmouse store. The marketplace offers ABCmouse workbooks, learning kits, and success systems. The costs vary from $7.99 to $24.99 per book or set.

💡ABCmouse delivers cost-effective access to supplementary practice games and exercises, both online and offline. However, the lack of any sort of interaction with teachers diminishes the usefulness of the platform.

What is Khan Academy for kids best at?

• Structured courses in a wide range of subjects
• Comprehensive Common Core-compliant curriculum
• Free access to the mobile app

How does Khan Academy work?

Khan Academy provides a library of online courses in many academic subjects, from pre-kindergarten all the way to high school and even college. The curriculum follows the Common Core State Standards. The program is based on prerecorded videos with human teachers and practice exercises.

Khan Academy Kids offers personalized learning in the sense that children can work through educational content at their own speed. However, there is no real-time adjustment in instruction or practice as with live tutoring.

When I juxtapose ABCmouse vs Khan Academy Kids vs Brighterly, one of the most important benefits of Khan Academy is that it covers a range of subjects, including:

• Math
• Reading and language arts
• Life skills
• Computer science
• Science
• Social studies
• Economics
• Other courses through partners
• Test prep

Is Khan Academy good for kids willing to learn more?

When I compare Khan Academy Kids vs ABC mouse vs Brighterly, I find Khan Academy to be a better option than ABCmouse when it comes to a full-scale curriculum for both younger and older students. Still, it doesn’t measure up to Brighterly as it doesn’t offer kids access to real-time exchanges with teachers.

Is Khan Academy free?

While most Khan Academy alternatives charge fees, this platform is entirely free to use. This makes it a good option for families in different financial situations. The platform asks for voluntary donations to help cover costs, but these are not obligatory.

The only paid part of Khan Academy for children is Khanmigo, which is an AI-powered tutor. The online tutor is available 24/7 and can help with homework or figure out answers to questions. The cost is $4/month. However, this AI tutor is not able to design and deliver individualized learning plans and lessons.

💡The main advantage of Khan Academy is the free access to educational materials. Nevertheless, the platform fails to offer two-way interaction with real teachers, which means that kids cannot receive instant feedback and cannot ask questions.

ABCmouse vs Khan Academy vs Brighterly Reddit & Trustpilot reviews

• ABCmouse reviews
• Khan Academy reviews
• Brighterly reviews

What are the pros and cons of ABCmouse? Parents’ reviews

ABCmouse reviews on Reddit and Trustpilot (average rating of 1.3) combine positive and negative experiences.

ABCmouse reviews: What parents like

• An interdisciplinary approach to real-life skills
• Platform appealing to kids

“I like that on the learning path it gives a variety of subjects intermingled together instead of a lot of one subject.” – Reddit review

“My kids really like ABCmouse.” – Reddit review

ABCmouse reviews: What parents dislike

• Tedious practice disliked by kids
• Poor technical execution

“He gets so bored with the repetitive nature of their lessons.” – Reddit review

“This software is garbage and will crash 5-10 per hour.” – Trustpilot review

What are the advantages and downsides of Khan Academy?

Khan Academy reviews on Trustpilot yield a higher average rating of 3.6 than ABCmouse, but parents highlight both positives and negatives on Reddit.

Khan Academy reviews: What parents like

• Well-established learning processes
• Free app with no ads

“Very good learning process with almost daily use.” – Trustpilot review

“Totally free, absolutely no ads.” – Reddit review

Khan Academy reviews: What parents dislike

• Lack of sufficient thoroughness
• Annoying design and interface

“I would personally never use it for a math spine – not enough practice, no use of manipulatives, not thorough enough, not enough rigor on its own.” – Reddit review

“Waste of time. Annoying. have to redo 30 flipping questions for 1 wrong.”  –  Trustpilot review

What are the pros and cons of Brighterly? Parents’ reviews

Comparing ABCmouse vs Khan Academy vs Brighterly reviews, I see that Brighterly has a glowing online reputation with an average rating of 4.5 on Trustpilot.

Brighterly reviews: What parents praise

• Customized, engaging, fun learning
• Excellent tutors
• Immediate knowledge gains

“The session is fun, engaging, it makes the learning easier to follow when it is customized to the level of the kids.” – Trustpilot review

“The teachers are professional and doing great job!” – Trustpilot review

“I can see improvement in the areas my kids struggle the most!” – Trustpilot review

Brighterly reviews: What further improvements parents recommend

• Enhance the platform interface

“The only reason I give 4 stars is for the platform experience. Needs some tweeting in my opinion.” – Trustpilot review

Main difference between ABCmouse vs Khan Academy vs Brighterly

The most noteworthy difference between ABCmouse, Khan Academy, and Brighterly is that the first two use prerecorded videos and practice questions, whereas the third one brings real personalization in addition to face-to-face connections with teachers. This makes Brighterly both more personal and more effective.

It’s true that ABCmouse is quite cheap and Khan Academy is free, but Brighterly offers fees below the average in the US. Tutoring sessions are affordable while bringing unmatched advantages. The plethora of free resources further boosts the value for students and parents.

ABC mouse vs Khan Academy vs Brighterly: Selecting the right option for your kid

My review of ABCmouse vs Khan Academy vs Brighterly shows that all three can be great platforms for young learners and their parents. But they are quite different and serve different needs.

• If you want animated instructional videos and gamified practice, ABCmouse might be the right choice.
• If you’re looking for free learning videos in various subjects, you can check out Khan Academy.
• If you want your child to ace math and reading and enhance their confidence with personal support, then Brighterly is the best program for you.

Brighterly provides kids and their parents with:

✅ Individualized, face-to-face tutoring delivered in 1:1 sessions

✅ Professional teachers with outstanding people skills

✅ Affordable tutoring rates and free supplemental materials

Ready to give your child the academic boost they deserve? Book free lesson  to test the platform and see how synchronous online tutoring makes a real difference.

Comparing other learning platforms for kids

While ABCmouse, Khan Academy, and Brighterly can help in various cases, you might want to check out more learning platforms if your child has further needs. The following are some articles comparing other popular options:

• Kumon vs Huntington vs Brighterly: Which One Is Better? (2025)
• Mathnasium vs Sylvan vs Brighterly: Pros, Cons & Best Pick (2025)
• Reading Eggs vs ABC mouse: What You Need to Know Before Choosing