• Math tutors
• /
• Blog
• /
• Mathnasium vs Russian Math: Best Choice for 2025

Mathnasium vs Russian Math: Best Choice for 2025

One (and most convenient) way to help kids progress in their schooling is to find a math tutoring service that will be effective, affordable, and fun. But can these three important factors coexist? In this article, I’ll invest all of my teaching experience to compare Mathnasium vs Russian math vs Brighterly and consider the most burning features for kids and parents alike. If you want to explore which of these programs is best for your kid, keep reading!

Mathnasium vs Russian math vs Brighterly: Comparison

Programs	Russian School of Math	Mathnautism	Brighterly
Instructional formats	Online & offline classrooms	Online & offline classrooms	Only online
Subject	Math (doesn’t cover trigonometry)	Math (covers trigonometry)	Math & reading (all topics in grades 1 to 9)
Cost of programs	Kindergarten + first grade will cost you $52 for 1.5 hours monthly and $1872 yearly. Grades 2-6 will cost you $80 for 2 hours monthly and $2298 yearly. Grades 7-12: 4 hours will cost you $103 monthly; $3708 yearly.	The cost of cost of Mathnasium is as follows: Kindergarten + first grade: on average $50/class Grade 2 to 5: on average $60/class Grade 6: Average price ranges from $40 to $80/class Grade 7 to 12: You’ll pay anywhere from $50 to $100/class	The price for the reading or math program at Brighterly are starting from $17.3/lesson, no matter the grade
Minimum purchase	Russian School of Math tuition is charged based on location and grade level. Certain programs may charge registration fees, typically around $50 to $100.	You will have to pay a non-refundable annual registration fee of $100. If you join mid-year, you pay a reduced fee of $80 from January through March. In April or later, joiners pay $40. Only when the annual registration fee is received is enrollment finalized.	You can join anytime and will have to pay on a monthly basis. No registration fees apply. At the Brighterly math and reading platform, you can enrol for a minimal period of one month.
Company type	With the Russian School of Math, online and offline tutoring with in-staff tutors is offered.	Both in-center and remote tutoring are available.	Online-only tutoring in a one-on-one format, guided by highly skilled educators.
Free trial	Russian School of Math doesn’t have the possibility to hold a trial session.	Mathnasium offers a trial session of 30 minutes.	A free trial lesson is available for all students.
Cancellation policy	Notifying the Russian School of Math before the 3rd lesson is mandatory, so the first 2 lessons are considered a trial period and all tuition will be fully refunded (except for the registration fee). Between the 3rd lesson and the 20th lesson, you have a chance to cancel your subscription with a 1-month (4 lessons) written notice. After the 20th lesson, all students are considered continuous and have to follow the standard cancellation policy.  In addition, all cancellations have to be served in a written form.	6 hours (or less) notice is not accepted. Mathnasium fees don’t offer refunds in such cases.	You can cancel your subscription anytime, but you will have to continue studying till the end of the period specified in your chosen package (1 month, 3, 6, or 12 months)
Rating	Not available.	Trustpilot score is 4.0/5 based on 72 reviews.	Trustpilot score is 4.5/5 based on 408 reviews.

 

Russian math vs Mathnasium vs Brighterly cost: Comparing options

	Price per lesson	Price per month
Brighterly cost	From $17.3 (relevant if you book the plan with 3 lessons/week).	From $207 if practicing 3 times per week
Mathnasium cost	Not specified directly,  but users report that it can span from $40 to $100 per session.	The minimum is $320 with 2 weekly lessons.
Russian school of math cost	The price per lesson starts from $52 and climbs up for students in middle and high schools. But you’ll have to contact their support for more precise	Considering the minimal price listed, be prepared to pay $416/month if you decide to practice twice a week.

What is the Brighterly math and reading platform?

Brighterly is a math and reading-focused platform that delivers customized classes according to individual-based plans and with a complete focus on particular needs. The lessons here are held exclusively 1:1, guaranteeing better immersion.

Why do parents in the US choose Brighterly over other e-learning resources?

Parents in the US commonly choose Brighterly over Mathnasium vs RSM due to its customized reading and math classes and the strong team of tutors they managed to assemble. Teachers here devote all of their attention to your child, promptly addressing gaps in their knowledge and guaranteeing academic progression.

Here’s just one review example as shared by a happy parent:

Brighterly: Key features

• The highest level of tuition with experienced educators
• Customized learning programs aligned with Common Core

The highest level of tuition with experienced educators

Brighterly math tutors or reading tutors are, by far, not amateurs — only those who obtain several years of experience can join the service. With the requirements set high, Brighterly succeeded in assembling a highly-skilled and motivated team of educators. That’s why they can handle any of your requirements:

• Develop a solid basis in your subject
• Help to keep up with the learning program
• Outpass classmates and achieve the most ambitious academic aims
• Prepare for exams or college

Additionally, all personnel at Brighterly build their lessons using the principles of interactivity — not the common find among other platforms like Mathnasium vs RSM. In practice, it means more engagement, real-world-based tasks, and emotional connection. No drills or repetitions — this e-service will help your child analyze, conclude, and ultimately understand their subject.

Customized learning programs aligned with Common Core

Another point to discuss is the tailored math or reading program to enjoy at Brighterly. Here’s how it’s constructed:

1. Your kid passes an in-depth test, which highlights all of your strengths and weaknesses.
2. Based on the results, the program automatically matches them with the best-fitting tutor.
3. They get to know each other during a free demo lesson. It’s also when you should decide on whether Brighterly is the right fit for you. I should also mention that this commitment-free lesson is unique to Brighterly and isn’t usually featured on other platforms like the Russian School of Math.
4. If everything matches, you can start learning! Your program will be completely adjusted to your needs, with actual tasks that cater to your interests. And, of course, everything you study is aligned with Common Core to match the academic schedule.

Last but not least, I’d like to highlight that Brighterly offers a wealth of free reading and math worksheets for kids. Here’s how it can look:

So, yes, just download the one that fits your grade and start practicing — no matter where you are, both on your device or in print.

Besides, Brighterly is more than affordable and flexible when compared to other options in terms of pricing. That’s because:

• Its pricing is transparent, so you can plan the money to pay.
• You can start studying at a price as low as $17.3/lesson.
• No hidden fees are applied.

Top that with 24/7 support and progress reports you get with each learning plan, and Brighterly fees will prove more than reasonable.

What is Russian Math?

The Russian School of Math is an online and offline after-school tutoring service that mixes the US Common Core curriculum standards with the Soviet Union math school principles of independent learning. If you want your child to boost problem-solving and critical-thinking skills, the Russian school of math tuition might be right for you. 

 

However, Russian math is also known for its challenging problems, which can be stressful for a lot of students, as the teachers can be quite pushy regarding the curriculum. Don’t expect a tailored, gamified, and interactive approach, as it’s not the case with this kind of school. Also, math homework might just be a little too demanding for some populations of kids, especially those who aren’t particularly interested in the science of math. 

How is Russian math different?

Russian math differs in the way that it cherishes a structured and rigorous curriculum that can go way beyond the US standards. Here, the complexity of problems will rise steeply, and the task of students is to keep up. The focal points of this approach are reason and logic, with early introduction of complex concepts. 

Comparing Russian Math vs Mathnasium vs Brighterly, I’ve concluded that the Russian math tutoring is the most challenging program among the three. On top of that, it requires a good portion of self-organization and discipline to succeed.

Russian School of Math cost

How much does Russian math cost? Well, the fee can span anywhere between $2,000 and $3,500 per year. The final Russian School of Math estimation will vary depending on the location, the number of lessons, and the grade of the student. In addition, Russian math offers 4-level pricing options, which depend on a student’s grade. Please see them below. 

Grade	Pricing
Kindergarten + 1st grade	On average $50 for 1 subject.
Elementary school	On average $60 for 1 subject.
6th grade	Price ranges between $40 and $80 per class for geometry and algebra lessons.
7th to 12th grade	Expect to pay between $50 and $100 per class for geometry and algebra lessons.

Russian School of Math tuition is flexible and offers different payment plans: you can pay monthly, semi-annually, or once for a full-year tuition. 

Is Russian math worth it?

Eventually, you’ll ask if Russian math is worth it after all. Although some may perceive this school as too intense, others may greatly benefit from it.

Firstly, you have to determine various factors: your goal, your kid’s skill in math, and whether the price is acceptable to you. If all of the above align with your expectations, then Russian math can be worth it. However, you have to pay attention to the fact that Russian math can be pricier than other schools and tutoring services.

Russian School of Math: Pros vs cons

Like every other math tutoring school, Russian schools have their advantages and disadvantages. Let’s see what they are below. 

Russian math: Cons	Russian math: Pros
Time Commitment Some students must complete daily worksheets as their homework, which can be time-consuming and demotivating. Not every student is particularly happy about it, especially if they are active in other extracurricular activities.	Independent Learning With Russian math, students will develop strong self-study skills without needing tutors or parents to support how they learn.
No Personalized Learning Russian math is not adaptable to many children’s needs. Russian math tutors can be intense and rigid, especially regarding the variety of learning styles they offer. To sum up, most kids will find Russian math to be too strict in its learning style.	Strong Foundation for STEM When we’re talking about Mathnasium vs RSM, Russian math will always have a stronger advantage in giving children serious STEM skills. Those who want to pursue tech careers would definitely benefit more from Russian math.
Not Much Flexibility If your child needs a more individualized learning style, then Russian math could be a bad option. For children who are unable to keep up with the pace their tutors set, it may be a problem to continue such programs. As a result, this can lead to frustration or a lack of confidence in their math abilities.	Advanced Curriculum  For kids who are already more advanced in math, Russian math may be a preferable option. Russian math tutors can introduce advanced topics in geometry and algebra early on if kids are ready for them.

That said, I should give my final verdict. Choose the Russian math of the Russian School of Math vs Mathnasium vs Brighterly trio if your child is:

• Independent
• Self-organized
• Already advanced in the subject

But if you crave more personalization and interactivity, well, you’d better keep searching.

What is Mathnasium?

Mathnasium is an online and offline learning center for mastering math. Its main aim is to create a solid foundation in the specific subject while also building on advanced concepts. The Mathnasium age range covers children from 4 to 18, meaning that any school-age child can study here.

Unlike Russian math, Mathnasium already offers a good portion of personalization. It conducts a diagnostic of students’ needs, creates individualized plans, encourages them to work at their own pace, ask questions, and also embeds some interactive elements.

However, note that this service also has one substantial con: its math program doesn’t directly follow Common Core requirements. Of course, it covers all the necessary topics for a specific grade, but don’t expect it to follow your school schedule directly.

Service	Pricing
Enrollment fees and assessment	On average, $100 to $150
Mathnasium cost per hour	On average, $25 to $75
Monthly cost	On average, $200 to $500
Summer programs (8+ sessions)	Expect to pay between $395 and $1,000 for summer programs

To summarize, the Mathnasium price depends on factors like locations, services offered, and program chosen, so it’s hard to say how much exactly you will pay in your specific location. 

Is Mathnasium worth it?

Mathnasium can be a worthwhile investment when your kids need personalized attention and extra support in math. Features like customized learning plans and confidence boosts are undoubtedly beneficial for certain types of learners. Another great thing about Mathnasium is that it operates on a flexible schedule, allowing students to have as many sessions as needed during a week. However, you can only schedule a 1-hour session per day. 

Mathnasium: Pros and Cons

To figure out whether Mathnasium is a school for you, check out this Mathnasium review below.

Cons	Pros
Cost How much does Mathnasium cost per month? Many are shocked by the answers they get. Indeed, Mathnasium can be pricey, depending on your area, with monthly fees ranging from $200 to $500, and even $900. This presents a big disadvantage for families, especially when having more affordable options like Brighterly.	Personalized Learning Plans Every student who enrolls here is equipped with a personalized learning plan based on an initial assessment. It ensures that all of the knowledge gaps and weaknesses are addressed promptly.
Limited Math Focus Math worksheets? Kids can forget about that! Mathnasium offers math programs that don’t involve pushing kids to excellence but rather have a basic understanding of math concepts.	Supportive Environment Mathnasium offers a supportive environment for students. This can be especially beneficial for those who suffer from math-related anxiety. Support from the tutors is making the math experience more enjoyable.
Limited Online Options Mathnasium is more of an offline-oriented program, which can be a big disadvantage for many. Although it does offer online studying, most of its programs aren’t completely optimized for this type, which can result in glitches and inconveniences.	Flexible Attendance Busy families can have more flexible scheduling as Mathnasium centers allow students to attend up to a certain number of times per week.

Mathnasium vs Russian Math vs Brighterly Reddit and Trustpilot

• Mathnasium reviews  
• Brighterly reviews from parents
• Russian school of mathematics reviews

Mathnasium reviews

To give you a complete picture of the Mathnasium effectiveness, I did some digging into Mathnasium vs Russian math Reddit and Trustpilot feedback. What I found was a mix of both positive and negative reviews, with a slight incline towards positivity. So, of course, I’d like to start on a good note and highly that Mathnasium is indeed highly personalized. It manages to mix a small-group setting with a focus on individual needs, which is a rare find:

But on the flip side, I found 26% of 1-star Trustpilot reviews that extensively complained about hefty prices, boring learning modes, and even mistakes made by tutors:

But that’s not all! I highly recommend checking the article, which will provide you with an even more in-depth Mathnasium review based on the feedback received from learners and parents.

Brighterly reviews from parents

Ok, so the next competitor in our Mathnasium vs Russian School of Math vs Brighterly opposition is Brighterly. Frankly, I cannot say much criticism here, as this service obtains an unhinged 4.5 score on Trustpilot, and some of the most positive reviews among the three. Its tutors, along with effective schedules, are complemented most commonly, so…

But, of course, I will stay fair. As for negatives, Brighterly lessons are only 45 minutes in length, with some issues with the customer service — not critical, yet worth considering.

If you’re looking for further details on this platform, I can recommend  checking  these parent’s reviews. After all, what can be better than the feedback from actual users?

Russian school of mathematics reviews

To clarify the matter further, let’s examine our final competitor and dive into the actual Russian School of Math reviews. Thus, I found that some parents highly estimate the focus of this e-learning service on creating a specific learning system. 

However, others highlight the high-pressure and high-demand environment in RSM. Obviously, those learners who crave all of a teacher’s attention to themselves or prioritize in-depth explanations will be disappointed by the platform. The same concerns elementary students, who can find the approach here too rigid.

Mathnasium vs Russian math vs Brighterly: Which is better?  

By now, we have done a great job of understanding the difference between these three giants in the learning industry: Mathnasium vs Russian math vs Brighterly. And the good thing about our research is that they are considerably different in their approach, priorities, and teaching methods, so your final choice shouldn’t be as difficult. So, go for:

• Russian math if you’re searching for an advanced and highly intensive course, and are ready for a rigid attitude from teachers and lots of independent work.
• Mathnasium, if you crave personalization, yet are ready to study in groups with the priority laid on similar worksheets.
• Brighterly if tutor explanations and interactivity are your kinks. Here you’ll receive the maximum attention and complete focus on your needs.

To make your decision even easier, Brighterly offers to book free lesson  and test its processes commitment-free today. So, why not dare?