Homeschool Curriculum Comparison: Cost, Fit, Records
Compare homeschool curriculum on five things: who teaches, which subjects the price covers, the yearly cost, the records you get, and how it handles a child who is ahead in one subject and behind in another. The chart below lines up 15 programs on those points from their published terms.
Homeschool curriculum comparison chart
Each name opens a full side-by-side comparison. Prices are the published entry points from each comparison's last review, so confirm the current price with the provider before you buy. "See comparison" marks a fact we do not have on record.
| Program | Price | Grades | Subjects | Who teaches | How it adjusts | Records | Accreditation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TheHomeschoolingCompany (Adaptive, personalized) | $49/month for 1 subject; $149/month for up to 12. 14-day free trial | K–12 | Any standard or custom subject | Curriculum teaches and grades; you review progress | Diagnostic places each subject; lessons adjust | Attendance, reports, transcripts, record export | Not accredited |
| Time4Learning (Online curriculum) | $39.95/month for grades 6–12, 7 courses | PreK–12 | Core subjects plus electives | Video lessons; auto-graded | Parent picks levels and courses | Parent dashboard and reports | Not accredited |
| Power Homeschool (Online video curriculum) | $25/month per student | K–12 | Comprehensive K–12 courses | Pre-recorded video; auto-graded | Self-paced; same videos for all | Reports and transcripts | Diploma through Acellus Academy at extra cost |
| Abeka (Textbook or video) | About $93–188/month for 10 months (full grade, video and books) | K4–12 | Full grades or single subjects | Parent in Parent-Led; video in Academy | Mix formats by subject; set sequence | Parent keeps them in Parent-Led | Through Abeka Academy only |
| BJU Press (Textbook or video) | $500–1,000+ per grade | See comparison | See comparison | Parent, or video at added cost | Same curriculum for all | See comparison | See comparison |
| Sonlight (Literature-based boxed) | $500–1,500+ per grade | See comparison | Literature, history, Bible; some math and science | Parent reads aloud and leads discussion | Same curriculum; several ages together | See comparison | See comparison |
| Calvert Education (Boxed, online or print) | $549–849+ per grade | See comparison | See comparison | Guided daily lessons; optional advisory teacher | Same curriculum for all | Automated grading and records | Through enrollment programs only |
| Oak Meadow (Waldorf-inspired boxed) | $400–750+ per grade | See comparison | See comparison | Parent facilitates | Flexible pacing, set curriculum | Transcripts with accredited enrollment | Accredited enrollment option |
| The Good and the Beautiful (Parent-led printed) | Free PDFs; $20–60 per printed course | See comparison | Strongest in language arts and history | Parent teaches most lessons | Same content at each grade | See comparison | See comparison |
| Easy Peasy (Free online) | Free | K–12 | Complete K–12, Christian worldview | Parent oversees each day | Same lessons for everyone | Parent tracks on printables | Not accredited |
| Khan Academy (Free supplement) | Free | See comparison | Strongest in math and science; not a full curriculum | Pre-recorded video | Adaptive practice, mastery-based | Mastery progress tracking | See comparison |
| K12 / Stride (Virtual public school) | Tuition-free public school; private options vary | K–12 | State-standards curriculum | Certified teachers; parent as Learning Coach | Set schedule and attendance | School keeps records | Accredited public school |
| Connections Academy (Virtual public school) | Tuition-free public school | See comparison | Pearson curriculum | Certified teachers; parent as learning coach | Standards-driven; IEP and 504 available | School keeps records and transcripts | Accredited public school |
| IXL (Practice supplement) | $9.95–19.95/month per student | See comparison | Practice only, mapped to state standards | Explanations after wrong answers | Adaptive difficulty; diagnostic | See comparison | See comparison |
| Outschool (Live online classes) | $10–50+ per class | See comparison | Single classes on many topics | Live independent teachers | You pick the classes | No unified transcript | See comparison |
How to compare homeschool curriculum
Run these six checks in order. Each one removes programs, so by the end you are choosing between two or three.
Decide who teaches
Sonlight and The Good and the Beautiful expect you to lead most lessons. Power Homeschool and Time4Learning teach on screen. K12 and Connections Academy assign certified teachers. Pick the load you can keep up in your busiest week.
Count the subjects you need
Some programs cover one subject: Apologia is mainly science and Teaching Textbooks is math. IXL and Khan Academy are practice tools, not full curricula. If you need six subjects, price six.
Compare the yearly cost, not the sticker price
Convert every price to one child for one school year. Then add what it leaves out: other subjects, consumable workbooks for each child, video upgrades, and advisory teachers.
Check the records
Your state may ask for attendance, work samples, or test results, and a high schooler needs a transcript. Virtual public schools keep records for you. With Easy Peasy you track them on printables. Ask for a sample report.
Test it against your uneven child
Most children are ahead in one subject and behind in another. A grade package like BJU Press gives every student the same content, so you do the placing. TheHomeschoolingCompany places each subject separately with a diagnostic.
Try it before you commit
Run a real week and watch whether your child can work without you rescuing every lesson. TheHomeschoolingCompany's placement is free, and every plan starts with a 14-day free trial.
How do I compare curriculum vendors for math, ELA, and science together?
Make one row per subject and one column per vendor. For each subject, write down the price, the level your child places at, and the minutes you teach each day. Add the prices for your yearly cost and the minutes for your daily load.
Mixing vendors, such as Saxon Math, All About Reading, and Apologia, works when each subject starts at your child's real level, but it means three placements, three schedules, and three sets of records. TheHomeschoolingCompany's School in a Box covers all three in one daily plan, with a separate starting point in each, for $149 a month.
Choose the question you need to answer
How much homeschool curriculum costs
In this chart, published prices run from free to $1,500 or more per grade. How a program charges matters as much as the number.
Free: $0
Easy Peasy and Khan Academy are free. K12 and Connections Academy are tuition-free public schools. You pay in parent time or in public-school rules.
Easy Peasy · Khan Academy · K12 · Connections Academy
Online subscriptions: $25–39.95/month per student
Power Homeschool is $25 a month. Time4Learning is $39.95 a month for grades 6–12, or $479.40 a year before discounts.
Power Homeschool · Time4Learning
Books by the course: $20–120 per course
The Good and the Beautiful prints courses for $20–60, Apologia textbooks cost $75–90, and Master Books runs $80–120 in consumable workbooks.
The Good and the Beautiful · Apologia · Master Books
Complete grade packages: $300–1,500+ per grade
Alpha Omega runs $300–600+, Oak Meadow $400–750+, BJU Press $500–1,000+, Calvert $549–849+, and Sonlight $500–1,500+.
Alpha Omega · Oak Meadow · BJU Press · Calvert · Sonlight
Supplements: $9.95–19.95/month, or $10–50+ per class
IXL and Outschool add to a curriculum rather than replace one.
TheHomeschoolingCompany: $49–149/month
One subject for $49 a month, or up to 12 for $149 ($1,788 a year). More children lower the School in a Box rate: $125 each for two, $100 each for three, $85 each for four, and $75 from five.
What drives your total
- Subjects covered. A one-subject program is cheap until you buy the other five.
- Number of children. Per-grade packages and consumable workbooks are bought again for each child.
- Your time. A low price with parent-led lessons moves the cost into your hours.
Types of homeschool curriculum and who each fits
Most programs follow one of five models, and the model sets your job more than the brand does. Philosophies such as Charlotte Mason (Master Books) and Waldorf (Oak Meadow) change what lessons feel like, not who runs them. Abeka, BJU Press, Sonlight, and Alpha Omega teach from a Christian worldview.
Boxed textbook curriculum
Fits: Parents who want printed books, a set sequence, and to teach.
Tradeoff: Priced per grade with the same content for every student, so you place, teach, and grade.
Abeka · BJU Press · Sonlight · Calvert
Online video curriculum
Fits: Children who can learn on screen with little adult teaching.
Tradeoff: You personalize by picking levels, and a video cannot answer a question.
Time4Learning · Power Homeschool · Alpha Omega
Virtual public or online private school
Fits: Families who want certified teachers, an accredited diploma, or IEP and 504 services.
Tradeoff: It is school at home, not homeschooling: set schedules, attendance, and a curriculum you cannot change.
K12 / Stride · Connections Academy · Pearson Online Academy
Free online curriculum
Fits: A budget that must stay at zero, or extra practice in one subject.
Tradeoff: With Easy Peasy you supply the feedback and keep the records. Khan Academy is a supplement, not a full curriculum.
Adaptive, personalized curriculum
Fits: Children ahead in some subjects and behind in others, and parents who want teaching and grading handled.
Tradeoff: No printed books, no accreditation, and a plan that changes as your child does.
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Homeschool curriculum comparison questions
What is the best homeschool curriculum?
No program is best for every family. Pick the one whose teaching load, subjects, yearly cost, and records fit yours, then try it for a real week.
How much does homeschool curriculum cost per year?
From free to $1,500 or more per grade in this chart. Online subscriptions run $25 to $39.95 a month per student. TheHomeschoolingCompany is $49 a month for one subject or $149 a month for up to 12.
Is homeschool curriculum accredited?
Usually not on its own. Abeka, Calvert, and Oak Meadow offer accredited enrollment separately, Power Homeschool offers an accredited diploma through Acellus Academy, and K12 and Connections Academy are accredited public schools. TheHomeschoolingCompany is not accredited and does not issue diplomas; as the homeschool administrator, you issue your own.
Is virtual public school the same as homeschooling?
No. K12 and Connections Academy are public schools online, with teachers, attendance, state testing, and a set curriculum. Homeschooling keeps the curriculum and schedule with you.
How does TheHomeschoolingCompany compare?
It is a personalized curriculum for kindergarten through grade 12. A free diagnostic places each subject, lessons adjust as your child works, and the curriculum teaches and grades while you review progress. It costs $49 a month for one subject or $149 for up to 12, with a 14-day free trial.
Try it on your hardest subject
Put the subject that is not working into TheHomeschoolingCompany for 14 days. You pay $0 today, and billing starts after the trial.