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• IXL vs iReady vs Brighterly: Which One Is Better for 2026?

IXL vs iReady vs Brighterly: Which One Is Better for 2026?

If your child needs support with their learning, you’ll likely be evaluating different platforms, like IXL vs iReady vs Brighterly. As an experienced math teacher, I’m here to break down the pros and cons of each, helping you to make a sound decision. Let’s start and see which one you should choose!

Key points

• iReady vs IXL vs Brighterly are all online tutoring platforms, which, however, cater to different learning priorities and aims.
• Brighterly is a 1:1 personalized service that offers adjusted curricula that match exact learner requirements but also align with the Common Core standards.
• IXL is a resource for grades K to 12, with special focus on the practical part. Learners often use it as a supplementary source of tasks, rather than a fully-fledged learning guide.
• iReady is known as an e-learning venue with a collection of tools for learners, teachers, and schools. The most substantial benefits of iReady come down to its detailed knowledge diagnostics, showing the current level of skills.

Math & reading from 1st to 9th grade

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IXL vs iReady vs Brighterly: Comparison

IXL vs iReady vs Brighterly mostly differ in the type of learning they provide. Brighterly is a teacher-guided studying space, while IXL presents materials for independent practice. At the same time, iReady is mostly used by schools and teachers to guide personalized instruction based on students’ needs but can also be used by families. Neither IXL nor iReady provide tutor-led learning, like Brighterly.

	Brighterly	IXL	iReady
Primary focus	Live, personalized 1:1 tutoring in math, reading & writing	Practical tasks across math, language arts, science, social studies & Spanish	Adaptive learning in math, literacy, science & Spanish
Personalization	✅	✅	✅
Instruction vs practice	Live instructions & interactive exercises	Mainly practice with pre-recorded video explanations	Instruction & practice
Progress tracking	Monthly progress reports & ongoing tutor feedback	Progress dashboards, skill tracking per topic	Detailed reports for parents & educators
Support for learning challenges	Tutors trained to support kids with ADHD, dyslexia & learning anxieties	Limited support for learning challenges	Some support for differentiated learning
Cost	$17.30-$20.70/lesson	$9.95-$19.95/month	$30+/subject/year (according to third-party sources)
Trustpilot Score	4.5	1.4	2.8

IXL vs iReady vs Brighterly: Cost

	Pricing	What you’re paying for	Freebies
Brighterly cost	From $17.30/lesson to $20.70/lesson (for 3 lessons/week), depending on the subscription length	Private tutoring in math, writing & reading Award-winning curriculum Personalized learning plan Individualized educational materials Real-time teacher support for all types of learners Knowledge & confidence building Flexible schedule Continuous progress monitoring & feedback	Free first lesson Free math & reading worksheets Free math & reading tests Free guides & tips for parents & educators
IXL pricing	$9.95/month for 1 subject $15.95/month for 2 subjects $19.95/month for 4 subjects	Pre-recorded video lessons Fun-based gamified practice IXL Diagnostics IXL Analytics	30-day satisfaction guarantee 10 free questions/subject/day
iReady cost	$30+/subject/year	iReady Diagnostics Personalized instruction based on pre-recorded video lessons	Free blog articles

When I compare the Brighterly vs IXL vs iReady cost in 2026, iReady ranks as the most accessible option followed by IXL. However, you should keep in mind that neither of the two offers the type of 1:1, fully individualized tutoring that Brighterly delivers. Teacher-led learning is crucial for students to build not only subject expertise but also soft skills and self-esteem.

What is Brighterly?

The Brighterly reading and math tutoring platform is a 1:1 learning service that delivers highly customizable and personalized lessons for children in grades 1-9. A dedicated tutor conducts an in-depth diagnostic of your child’s skills and expectations and provides the exact curriculum to fill all the learning gaps.

Why do parents prefer Brighterly over IXL and i-Ready?

More than 200,000 parents in the US have chosen the Brighterly math and reading       program over competitors for the personalized and warm approach that tutors adopt. Students work with the same tutor every time, which allows them to build friendly relationships based on trust.

Brighterly teachers put effort into understanding the specific needs as well as hardships of each child to provide targeted instruction and fun practice. As a result, parents always praise the unique methodology on Trustpilot.

 

Brighterly unique features

• Highly qualified math & reading tutors
• Personalized, US standards-aligned program
• Free supplementary resources

Highly qualified math & reading tutors

The ambition to create a robust tutoring team was fulfilled by Brighterly through the implementation of a rigorous hiring process. 

• First, potential hires are vetted for their education (a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree is required) and experience (at least 5 years). 
• Then, they undergo testing of their hard and soft skills. 
• Finally, they have to demonstrate their professionalism in practice during a training lesson, where they tackle a student’s problematic behavior. Proven – this approach leaves only the strongest staff on board, as you can see in their dedication to the teaching profession.

Additionally, the tutor your kid works with isn’t a random person. They are carefully matched based on the results of diagnostic testing. Brighterly aims to create precise tutor-student combos to bring up optimal learning results.

Personalized, US standards-aligned program

The version of the reading or math program you access at Brighterly meets the nationwide US educational system requirements, so it works both to assist public school learning and homeschooling. This means that your child will cover all the essential basic and advanced topics for the grade level and prepare for upcoming examinations. But to maximize learning, Brighterly tutors customize the learning path to your kid’s strongest and weakest sides and according to their aspirations.

Importantly, the math curriculum is based on the STEM principles. This translates into more real-world context and practice-oriented knowledge, so that kids learn the practical application of any theory they study.

Free supplementary resources

Brighterly offers a potent collection of helpful resources you can use for knowledge diagnostics and home-based learning or to augment the impact of tutoring. For example, you’ll find in-depth theoretical sections in the Knowledge base. I recommend using them as a reminder for any topic you’ve covered earlier or as a source of new knowledge.

Regarding practical tasks, Brighterly has prepared free-of-charge math worksheets and reading worksheets for grades 1 to 9. They are organized by grade level and topic and can be used online or easily printed. For even more convenience, the practice worksheets come with answer sheets for learning beyond the classroom.

Meanwhile, the real-life examples and cute illustrations inspire children’s engagement.

Brighterly pros and cons

Pros

✅ Knowledgeable, patient, and supportive tutors with a friendly attitude

✅ US standards-aligned schedules, which match grade-level academic requirements

✅Gamified model to keep kids excited and focused

Cons

❌ Curriculum is adjusted only to grades 1-9

❌ Real-time tutoring requires some time commitment (but Brighterly comes with flexible scheduling to meet your child’s availability)

Brighterly cost per month

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

The affordable price, which falls below the average tutoring rates per hour of $25-$80 for 2026, is one of the strongest advantages of Brighterly. While the prices above refer to plans with 3 weekly lessons, you can choose the frequency that suits your child’s needs. As you can see, the cost gets lower with longer subscriptions.

The best thing is that you can book 1st class or math class for free, without commitment, to see what makes Brighterly different from i-Ready vs IXL.

iReady math main difference from its competitors

The most significant difference between i Ready vs IXL and Brighterly is that the first platform serves both families and teachers. It delivers adaptive lessons directly to students but also provides educators with robust resources, data, and instructional support to guide teaching. iReady offers a degree of personalized learning driven by technology, not human teachers, after the proprietary i-Ready Diagnostic.

Why is iReady good? Key features

Best for: Teachers and tutors looking to better support students

iReady is good because it allows learners to undergo an adaptive diagnostic assessment and build customized learning plans based on the results. iReady for homeschool isn’t a rare pick as it provides lessons and tasks for autonomous practice.

iReady math reviews show that the website is mostly used by individual teachers and entire schools. To fully understand the pros and cons of iReady, let’s dive into its features.

• The iReady math practice test is an in-depth examination of each skill and competence the child obtains. This assessment forms the ground for building a personalized learning plan.
• iReady encourages interactive learning through games and visual representations, according to age. This improves student involvement.
• After analyzing i-Ready from the point of view of a student, I concluded that it suits the needs of teachers better than of those students. It features a lot more resources for teachers, such as detailed dashboards, progress reports, and ready-made lesson samples. That’s why so many public schools choose iReady to plan their lessons.

iReady pros and cons

Pros

✅ Extended diagnostic testing

✅ Personalized instructions

✅ Supplementary practice

Cons

❌ Not fit for individual students

❌ While personalized, the resources provided at iReady aren’t flexible

❌ iReady pricing isn’t explicitly stated

i-Ready pros and cons according to parents’ reviews

Benefits of iReady

✅ Diagnostic tool helps teachers offer more personal support to students

✅ When students get an answer wrong, iReady explains the logic behind the mistake

✅ A range of resources that teachers can use directly with kids

iReady cons

❌ Unable to repeat complex topics

❌ Glitchy platform with wrong answers to questions

❌ Sometimes inaccurate diagnostics

Is iReady good for you?

iReady is particularly good if you’re a teacher who needs an efficient way to measure students’ skills and customize instruction based on results. It’s less effective if you’re a student struggling with academic concepts or aiming to advance ahead of your grade level.

iReady price

The iReady cost per student isn’t available on the website. The only public information is that the price of the Student Instruction Books starts at $15. Additionally, families need to purchase Practice and Problem Solving Books and Student Assessment Books, but the range is totally unclear.

Meanwhile, third-party resources quote that annual access to the platform costs $30 or more per subject. But to know exactly how much does iReady cost per student, you have to contact the team.

Is IXL good for students for personalized learning?

IXL reviews from students and parents show that it is a good platform for customized practice to build specific skills. However, unlike some IXL alternatives (such as Brighterly), it doesn’t really support personalized learning as it offers a fixed stock of pre-recorded videos and game-based practice questions. While it supports autonomous studying, that’s far from individualized learning.

So, is IXL good for you? Let’s go over the features before you make a final decision.

IXL features

Best for: Supplementary online practice

My detailed IXL review reveals some unique features:

• IXL is the most comprehensive platform among the three, providing a PreK-12 grade curriculum in math, language arts, science, social studies, and Spanish.
• The IXL website shines with a visually attractive, UX-oriented, and easy-to-navigate interface. Topics are grouped by skills, and it doesn’t take much time to find what you need.
• IXL uses an advanced system of rewards. The popping encouragement notes, progress bars, and achievement badges give kids a sense of achievement and motivation to continue learning.

So, if you’re wondering “Are IXL and iReady the same company?”: “No, IXL and iReady are two different companies that meet the needs of different customers.”

IXL pros & cons according to parents’ reviews

How good is IXL? Main benefits

✅ Wide coverage of subjects and specific areas

✅ Recommendations based on ongoing performance

✅ Helpful feedback to follow up on a wrong answer

Drawbacks of IXL

❌ Unfair scoring system that causes discouragement

❌ Technical glitches

❌ Harsh grading

So, considering the pros and cons of IXL, what program is better than IXL?

iReady is better than IXL for teachers and schools to personalize teaching, and Brighterly is better than IXL for tutor-guided learning.

Is IXL a good program?

IXL is a good program for children at grade level who need additional practice questions to polish their skills. It’s less effective for students with learning disabilities who need specialized support and for advanced kids who require more challenging concepts and problems.

How much is IXL?

To understand how much does IXL cost, you should know that the platform offers three plans.

Core subjects package

• $19.95/month for math, language arts, science, and social studies

Combo package

• $15.95/month for math and language arts

Single subject package

• $9.95/month for math or language arts

All plans come with a 30-day satisfaction guarantee.

IXL vs iReady vs Brighterly: Learning format

IXL vs iReady vs Brighterly reviews reveal three drastically different teaching formats and approaches to learning. To begin with, IXL offers self-paced learning which aims to build skills through game-based practice and animated lessons. This format usually works for older children with strong self-organizational capabilities. But it generally requires active participation from parents who can keep track of progress through automated feedback and guide their kid along the way. I’d recommend the IXL learning format if you can commit at least a couple of hours per day to your kid’s education.

Next, iReady functions as a guided program. It’s used to diagnose the child’s current level and build a structured learning plan to be implemented through the school. The teacher guides the learning process, and in case of homeschooling, this role needs to be fulfilled by the parent. So, if you choose iReady, expect to spend a few hours per day to give your kid’s studying a direction.

Finally, Brighterly is constructed on the concept of real-time, 1:1, live tutoring done by professional teachers. As trained pedagogists, the tutors are able to gauge the exact needs of each student and provide the most relevant learning format. Additionally, they send continuous feedback to parents to let them know how their kid is doing. Meanwhile, you – as the parent – don’t need to be personally involved in the process, unless you want to.

So, are iReady and IXL and Brighterly the same?

No, not at all. The three platforms are very different and cater to various situations. To sum, IXL is typically used to supplement another learning resource. iReady is usually implemented by schools. Brighterly offers a comprehensive learning format to build skills and boost confidence.

Which platform is best for your child? (Grade level & learning goals)

The best online learning platform among IXL vs Brighterly vs iReady depends on the grade level of your child and your learning goals as a family. Overall, Brighterly emerges as the top choice for students in grades 1-9 who want to become math and reading masters while gaining much-needed confidence.

Meanwhile, IXL and iReady are viable options for families that don’t prioritize teacher-led instruction. They work fine for students at grade level.

Best for elementary students (K-5)

The best platform for elementary school students is Brighterly. Young learners require a special approach that is based on real-time interactions with teachers who can understand their learning style and adapt the curriculum. The reading and math jokes and songs used by Brighterly tutors are a real hit with little learners.

The other two websites also have potential. IXL supplies extra practice, while iReady supports educators in customizing teaching.

Best for middle school (6-8)

The most optimal platform for comprehensive learning of core middle school subjects is Brighterly. 1:1 tutoring is particularly suitable for this age group as young teens need encouragement and alignment with their personal interests to stay focused and devoted to studying. The game-based learning deployed by Brighterly teachers is also very helpful.

The other two math websites for middle school provide value too. IXL offers games and exercises to solidify skills, and iReady accurately diagnoses your child’s strengths and weaknesses.

Best for struggling learners vs advanced learners

Between IXL vs iReady vs Brighterly, the fully personalized learning plans and the real-time interactions with human teachers make Brighterly the most suitable resource for students who are behind and ahead of grade level. While the other platforms support children who are up to par, struggling and advanced learners need customized instruction and practice to succeed.

Best for test prep and skill gaps

All IXL, iReady, and Brighterly can help students fill skill gaps and get ready for tests, but this happens in very different ways. When I compare IXL vs. i-Ready in 2026, IXL focuses on skills through dedicated video lessons and exercises, while iReady helps identify the skills where a kid needs most support. But for real success, both need strong support from parents or teachers.

Meanwhile, Brighterly is the only platform that has the potential to teach missing skills and prep students for tests without further intervention.

IXL vs iReady vs Brighterly reviews on Reddit and Trustpilot 

• IXL reviews
• iReady reviews
• Brighterly reviews

IXL vs iReady vs Brighterly reviews by parents and students can bring ivaluable information about their pros and cons.

IXL reviews

What are the advantages of IXL according to reviews?

• Diverse subjects
• Good source of practice

“We love it! It has so many subjects.” – Reddit

“Practice is ALWAYS good, no matter how monotonous it seems.” – Reddit

What are the disadvantages of IXL according to reviews?

• Not fit for instruction
• Interface inappropriate for kids

“We use IXL as a diagnostic and progress tool in our house and not as an instructional tool.”– Reddit

“It is not child-friendly looking.” – Trustpilot

iReady reviews

What are the advantages of iReady according to reviews?

• Helpful diagnostic information
• Useful routine building

“The program can provide useful data.” – Reddit

“I love the textbooks and routine.” – Reddit

What are the advantages of iReady according to reviews?

• Inaccurate diagnostic
• Not customizable enough

“I-Ready often misplaces kids and gives work way below their level.” – Reddit

“It’s a one size fits all program.” – Reddit

Brighterly reviews

What are the advantages according to Brighterly reviews?

• Real academic progress and improvements
• Building self-esteem

“I’ve noticed a clear improvement in my child’s understanding of math concepts.”           – Trustpilot

“My daughter’s tutor has helped her gain more confidence in math and I am so happy.” – Trustpilot

What are the advantages according to Brighterly reviews?

• Dependence on the internet connection

“Their has been a few instances where we had problems with connection.” – Trustpilot

Bottom line: According to reviews, parents appreciate the comprehensive coverage of IXL but don’t find it to suffice for individualized instruction. Teachers enjoy the benefits that iReady Diagnostic provides but struggle with the limited amount of personalization available on the platform. Meanwhile, students love the teaching, patience, and care they receive from Brighterly tutors and are able to quickly achieve noticeable improvements in knowledge and grades. The only concern for parents is the need for quality internet.

Which is better: IXL or iReady or Brighterly?

When choosing between IXL vs iReady vs Brighterly, you should consider your situation and needs.

• If you want your child to get extra practice of critical skills in core subjects, IXL is probably the best option.
• If you’d like to diagnose your kid’s knowledge and further requirements, I’d recommend iReady.
• If you want to help your child master advanced math and reading concepts stress-free, Brighterly is the right choice.

With Brighterly, your family benefits from:

✅1:1 tutoring provided by expert teachers in real time

✅Fully customized curriculum aligned with the US standards

✅Useful learning resources for free

Ready to test the power of live tutoring over self-paced or guided learning?

Book a free lesson to check the learning format yourself – no commitment required.