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• Kumon vs Sylvan vs Brighterly: Which One Is Better? (2025)

Kumon vs Sylvan vs Brighterly: Which One Is Better? (2025)

Looking for a tutoring platform in 2025? Chances are you’ll be looking into many different platforms to find the best option, like Kumon vs Sylvan vs Brighterly.

I’m here to help you make an informed decision, so in this article, I’ll be comparing three leading platforms: Kumon, Sylvan and Brighterly.

Key points:

• Brighterly offers private online math tutoring to kids in grades 1-9 at an affordable price, with highly qualified tutors and free resources available.
• Kumon offers both math and English tutoring, with online lessons and in-person assessments.
• Sylvan offers tutoring in multiple subjects, including math, reading, writing and foreign languages, as well as test prep.

Brighterly vs Kumon vs Sylvan: Comparison

The main difference between Brighterly vs Kumon vs Sylvan is the subjects, the type of progress tracking available and the ratings from parents.

Brighterly offers math tutoring only, while Kumon and Sylvan offer additional subjects including English, science and foreign languages. Only Brighterly and Kumon offer student progress reports via different methods, and each platform has different ratings from parents.

Here, I’ve included a quick-fire comparison of Brighterly vs Sylvan Learning vs Kumon in the United States.

	Brighterly	Kumon	Sylvan
Type of company	Online private math tutoring	Math and English learning program	Private tutoring company
Subjects to learn	Math	Math and English	Multiple subjects including math, reading and writing and science
Personalized learning plan	Yes	Yes	Yes
Knowledge diagnostics	Yes, via a diagnostics test	Yes, via an in-person assessment	Yes, via the Sylvan Insight™ Assessment
Student progress tracking	Regular reports that include areas of strength and areas for improvement	Monthly progress reporting via an online portal method	No
Trial options	Yes, via a free demo lesson	No	Yes, via a free trial class
TrustPilot rating	4.6	4.0	3.5
Mode of learning	Online private one-to-one tutoring	Mix of in-person and online tutoring	Mix of in-person and online tutoring
Common Core-aligned	Yes	Yes	Yes

What is Brighterly?

Brighterly is an online private math tutoring platform for kids in grades 1-9 that specializes in personalized learning and comprehensive learning resources. It’s available to both elementary and middle school kids.

With thoroughly vetted, highly qualified tutors, Brighterly not only improves kids’ math grades but also boosts their confidence. It does so via a skills assessment, which identifies areas for improvement, and a gamified learning style. With Brighterly’s lessons, kids will no longer perceive math as a boring subject!

Brighterly’s curriculum is split by grade, covering grades 1 to 9, aligning with all the learning and math concepts your kid will be learning in their grade at school. It also offers free math resources, including worksheets and practice tests, to support kids in lessons and their free time.

Why do parents prefer Brighterly over Kumon or Sylvan?

Parents prefer Brighterly over Kumon and Sylvan because of its knowledgeable and supportive tutors.

Tutors’ encouragement and focus on boosting children’s confidence as well as their math skills are highly rated by parents. They also rate the learning materials and how Brighterly simplifies complex math topics for struggling kids. That’s why, when considering the choice between Brighterly or Kumon or Sylvan, parents often opt for Brighterly.

Brighterly math tutoring platform: Key strengths & features

• Highly rated, qualified math tutors
• Common Core-aligned STEM curriculum
• Learning resources provided for free

Highly rated, qualified math tutors

Brighterly math tutors really set it apart from the competition. Not only do they hold the most important qualifications for delivering excellent math education, but they are also commended for their personalized support.

Tutors do not only ensure kids are learning and improving their knowledge, but they encourage their students to improve their confidence. When it comes to learning math, that is half the battle!

Brighterly tutors undergo a thorough vetting process, which includes mock lessons with children who are particularly difficult to teach. This means they can handle all challenges and provide the right instruction to your child.

Common Core-aligned STEM curriculum

Brighterly’s personalized online math tutoring aligns with Common Core standards, meaning it is in line with what they’ll learn in school. This means their learning will directly improve their exam performance and test results.

The Brighterly math program, available for kids in grades 1-9, features an adaptive STEM-focused curriculum, which helps kids prepare for the future world of work. Each grade covers the topics kids will be learning at school, so their tutoring will align with their formalized education.

Learning resources provided for free

To support its private math tutoring, the Brighterly math tutoring platform offers a range of free learning resources that kids can use both in their lessons and in their free time.

Free Brighterly math worksheets contain a range of different math problems and puzzles to challenge learners to think outside the box and ensure they can approach a topic from every angle.

Brighterly’s free practice math tests help kids prepare for real-life exams at school. The test questions mimic the exams they’ll likely encounter, giving them an understanding of their current performance and where they need to improve. 

These practice tests form part of our knowledge base articles, which comprehensively cover every math concept your kid will encounter in school. Explore our knowledge base.

When considering Brighterly or Sylvan or Kumon, these free resources are a key benefit of Brighterly.

 

Brighterly benefits: User’s reviews

Brighterly’s 4.6 rating on TrustPilot is based on the reviews of hundreds of happy parents. These reviews tell the story of how Brighterly tutors offer a great service and keep kids engaged through interactive gamified learning, support their confidence in math and improve their grades. Here, I’ve included some Brighterly reviews from TrustPilot.

• Children are highly motivated to study

“My daughter looks forward to logging on every Thursday. I’ve never seen her so enthused about learning!”

• Tena, TrustPilot

• Flexibility around your schedules

“The flexibility and ease of access has made her more confident in learning and growing.”

• Robyn, TrustPilot

• Engaging and improving scores through interactive learning

“My son struggled in math and he is becoming more confident and his scores keep improving. Faith is fun, engaging and the classes are so interactive!”

• Brenda, TrustPilot

Brighterly cost: Learning membership plans

The Brighterly cost depends on a range of factors. Firstly, the cost will change depending on how many hour lessons a week you opt for, and you can choose to take 1, 2 or 3 lessons a week. The more lessons you choose, the more accelerated your child’s learning will be.

Secondly, the length of your learning membership plan will affect your price too. Longer memberships will offer higher discounts, giving the best value for money.

Learning membership plan 1: one lesson a week from $105 to $124 a month

Taking one lesson a week is the most affordable option. For one lesson a week, you will pay:

• 1 month: $124 a month
• 3 months: $118 a month
• 6 months: $112 a month
• 12 months: $105 a month

Learning membership plan 2: two lessons a week from $161 to $211 a month

Two lessons a week can bring your child better results faster. For two lessons a week, you will pay:

• 1 month: $211 a month
• 3 months: $198 a month
• 6 months: $186 a month
• 12 months: $161 a month

Learning membership plan 3: three lessons a week from $234 to $298 a month

Three lessons a week is the best way to accelerate your child’s learning and ensure they keep up a steady pace. For three lessons a week, you will pay:

• 1 month: $298 a month
• 3 months: $279 a month
• 6 months: $268 a month
• 12 months: $234 a month

Sylvan Learning Center features

Best for: kids who would benefit from in-person learning

Sylvan is a tutoring platform that offers both in-person and virtual tutoring across a range of subjects. These are math, reading, writing, science and foreign languages.

The company has centers across the US, and the cost of Sylvan math tutoring will depend on the location of your center. It’s best to check if there is a Sylvan center located near you.

As well as tutoring, Sylvan also offers test preparation, plus dedicated courses and study camps. 

• Tutors available in multiple subjects including foreign languages and science
• Sylvan Insight™ Assessment to assess kids’ current needs
• In-person and online learning available

Sylvan tutoring reviews: Pros & cons of the platform

Sylvan has limited reviews from parents online, but they still offer insight into the experience of the platform. Here are the good and the bad things about Sylvan, based on Sylvan tutoring reviews from parents online.

Sylvan Learning Center: benefits	Sylvan: disadvantages
✅ Tutoring available in multiple subjects Sylvan offers tutoring in the following subjects: math, reading, writing, foreign languages and science.	❌ Expensive compared to other private tutoring platforms As you’ll see below in our Sylvan cost section, the camps and classes can get expensive, with a high cost per class.
✅ Intensive classes available  For kids who are especially struggling, intensive classes and camps are available to accelerate learning.	❌ Some parents report that their child didn’t gel with their tutor Tutors aren’t as well-vetted at Sylvan as they are with other platforms, which means some parents have experienced bad matches.
✅ Personalized learning plan provided Sylvan uses its Sylvan Insight™ Assessment to provide a personalized learning plan for your child depending on their skill levels.	❌ Tutors may provide negative reviews about children Some reviews state that tutor reviews of children can be harsh, which can affect your child’s confidence.

How much does Sylvan cost?

So, how much does Sylvan cost? The pricing of this platform varies by the location of its centers and where you are located. Because of this, there is no standardized pricing, but its website states that you can expect the following average prices:

• $50+ per personalized tutoring session
• $900+ per ACT and SAT group class
• $200+ per STEM and academic camp

Sylvan does not offer a standardized Sylvan learning center cost per month. Instead, the Sylvan cost depends on location – however, it does offer some average pricing per lesson.

Kumon benefits

Best for: kids who need support in both English and math

Kumon is a company offering after-school math and reading programs. 

It offers these programs to kids aged 3 and above, with a blend of in-person assessments and online tutoring.

Learners will receive continual assessments throughout their time on the Kumon programs.

• English and math tutoring available
• Blended on-site assessments and online classes
• Learning primarily through assessments

Kumon reviews from parents: Pros & cons

Kumon learning center reviews highlight many Kumon benefits, as well as some disadvantages to this English and math tutoring platform. Here, I’ve analyzed reviews to answer the questions: “Why is Kumon bad?” and “Why is Kumon good?”.

Why is Kumon good?	Why is Kumon bad?
✅Two main subjects on offer Kumon worksheets and tutoring are available for two key subjects – English and math.	❌ Inaccessible if you don’t live near a Kumon assessment center Not all parents in the United States will live a travelable distance to a Kumon center.
✅ Peer engagement for social pupils Children have the opportunity to interact with a small group of peers through in-person work as well as online classes.	❌ No way of making children complete their assignments If children don’t complete their assignments outside of lessons, they will likely fall behind.
✅ Assessments and assignments continually offered Kumon offers an assessment-based learning style, which means kids can continually see their progress.	❌ Tight target times  A tight target time means that children who are especially struggling may not be able to keep up.

How much does Kumon cost per month?

So, how much does Kumon cost per month? Kumon has a dynamic pricing model that varies based on whether your children just study one subject or both, as well as the length of your plan. The cost of Kumon offers no flexibility in the number of sessions or assignments per week, as these are predetermined. This is something you will want to consider, as your child may need more or fewer lessons than Kumon offers.

Here are the Kumon tutoring prices you’ll pay:

• Standalone math lessons: $165 per month
• Standalone English lessons: $165 per month
• Both math and English: $320 per month
• 6-month contract: $155 per subject per month
• 12-month contract: $150 per subject per month 

As well as this, you’ll need to pay a one-off registration fee of $80 and a material fee of $30. These costs can add up and make Kumon more expensive than some other tutoring options.

Conclusion: Which is better — Brighterly, Kumon or Sylvan? 

Here, I have compared three American tutoring services: Brighterly vs Sylvan vs Kumon. The bottom line is that each platform has its own advantages and disadvantages, and I have covered them all here to give you everything you need to make an informed decision for your child. 

I’ve also covered the Brighterly vs Sylvan vs Kumon cost, so the option you choose can fit with your family’s budget. Reviews from parents offer further insight into the real experiences people have had on these platforms, which you should factor into your decision.

Here is a summary of the pros of each platform so that you can decide whether to choose Brighterly, Sylvan or Kumon:

• If you’re interested in blending both online and in-person learning or intensive boot camp learning, Sylvan is a suitable choice.
• If you’re interested in helping your kid improve their learning in both math and English, then you might want to try Kumon.
• If you care about tutoring from highly qualified professionals who will boost your child’s confidence as well as their grades, the best choice is the Brighterly math tutoring platform.

Other platforms comparison

When it comes to choosing the right tutoring or learning programs for your child, it’s important that you make an informed decision. The best way to do that is by reading direct reviews of all the different learning platforms you’re considering for your child.

Check out some of our other articles, where we compare many different learning platforms, from homework-help platforms to tutoring and homeschooling platforms.

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• Russian Math vs Mathnasium