Gradelings vs IXL for BC and Ontario families
IXL is a large, paid skill-practice site for Math, English, Science and more, with a SmartScore for each skill.
What IXL does well
- A very large library of skills across many grades.
- Standards pages that list its skills by province, including British Columbia.
- Detailed analytics for parents and teachers.
How they differ
| IXL | Gradelings | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | IXL Canada lists C$12.95 a month for one subject, C$19.95 for Math and English together, and C$24.95 for All Access, as of October 2026. The free tier limits how many questions a child can answer each day. | One family plan covers up to 4 children and every subject. There is a 30-day free trial with no card, and the first 2 units of every course stay free afterwards. |
| How progress is shown | SmartScore rises as kids answer correctly in a row and falls on mistakes. Common Sense Media notes that some children find this stressful. | Wrong answers get a hint and another try. Only first-try answers count towards accuracy, and stars never go down. Progress is reported in your province's report-card levels (BC: Emerging, Developing, Proficient and Extending; Ontario: Levels 1 to 4). |
| Report card language | Reports are organized around skills and scores. | Reports use the words on your province's report card (BC or Ontario), with a plain-language “at home” note for each level. |
| Games and offline use | Practice is on the website and in its apps. | Learning earns time in built-in games. The kids' app works offline once opened. |
Gradelings family plan: $14.99/month or $119.99/year, with a 30-day free trial and the first 2 units of every course free afterwards. Facts about IXL are from its public pages, checked October 2026. Prices and features change, so please confirm on their site.
IXL may suit you if
- You want the widest range of skills and grades in one place.
- Your child likes working towards a score.
Gradelings may suit you if
- You want practice that follows the BC or Ontario curriculum and speaks the language of your child's report card.
- You'd like a gentler feel, with hints, retries and no scores that go down.
- You have more than one child and want one price.
Common questions
Is Gradelings a good alternative to IXL for BC and Ontario families?
It can be, depending on what you want. IXL has a much larger skill library. Gradelings is smaller and built around the BC and Ontario curricula, their report-card levels, a gentler hint-and-retry style and one family price.
Does Gradelings have a SmartScore?
No. Gradelings shows each unit on your province's report-card scale (BC: Emerging, Developing, Proficient, Extending; Ontario: Levels 1 to 4) based on recent first-try accuracy. It says clearly that this reflects practice, not a report card mark.
Sources
Gradelings is not affiliated with IXL. Product names belong to their owners.
Try Gradelings free for 30 days
No card needed. Everything is on, and your child’s progress is reported in your province’s report-card levels.
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