Side-by-side comparison
Khan Academy vs Math Mammoth
A side-by-side from Khan Academy and Math Mammoth.
Khan Academy and Math Mammoth are two of the most-recommended budget math options in homeschool — both free or nearly free, both rigorous, both used by serious families. But they deliver math instruction in fundamentally different formats, and families searching this comparison are usually deciding between video-based digital learning and a printable worktext approach.
Khan Academy is a free nonprofit covering PreK math through Calculus, plus AP courses and SAT prep. Each topic gets a short video, a practice set, and a mastery-tracked progression. The platform is donation-funded and ad-free. As a math spine, Khan works well for self-directed students from middle school onward — they can move at their own pace through video instruction. Younger students typically need parent supervision because the videos can feel long and the lack of physical materials reduces engagement. Khan also serves as a tutor on demand: if a student gets stuck on a topic, the relevant video is one search away.
Math Mammoth is Maria Miller's mastery-oriented worktext curriculum for grades 1–8. The PDFs are around $30–$40 per grade (printable as many times as you want), making it one of the cheapest paid options on the market. The format is text-heavy: explanations and worked examples followed by practice problems, all in one workbook. Math Mammoth emphasizes mental math, number sense, and conceptual understanding. It's self-teaching from about grade 3 onward, which matches Khan's independence floor but in print.
The honest difference: Khan is teacher-on-video, Math Mammoth is teacher-on-the-page. Khan is broader (K–12, plus other subjects); Math Mammoth is deeper for the elementary math years.
At a glance
The specifics
| Khan Academy | Math Mammoth | |
|---|---|---|
| Publisher | Khan Academy | Math Mammoth |
| Established | 2008 | 2005 |
| Price | $0 | $30–$40/grade |
| Grades | PreK, K–2, 3–5, 6–8, 9–12 | K–2, 3–5, 6–8 |
| Subject | Math, Language Arts, Science, History | Math |
| Method | Mastery, Online Video | Mastery |
| Format | Digital, Video | Print, Digital |
| Worldview | Secular | Secular |
The verdict
How to choose
Choose Khan Academy if your student prefers video instruction, you want a free option, you need math plus SAT/AP prep in one platform, or your child is middle school or older and works well with screens. Khan is the best free math spine available.
Choose Math Mammoth if you want a print workbook your child can do at the table without screens, your student reads well and likes a self-paced format, or you specifically value the mental math and conceptual emphasis. Many families use both — Math Mammoth as the daily spine, Khan as the on-demand tutor when a concept needs more explanation.
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