IXL is a paid, structured practice platform that finds gaps and drills skills. Khan Academy is a free library of video lessons and exercises that works best for a child who can steer their own learning. If your child needs a clear plan and lots of repetition, IXL is the closer match. If your child needs concepts explained and you want to spend nothing, start with Khan Academy. Many Quebec families end up using one of them alongside a tutor who tells the child what to work on.
Below, you will find a plain comparison on cost, curriculum, feedback and evidence, then a simple way to decide.
TL;DR
- IXL is subscription-based practice with a diagnostic, instant feedback and detailed skill reports. It has a small free daily allowance.
- Khan Academy is a free nonprofit library built around video lessons, practice and mastery points. It suits self-directed learners.
- IXL’s Canadian edition is aligned to provincial curricula, including Quebec’s, in maths and English language arts. Neither platform replaces French-language support.
- Pick by need: structure and gap-finding point to IXL, concepts and zero cost point to Khan Academy.
- A tutor fills the gap both leave open: someone who chooses what to practise, explains it live and keeps your child on track.
Table of Contents
- The short version: what each platform actually is
- Cost for Canadian families
- Curriculum fit: Quebec, Canada and French
- How they teach and give feedback
- What the evidence says
- IXL vs Khan Academy at a glance
- How to choose: four questions
- A simple weekly routine that works with either platform
- Our perspective
- When a tutor makes the difference
- Our offer for Quebec families
- FAQ
- Sources
The short version: what each platform actually is
The two names often appear side by side, but they were built for different jobs.
IXL is a practice engine. Your child answers questions skill by skill, gets feedback straight away, and the platform adjusts difficulty. According to a comparison of the two platforms, IXL centres on adaptive practice, skill-by-skill measurement and immediate feedback. It is strong at showing what a child can and cannot do. It is lighter on teaching a brand-new idea from scratch.
Khan Academy is a teaching library. It pairs video lessons with guided practice and awards mastery points. It is a nonprofit founded in 2008 by Sal Khan with a mission of free education, and its content remains free. It works well for a child who is curious, motivated and able to pick the next topic.
That difference explains almost everything else in this article: IXL tells you where the gaps are, and Khan Academy helps explain the idea behind them.
Cost for Canadian families
Price is where most parents start, so here it is as clearly as it can be said.
IXL
IXL has a free tier, but it is limited: according to its Google Play listing for Canada, students can practise 10 questions a day for free. A full membership unlocks the whole curriculum, progress tracking and awards.
Family memberships are priced by subject bundle. A price tracker that captured IXL’s Canadian pricing on 2 November 2026 lists these monthly-billed rates:
| Plan | Billed monthly | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Single subject | CAD 12.95 | One of maths or English language arts |
| Combo package | CAD 19.95 | Two subjects |
| All Access | CAD 24.95 | Everything on offer |
The same source notes that annual billing brings a 33% saving. Prices change often, so confirm the current figure on IXL’s own page before you subscribe.
If you are comparing the whole year, a single subject on monthly billing adds up to roughly 12 times the monthly rate, which is a useful number to hold against the cost of live tutoring.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy’s courses are free. There is an optional AI tutor add-on called Khanmigo, which one review lists at $4 a month or $44 a year for families. The core library does not require it.
Tutoring, for context
At Réussite A+, online tutoring is $30 to $35 per hour, with a one-off registration fee of $65. That is a different product from a subscription: your child works with a university-level tutor, in real time, on a plan built around their needs. We come back to this below.
Curriculum fit: Quebec, Canada and French
This is the question that matters most to families in Montreal, Laval, Longueuil and Gatineau, and the one most US-written comparisons skip.
IXL. Its Canadian edition offers a complete K to 12 maths and English language arts curriculum, plus science for grades K to 10. IXL states that its Canadian content has 6,500 distinct skills aligned to provincial curricula and popular textbooks. Its provincial curriculum page lists alignment for all 13 provinces and territories, Quebec included.
Khan Academy. Its maths runs from elementary through AP Calculus, with science, computer science, test prep and humanities as well, according to a 2026 review of the platform. The test prep it offers (SAT, ACT, AP) follows US systems. Its sequence is not organised around Quebec’s programme, so your parent-led planning matters more.
French. Neither platform is a substitute for French-language instruction in the Quebec programme. IXL’s language arts strand is English. If your child is in a French school and struggles with grammar, agreement of the past participle or text writing, a platform in English will not close that gap. Our French tutoring programs are designed for exactly that situation.
Secondary entrance exams. Neither platform is built for the private-school entrance exams common in the Montreal, Laval, Longueuil and Gatineau areas. Those exams reward timed practice on the specific format, which is where targeted preparation helps. See our high school entrance exam preparation plan for how to organise the months before.
For a grade-by-grade overview of what Quebec expects, our guide to the Quebec primary school curriculum is a good starting point.
How they teach and give feedback
Practice and feedback
IXL gives immediate feedback on each answer and tracks progress with a visible SmartScore, ribbon and points system. Many children enjoy the awards. Some get absorbed in chasing the score, so it helps to watch what they practise, not only how long.
Khan Academy shows a worked explanation and then lets the child try. Its progress is shown through mastery points and unit progress reports.
Diagnostics and reports
IXL’s diagnostic pinpoints a child’s knowledge levels and builds a personalized plan. Its analytics let a parent see progress down to the specific skill. For a parent who wants numbers, that is a real strength.
Khan Academy’s rule of thumb, as one reviewer puts it, is that it suits families who already know what to work on, while IXL suits families who need a placement and a plan.
What a platform cannot do
A screen can mark an answer right or wrong. It cannot see that your child hesitates on every word problem because they misread the question, or that they rush because a test makes them anxious. That live observation is the heart of tutoring. Our article on adaptive tutoring explains how technology and a human guide fit together, and our guide to personalized learning goes deeper.
What the evidence says
Parents rightly ask whether any of this works. An Education Next analysis reports that a 2022 Khan Academy study found an effect of 0.26 standard deviations, and that IXL reported 0.14 standard deviations in 2023, for students who used each programme as recommended.
The key words are “as recommended”. Both platforms help when children use them regularly and with focus. The practical challenge is not the software, it is the routine: who sits down with your child, who picks the skills, who notices when the effort drifts. That is why we suggest a simple weekly rhythm below, whichever platform you pick.
IXL vs Khan Academy at a glance
| Criteria | IXL | Khan Academy |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Subscription, small free daily allowance | Free core library |
| Main strength | Structured practice, diagnostic, detailed reports | Video lessons and concept explanations |
| Best for | Children who need a plan and repetition | Self-directed, curious learners |
| Quebec alignment | Canadian edition aligned to provincial curricula, Quebec included | Not organised by Quebec programme |
| French-language support | English language arts only | Limited for the Quebec French programme |
| Parent reporting | Skill-level analytics | Mastery points and unit reports |
| Live human help | No | No (optional AI tutor add-on) |
How to choose: four questions
- Does your child know what they need to work on? If yes, Khan Academy’s free lessons may be enough. If you are unsure, IXL’s diagnostic gives you a starting map.
- Does your child need an idea explained, or more repetition? Explanations point to Khan Academy. Repetition on a specific procedure, such as fractions or multiplication facts, points to IXL.
- Can your child stay on task alone? Both platforms reward independence. A younger child often needs a parent or tutor nearby.
- Is there an exam or a language gap? An entrance exam, a French difficulty or a big gap from the programme calls for a person, not only a platform.
One reviewer suggests that IXL’s precision may be worth about $240 a year for families who actually use its diagnostics and reports. Whatever the figure, the test is the same: will your child use it three or four times a week?
A simple weekly routine that works with either platform
- Monday: 15 minutes on the skill your child finds hardest.
- Wednesday: 15 to 20 minutes on a second skill or a lesson video.
- Friday: a short review. Ask your child to explain one problem aloud, in their own words.
- Weekend: one mini quiz, then celebrate what improved.
Short, regular sessions beat long, rare ones. Keep the tone light, almost like a game, so practice does not become a source of stress. For paper-based practice to complement the screen, see our best math workbooks for Canadian kids.
Our perspective
We have tutored students across Quebec for more than 25 years, and we have supported more than 3,500 of them. Here is what we have seen: tools are useful, but what changes a child’s results is a plan built around that child.
A platform can tell you that your daughter missed seven fraction questions. It cannot sit beside her, notice that she is guessing, and rebuild the idea so it finally makes sense. That is why our approach starts with a customised learning plan around each student’s strengths, challenges, pace and goals, followed by continuous progress monitoring.
Our tutors are selected from the university level for their academic excellence and teaching ability. They work with your child in real time, online, on schedules that suit your family. We focus on core subjects, French and mathematics, and on exam preparation for Quebec secondary school entrance exams.
If your child already uses IXL or Khan Academy, keep it. Our tutors can use it as part of the plan, pointing your child to the right skills instead of leaving them to wander through hundreds of options.
Réussite A+
When a tutor makes the difference
Consider a tutor when you see one of these signs:
- Your child finishes practice but the report card does not move.
- They avoid homework or say “I don’t get it” without being able to say what.
- A secondary entrance exam is coming and time is short.
- Your child’s French is holding back other subjects.
- You want someone else to own the plan, so evenings stay calm.
Online tutoring also gives you visibility. Our guide on online tutoring as an ally for parents who want to follow progress explains what to expect, and our article on how online tutoring works covers the practical setup. If your child is far ahead instead, see our math enrichment guide.
Our offer for Quebec families
At Réussite A+, regular, summer and exam-preparation sessions are $30 to $35 per hour, with a one-off registration fee of $65. Each programme starts with a customised plan, and progress is monitored throughout. Our satisfaction guarantee means that if you are not satisfied after the first session, you are refunded for it.
You can see the registration page to get started, or read about our regular sessions first.
For homework support, our online homework help gives your child a person to ask. For a summer catch-up, see the summer session.
FAQ
Is IXL better than Khan Academy?
Neither is better in general. IXL is stronger at structured practice, diagnostics and detailed reports, while Khan Academy is stronger at free concept lessons. Choose by what your child needs now.
Is Khan Academy really free in Canada?
Yes. Its core courses and learning platform are free, as the nonprofit states on its site. Only the optional Khanmigo AI tutor has a fee.
Does IXL follow the Quebec curriculum?
IXL states that its Canadian edition is aligned to the provincial curricula of all provinces and territories, Quebec included. It covers maths, English language arts and science, so it does not replace help in French.
Can my child use IXL or Khan Academy with a tutor?
Yes, and it often works well. A tutor can choose the skills to practise, explain the ideas live and check that the screen time turns into results.
Which one is better for a child preparing for secondary school entrance exams?
Neither is designed for those exams. Timed practice in the exam format and guidance on method make the difference, which is what our exam preparation sessions are built for.
Sources
- IXL vs Khan Academy: Pricing, Features, and the Verdict
- Khan Academy official site
- IXL on Google Play (Canada)
- IXL Learning pricing history, PricingSaaS
- IXL vs Khan Academy, Test My Kid
- IXL international editions
- IXL How it works (Canada)
- IXL provincial curriculum
- Khan Academy Review 2026, CourseFacts
- Online learning platforms comparison, SpecialNeeds.com
- The 5 Percent Problem, Education Next
- IXL vs Khan Academy: Paid Drills or Free Lessons?
