Beast Academy vs Art of Problem Solving
Quick answer: Beast Academy (math, online, gifted) and Art of Problem Solving (math, live online classes, gifted) differ in the fields below. The table uses only facts from each official page, checked October 17, 2026. Unknown means we could not verify it.
| Beast Academy | Art of Problem Solving | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Curricula (Print & Mixed) | Live Online Classes |
| Independent average | No numeric independent rating | No numeric independent rating |
| Price as shown | unknown | unknown |
| Starting figure | unknown | unknown |
| Grades | Grades 1-5 math (AoPS family) | Grades 5-12 (AoPS Online) |
| Accreditation | n/a | ACS WASC accredited (per site) |
| Faith | Secular | Secular |
| Styles | math, online, gifted | math, live online classes, gifted |
| Parent time (estimate) | high | low |
Beast Academy listing · Art of Problem Solving listing · Open in the compare tool
How they differ in approach
- Shared: math, gifted.
- Only Beast Academy: online.
- Only Art of Problem Solving: live online classes.
- math: This is math. You still need a plan for reading and the rest of the day.
- online: Online delivery means the lesson is on a screen. It can cut preparation time. Younger children still need an adult nearby.
- gifted: The provider frames the work as challenging. That is their description, not a judgment about your child.
- live online classes: Live classes meet at a set time with a teacher. Someone has to be free when class starts.
How to decide
- Pick the style first. The shape of Tuesday matters more than the brand.
- Check the total for your children, including books and shipping, on each official site.
- Use samples or placement tests before you buy a year.
- Make sure records match your state's official source.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper, Beast Academy or Art of Problem Solving?
Prices as shown on October 17, 2026: Beast Academy: unknown Art of Problem Solving: unknown Where a price is unknown, or where one figure is a kit and the other is a year, compare current quotes directly. We do not invent a winner.
Is Beast Academy or Art of Problem Solving accredited?
Beast Academy: n/a Art of Problem Solving: ACS WASC accredited (per site)
Are Beast Academy and Art of Problem Solving religious or secular?
Beast Academy: Secular. Art of Problem Solving: Secular.
Can I switch from one to the other mid-year?
Usually yes. Homeschool materials are not a school calendar. Use each provider's placement test, if one is offered. Math programs in particular sequence topics differently, so a grade number in one series is not a grade number in the other.
What each listing says
Beast Academy is secular math for grades 1–5 from the Art of Problem Solving family. The styles on this listing are math, online, and gifted. “Gifted” is the publisher’s framing of the puzzle-heavy work, not a label we assign to a child. A current price was not captured, so it stays unknown. Accreditation is n/a. Delivery is tagged both self-paced and parent-directed, and our involvement estimate is high: many families sit with the comic-style lessons even when an online version exists. The grade span in our data is 1–5. It is not a middle-school or high-school program. AoPS Online is the separate listing for older students.
Art of Problem Solving (AoPS Online) is secular math for grades 5–12, taught as live online classes and presented for students who want harder problems. The site says AoPS is ACS WASC accredited. That accreditation note is why this listing is marked as having an accredited option. Ask AoPS what the accreditation covers before you assume every course produces a transcript a local school will accept. A price was not verified on the check date, so it stays unknown. Delivery is live: class meets at a time. Our involvement estimate is low because a teacher runs the class. It is math, not a full curriculum. Beast Academy is the elementary sibling, listed separately.
This page does not score a winner. Paid placement, if either listing has it, is labeled Sponsored and does not change the cells. The independent average is a separate number from third-party ratings. It is not a CurriculumQuiz score. Read the methodology for how that average is calculated, then open each official site before you buy. A kit, a monthly plan, and a school tuition are different purchases. Where either program has an alternatives page, it is linked from that program's listing.