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• IXL vs Miacademy vs Brighterly: Pros, Cons & Best Pick (2025)

IXL vs Miacademy vs Brighterly: Pros, Cons & Best Pick (2025)

IXL vs Miacademy vs Brighterly are some of the most well-known math learning platforms among families looking for additional math practice for their kids. If you’re trying to figure out which one is right for your child, in this guide, I’ve broken down the key differences, pros, and cons to help you make the best choice. 

Key points

• Brighterly offers children personalized 1-on-1 math and reading lessons, with experienced and friendly tutors who will adapt to the child’s pace and learning style and make lessons fun.
• Miacademy comes with a complete program of core subjects through pre-recorded videos, interactive exercises, and creative projects.
• IXL is a drill-based learning platform with thousands of exercises in math, English, and science, where students practice skills through adaptive questions, but with no live tutoring or in-depth explanations.

Miacademy vs IXL vs Brighterly: Comparison

The main difference between Miacademy vs IXL vs Brighterly is that Miacademy offers students a blend of video lessons and interactive, game-based learning. IXL is a fully automated platform that offers your child adaptive self-paced practice at their skill level, but without live instruction. Brighterly, on the other hand, offers primarily live, 1-on-1 tutoring that focuses on school and homeschool math and reading skills. 

Homeschooling Statistics 2025 shows that the number of families choosing to homeschool in the US is growing. If you are thinking of or have started to homeschool your child, or just looking to supplement their classroom learning, choosing the right platform to support you along the way is crucial. When you compare IXL vs Miacademy vs Brighterly, it’s important to keep in mind that these platforms are quite different, and the best choice will depend on your specific preferences. 

	Brighterly	Miacademy	IXL
Price	From $17.3 per lesson (counted for 3 lessons per week as part of a 12-month package)	Starting at $42/month	$9.95/month for a single subject
Corresponding Common Core standards	Yes	Yes	Yes
Methods of learning	Personalized 1-on-1 classes with a tutor	Self-paced video lessons, interactive exercises, and creative projects	Adaptive drill-based practice
Subjects to learn	Math, Reading & ELA	Language arts, social studies, math, science, life sciences, life skills	Math, science, English at every grade level
Personalized learning	Yes, via 1-on-1 tutoring	Yes (through individualized assignments and adaptive programs)	Yes (through SmartScore and recommendations)
Knowledge diagnostics	Yes	Yes (Optional placement tests)	Yes (Real-time diagnostic tool)
Student progress tracking	Yes	Yes	Yes
Trial period	A free demo lesson	Yes (free trial available)	Yes (limited access without subscription)

If you’re looking for a structured yet flexible reading or math program taught by experienced tutors, you can book the free lesson from Brighterly and see how it works firsthand.

IXL vs Miacademy vs Brighterly cost: Comparing options

IXL cost	IXL cost varies from $9.95/month for a single subject (math or English). For $15.95-$19.95/month, additional subjects can be added. IXL offers a 30-day satisfaction guarantee.
Miacademy cost	Subscription for $42/month per child ($1.99 for the first month), $330-460/year per  child.  Miacademy cost for a lifetime plan is $1080 per child and $2400 for 4 children. A 30-day satisfaction guarantee is offered.
Brighterly cost	From $17.3-$20.7 per lesson, the platform offers several affordable price packages for various needs. The listed costs are calculated for 3 lessons per week for subscriptions of 1-12 months. The platform also provides free resources like worksheets, tests, and a free first lesson.

IXL vs Miacademy vs Brighterly cost varies, with all platforms offering several pricing packages, with prices changing depending on your needs. Beyond the pricing, the real value of Brighterly vs IXL vs Miacademy lies in what it offers, based on your needs. Choosing the right fit depends on the kind of learning experience you’re looking to create for your child.

IXL vs Miacademy vs Brighterly: Which is better for homeschool?

When comparing IXL, Miacademy, and Brighterly, it’s important to remember that each platform brings something different to the homeschool table. 

If your family is looking for personalized support and help from a tutor, Brighterly is the best choice among the three platforms. If you have younger kids who, in my experience, need more structure and guidance,  the one-on-one tutoring model will come in especially helpful during your homeschooling journey. 

Miacademy will be a good fit if you are looking for self-paced courses with a multimedia twist. Miacademy homeschool program offers fun, creative, and engaging lessons across subjects like math, science, and English. Miacademy is a great choice if your child is an independent learner who enjoys studying with interactive learning materials.

Lastly, the IXL homeschool program may be the better choice for your family if you want more drill-based practice for your child. While the platform isn’t a full curriculum and doesn’t offer live teaching, it aligns with Common Core standards and is a good resource for reviewing key topics. 

So, in short on what’s the main difference between IXL and Miacademy, and Brighterly, Brighterly works best for individualized learning with a tutor, Miacademy for self-paced broad subject coverage, and IXL for extra practice and test prep.

Is Brighterly a full curriculum?

No, Brighterly is not a full curriculum. It focuses on math and a reading program, providing an award-winning structured curriculum through personalized 1-on-1 tutoring sessions, engaging worksheets, and progress tracking, with a focus on K-9 grades.

Is Miacademy a full curriculum?

Yes, Miacademy offers a full curriculum, which covers core subjects like math, language arts, science, and history. The courses are pre-recorded and self-paced, with no tutor involved. It’s a comprehensive choice if you want an all-in-one learning platform, but don’t necessarily look for personal tutoring.

Is IXL a full curriculum?

No, IXL is not a full curriculum. IXL delivers skill-based practice and adaptive exercises in math, English, and science. While the courses of IXL align with state standards, this platform often works best as a supplemental resource for additional practice rather than a full homeschool program.

What is Brighterly?

Brighterly is an online learning platform that offers personalized 1-on-1 tutoring in math and reading for K-9 students. The lessons are conducted by experienced tutors, who follow the Common Core standards, but also tailor the curriculum to the needs and learning style of your child.

Why thousands of parents in the US trust Brighterly

According to Trustpilot reviews, thousands of parents in the US prefer Brighterly for the personalized learning with experienced tutors, engaging 1-on-1 lessons at affordable rates, and providing learning materials. The tutoring sessions focus on conceptual understanding, interactive learning, and flexible scheduling. Brighterly also offers you detailed lesson reports to make sure you have up-to-date information on your child’s progress at all times.

Brighterly: Key features

• Expert tutors and personalized programs
• Comprehensive math and reading curricula
• Free additional learning resources

Expert tutors and personalized programs

At Brighterly, the math and reading tutors are the heart of the learning experience. They’re not only highly skilled in their subjects but also know how to connect with kids, turning tricky topics into exciting “aha!” moments. Each lesson is personalized, and no matter your child’s needs, the tutors will develop an approach that fits them perfectly. 

Brighterly’s math program builds a deep understanding of math concepts and topics, while the reading program strengthens reading comprehension and vocabulary in fun, engaging ways. You will also never have to wonder how your child is doing, as Brighterly provides in-depth progress tracking and tutor feedback.

Comprehensive math and reading curricula

Brighterly math and reading program curricula give your child the tools they need to excel, combining private tutoring with engaging lessons. Brighterly math program tutors use an adaptive curriculum to help your child master school-level math and prepare them for future, more advanced topics. The reading program aims to strengthen comprehension, vocabulary, and reading fluency through interactive lessons and activities, which will help your child to actually enjoy learning. Both programs align with Common Core standards.

Free additional learning resources

Whether you are homeschooling or looking to help your kid practice what they have learned in class, you will need resources to extend learning beyond tutoring sessions. The platform offers many free math worksheets covering topics from basic arithmetic to more advanced concepts. In addition to math, you can find free reading worksheets. From phonics to reading comprehension, these materials can greatly help your child master fundamental reading skills.

Together, these math worksheets and reading worksheets offer your child practice opportunities between tutoring sessions, and you a chance to review what they’ve learned.

How much does Brighterly cost?

• Learning Membership plan 1: $20.7 per lesson for a 1-month subscription
• Learning Membership plan 2: $20.2 per lesson for a 3-month subscription
• Learning Membership plan 3: $19.4 per lesson for a 6-month subscription
• Learning Membership plan 4: $17.3 per lesson for a 12-month subscription

The costs of Brighterly vary based mainly on the duration of your subscription.

The longer the subscription, the lower the price per lesson. All plans come with a complimentary, commitment-free 1-on-1 trial lesson. You can also pause your subscription anytime.

What does IXL stand for?

• Individualized learning. One of the features of IXL is that it adapts in real time to your child’s answers, adjusting question difficulty based on their previous answers. This was, your kid can be challenged at the right level, while you can see their knowledge gaps that need addressing. 
• An extensive list of subjects. IXL contains thousands of exercises across math, English, and Science courses. The skills are organized by grade and topic. However, please note that the format is largely drill-based, which may not appeal to students who prefer a more interactive learning style.
• Real-time performance reports. IXL will provide you with detailed reports on the results of your child, including the skills they mastered and what areas still need improvement. 

How does IXL work?

At its core, IXL is a drill-based learning tool. There, students can choose a specific skill they want to work through, and then answer a series of questions that adjust in difficulty as they go. The platform provides instant feedback explaining mistakes, as well as showing the correct solution.

Over time, as your child works through different skills, IXL builds a record of their strengths and areas that need revisiting, which you can view in progress reports. This format can be very effective for practicing already covered topics. However, it doesn’t offer the level of creative learning tutoring sessions do, as many IXL reviews indicate. 

How much does IXL cost?

If you’re wondering how much is IXL per month, the price starts at $9.95/month for one subject and goes up to $19.95/month for all core subjects. Annual subscriptions slightly lower the cost. While more affordable than Brighterly, IXL focuses solely on self-paced drill-based practice without live tutoring. In contrast, Brighterly’s 1-on-1 lessons offer you a more personalized guidance and interactive learning experience.

What is Miacademy best at?

• Comprehensive homeschool curriculum. If you are wondering, “Is Miacademy a good homeschool curriculum?”, the good news is, the platform offers a comprehensive and balanced full curriculum homeschool program for K-8 students.
• Alignment with standards. Does Miacademy teach Common Core? Yes, many of the lessons on Miacademy align with Common Core standards. This makes it much easier to make sure your child meets state-level expectations while still enjoying a flexible, engaging learning style.
• Customizable and self-paced learning. On Miacademy, lesson plans are not set in stone; they can be adapted. Your child can work at their own speed, combining the available learning material with more interactive activities, and come back to topics they need revisiting anytime. 

How does Miacademy work?

Miacademy is a flexible online learning platform primarily for K-8 students. It combines video lessons, interactive quizzes, and creative projects. At Miacademy, your child can choose from a wide range of core and elective subjects. You can also customize lesson plans and track progress.

While Miacademy’s flexibility and variety make it appealing for many homeschooling families, keep in mind that the platform may require more parental involvement from your side to ensure your child is consistent and makes progress.

How much is Miacademy?

Miacademy has three membership plans. The subscription option is $42/month per child. You can also opt for a one-year subscription for a one-time payment ranging between $330-460. Lastly, the platform offers a lifetime plan for $1080 for one child and $2440 for 4 kids.

Miacademy cost for access to its lessons and activities is fair and accessible. However, it’s important to remember that the platform doesn’t offer live tutoring sessions, which Brighterly provides. When learning new material, direct support from an experienced tutor can make it easier for children to grasp challenging concepts, as they have someone they can address their questions to.

IXL vs Miacademy vs Brighterly Reddit & Trustpilot reviews

• Brighterly reviews
• Miacademy reviews
• IXL reviews

In this section, I will look into IXL vs Miacademy vs Brighterly Reddit reviews and IXL vs Miacademy vs Brighterly reviews on Trustpilot to give you an overview of what users of the platforms say about them. 

Brighterly reviews

Brighterly reviews on both Trustpilot and Reddit often highlight friendly and experienced tutors and their engaging lesson styles. The personalized approach of Brighterly tutors is greatly appreciated, while there is some feedback on the improvement of the platform design.

“I really love Miss Rebecca. She has a gift of recognizing my son’s Autistic triggers and how to address them without stopping the lesson. She is so good at teaching Noah and encouraging his ability to accomplish his tasks. In both Math and ELA. Noah learns a lot with her and does not lose patience.”

• Belinda Boomer, Trustpilot

“The enrollment process was a breeze, both my children signed up we have two very different but very competent, caring, smart tutors. They connect with your child and check in before starting the lesson. Children are engaged through out the whole session. They are patient and understanding of children’s different learning styles. Would recommend them 10/10! According to my 12 year old son “don’t ever let me miss a session.”

• Ninveh Khoshabian, Trustpilot

“Review the offers for online tutors, there are a lot of them now, I’ve heard good reviews about Brighterly math tutors, which have a predominantly personalized approach to the child and the development of personal lessons.”

• Markuskoren, Reddit

Miacademy reviews

The connecting theme of Miacademy reviews on Trustpilot (where the platform is registered as Miaplaza, Inc.) and Reddit is the positive feedback about the platform’s variety of subjects and the flexibility. However, there are also notes about the lack of depth in the curriculum, as well as lack of interactivity, as the lessons are recordings without live interactions.

“My son loves Clever Dragons. Many of our homeschool friends use it now to because it is an easy transition from classroom to home. You can adjust learning levels as needed for each subject. The material is engaging. My son actually asked to go back to “school” early from summer break because he missed the platform.”

• Isaac, Trustpilot

“Unfortunately, I do not feel like me Academy is interactive enough. The learning videos and the worksheets all those things are wonderful. But the questions are not very interactive. My seven-year-old finds doing the practice or quizzes to be very boring. Maybe having more of the animation in there instead of just questions and answers would help keep younger children focus.”

• Brittney, Trustpilot

“I consider Miacademy a good source for review or as a gap filler rather than a stand-alone curriculum. It keeps improving and courses continue to be added and updated but like another comment or said, the depth isn’t there.”

• almost-heavenWV, Reddit

IXL reviews

IXL reviews show a mix of positive and negative feedback, highlighting both pros and cons of IXL. Many parents appreciate the platform’s wide skill coverage and adaptive system, but IXL bad reviews often mention the repetitive drill format and pressure from the scoring system. IXL ratings on both Trustpilot and Reddit reflect this divide, as some families find IXL a good source for targeted practice, while others don’t find it engaging enough. 

“I tried so many apps before and never got to like anything. IXL is amazing, if an answer goes wrong – it shows a detailed explanation, we experienced no problem understanding it. No unnecessary information, it explains what’s needed. We are using it mostly for practice and understanding concepts.”

• Rosy Sharma, Trustpilot

“As a person who uses IXL I don’t like my class doesn’t like it it’s just trash, the explanation is so hard to understand, if you get a question right, fantastic, pluse I point you miss a question sorry you have to start all over as a person in 5th grade and suffers from IXL just don’t use don’t wast your time I have cried for doing IXL over an HOUR and getting 50 out of 💯”

• Chloe Smith, Trustpilot

“Hard pass. IXL is a program commonly used in public schools, and my public-schooled kids hate it. The teacher/parent sets a points/percentage goal for the student to reach. Missing just a single question, from what I am told, sets the student back so far it’s almost impossible to get back where you need to be. The end result is frustration and a burgeoning hatred for the subject at hand.”

• Grave_Girl, Reddit

What’s the main difference between IXL and Miacademy and Brighterly?

The main difference between IXL vs Miacademy vs Brighterly is the approach to teaching of each platform. IXL mainly offers adaptive, self-paced drills without many explanations and any live interaction. Miacademy offers a mix of pre-recorded lessons and interactive learning through creative projects, often acting like a virtual classroom. Lastly, Brighterly provides live 1-on-1 tutoring sessions in math and reading, with each session addressing specifically the topics and areas your child needs to improve.

While IXL, Miacademy, and Brighterly are all great platforms for learning, they are fundamentally different tools with different teaching and learning approaches. 

IXL vs Miacademy vs Brighterly: Choosing the right platform for your child

• If you prefer a creative approach to teaching coupled with a wide range of subjects, Miacademy might be a good fit.
• If you are looking for drills to help your child practice the topics they know across multiple subjects, IXL could work for you.
• If you want personalized 1-on-1 tutoring, progress tracking, and engaging lessons for your child with  an  experienced tutor, the best choice is the Brighterly reading and math tutoring platform.

Book free lesson on Brighterly and discover the difference personalized tutoring makes in your child’s learning journey.

Other platforms comparison

I know that finding the right learning platform for your child is an important decision. I also know that it can feel overwhelming, especially with so many options available. To make the decision easier, make sure to explore the other comparison articles, similar to Miacademy vs IXL vs Brighterly, where you can get an in-depth look into how different platforms stack up against each other.

• Miacademy vs Time4Learning vs Brighterly: Which One Is Better?
• IXL vs. Brighterly – Complete Comparison
• Best 10 IXL Alternatives & Competitors in 2025
• IXL vs Time4learning vs Brighterly: Which one is better? (2025)