IXL alternatives for kids: a fair comparison
IXL covers five subjects from Pre-K to grade 12 and is a membership. Alternatives include Khan Academy (free, a nonprofit), SplashLearn, Prodigy and Peabody (free through the end of 2026, reading and math to 8th grade, no sign-up). This page reads each from its own pages on one rubric, and lists what Peabody does not do.
| Product | Cost to a family | Subjects | Grades | How it says it adapts | Evidence its page shows |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IXL | Membership; the home page links to a pricing page for families and shows no price itself | Math, language arts, science, social studies and Spanish | Pre-K through grade 12 | Says "IXL is personalized learning", with guidance on which skill to practise next, a diagnostic and analytics | Not shown on the home page we read |
| Khan Academy | Free; a 501(c)(3) nonprofit supported by donors | Math, science, English language arts, social studies, economics, computing, life skills and test prep | K–12 and early college | Not described on the page we read | Not shown on the page we read |
| SplashLearn | Free lesson plans and teaching tools for teachers; the page does not describe a family plan or price | Math and English (counting through fractions, phonics and the alphabet) | Preschool through grade 5 | Not described on the home page we read | Links to success stories; no research shown on the page we read |
| Prodigy | Free for teachers and for students at school or home; optional paid family memberships add features | Math and English | Not stated on the home page (it names Common Core and TEKS standards) | Calls its games "adaptive"; the home page does not explain how | Figures from surveys it commissioned, and a school district's results |
| Peabody | Free through the end of 2026, with no sign-up | Reading (13 levels, a library of stories), math from Pre-K to 8th grade, and a World of facts | Pre-readers to about 8th grade | A practice brain that picks the next question and brings facts back on a schedule; the rules are published | No efficacy study yet; the science page says what has not been shown |
Every fact about another product below was read from its own public page on 2026-10-18 (linked in the table). Where a page does not say, we write that, which is not the same as "no".
IXL is a large skill-by-skill practice site. If it does not fit, or you want something free or game-shaped, these are the neighbours, read on the same rubric.
What each does that Peabody does not
IXL. Far more subjects and grades than Peabody, with a very large skill list (it says more than 20,000 skills). Aimed at: students, families, teachers and adult learners.
Khan Academy. Free courses across K–12 and early college in many languages, far wider than Peabody. Aimed at: students, teachers and parents.
SplashLearn. A big library of grade-by-grade programs, including a homeschool program. Aimed at: families, teachers and schools.
Prodigy. Standards-aligned content (it names Common Core and TEKS) with lesson plans and tools for teachers. Aimed at: kids, teachers and parents.
What Peabody does not do
- It has no classroom or teacher product.
- It does not map lessons to state standards or produce a standards report.
- It cannot hear a child read, so it cannot measure fluency; it does not give a Lexile, a reading age or a grade equivalent.
- It has no written work, no test and no score that compares a child to others.
- It has not published an efficacy study.
- Its free period is promised only through the end of 2026.
- Its subjects are reading, math and a World of facts, not the full school day.
Which to choose
- Choose IXL when you want the widest range of subjects and grades in one place, with analytics a parent or teacher can follow.
- Choose Khan Academy for free courses that run past 8th grade.
- Choose Peabody for short, game-shaped practice that is free through 2026 and needs no account, with reading and math to 8th grade.
Try two for a week and keep the one your child asks for. The rubric behind this table is on the compare page.
Other comparisons
- Games like Prodigy: a fair comparison
- Free learning apps for kids: a fair comparison
- Free homeschool math plan by grade
- How to choose an AI learning tool for your child
Questions parents ask
Is there a free alternative to IXL?
Khan Academy is free and a nonprofit. Peabody is free through the end of 2026 with no sign-up. Prodigy's content is free for students, with optional paid family memberships.
Does Peabody cover everything IXL does?
No. IXL lists five subjects from Pre-K to grade 12. Peabody covers reading, math from Pre-K to 8th grade and a World of facts.
Checked against how Peabody works on 18 October 2026. Written with help from AI, from Peabody's own code and library. Peabody is a learning app, not an assessment: if you're worried about your child's learning, talk to their teacher.