Side-by-side comparison
Acellus Academy vs Time4Learning
A side-by-side from International Academy of Science and Time4Learning.
Time4Learning and Acellus Academy are two of the most-searched online homeschool curricula, but they're very different products. Time4Learning is a self-paced secular subscription that the parent administers. Acellus Academy is a fully accredited online K–12 school with WASC accreditation, AP courses, and an issued diploma. Families comparing them are usually trying to figure out whether they need accreditation and credentialing — or just structured digital content at a reasonable price.
Time4Learning has been running since 2004 and covers PreK through 12 across language arts, math, science, social studies, and high school electives. Lessons are animated, interactive, and self-paced with automated grading and recordkeeping. Pricing is $39.95/month with family discounts (10% for 2 kids, 20% for 3–5, 25% for 6+) and 30% off for annual plans. ESA-eligible in qualifying states. Time4Learning is unaccredited — parents administer the program, and records are exportable for portfolio documentation. It's one of the few major secular all-subjects digital subscriptions on the market and is widely used by deschoolers transitioning out of conventional school.
Acellus Academy holds WASC regional accreditation, has College Board-audited AP courses, NCAA-approved core courses, and military Tier I status — one of the strongest credential stacks in online K–12. The same self-paced video content used in Power Homeschool, but with enrollment, transcripts, accredited diploma, and teacher support. Pricing: $249–$499/month or $2,000–$4,500/year. The 2020 Hawaii Department of Education review found significant content issues — racial bias, sexism, religious favoritism, inappropriate content — and the Hawaii Board voted to discontinue use. Cathy Duffy's 2026 review still warns families to investigate content before subscribing. Biology presents strong evolutionary viewpoint.
The honest tradeoffs: Time4Learning costs less and is secular without content controversy; Acellus is accredited but the cost is multiples higher and the content history is unresolved.
At a glance
The specifics
| Acellus Academy | Time4Learning | |
|---|---|---|
| Publisher | International Academy of Science | Time4Learning |
| Established | 2001 | 2004 |
| Price | $2000–$4500/year | $335–$479/year |
| Grades | K–2, 3–5, 6–8, 9–12 | PreK, K–2, 3–5, 6–8, 9–12 |
| Subject | Math, Language Arts, Science, History, Foreign Language, Electives, Full Program | Math, Language Arts, Science, History, Electives, Full Program |
| Method | Online Video | Eclectic, Online Video |
| Format | Digital, Video | Digital, Video |
| Worldview | Secular | Secular |
The verdict
How to choose
Choose Time4Learning if you want a secular self-paced full curriculum, you don't need accreditation, budget matters, you're transitioning out of conventional school, or you want ESA-eligible content. Time4Learning is one of the easiest open-and-go secular options on the market and one of the cheapest at-scale.
Be cautious with Acellus Academy. The credential stack (WASC, AP, NCAA, military Tier I) is genuinely strong, and accreditation matters for some families — particularly military families needing portable records, NCAA athletes, and families without local school enrollment options. But preview the content first given the 2020 Hawaii findings, and skip biology entirely if you're young-earth. For accredited options without Acellus's content history, BJU Press Academy or Oak Meadow's enrolled program are alternatives worth considering.
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