- DoodleMaths is the closest like-for-like swap for IXL: adaptive, UK-curriculum practice every day, from £7.99 a month.
- Pip is the best pick for KS2 SATs and the 11+ in Years 3 to 6, free with optional Pro at £69.99 a year.
- For many subjects through secondary, try CENTURY; for target-school 11+ mocks, Atom Learning.
- Free options: Khan Academy and Prodigy Math. Prices checked 6 October 2026.
What is the best IXL alternative?
DoodleMaths is the closest direct alternative: adaptive, UK-curriculum practice you do every day. Pip is the best pick for KS2 SATs and the 11+, but it is not a like-for-like swap, because IXL covers Reception to Year 13 and Pip goes deep on Years 3 to 6.
- Closest swap: DoodleMaths
- KS2 SATs or 11+ (Years 3 to 6): Pip
- Many subjects and secondary years: CENTURY
- Target-school 11+ with mocks: Atom Learning
- Free: Khan Academy or Prodigy Math
Our connection: Pip publishes this guide and is ranked second, behind the closest direct alternative. We say so because Pip is a different kind of product from IXL, not because it is weaker for its job.
Prices and facts were checked from each provider's own pages on 6 October 2026. This is an editorial comparison, not a hands-on test of every product. Names and logos belong to their owners.
What does IXL do, and why look for an alternative?
IXL is a subscription practice platform with more than 8,000 skills in maths, English and science for Reception to Year 13, with a Real-Time Diagnostic, personalised recommendations and an England curriculum skill plan. Its breadth is its strength. Families look elsewhere for a few common reasons: they want daily direction instead of a library to steer, a different price, a free option, or practice aimed at the 11+ or SATs. Read our full IXL review for the detail.
How do the 7 IXL alternatives compare?
Here is the short version. Prices were checked on 6 October 2026.
| Alternative | Best for | Price | Works on |
|---|---|---|---|
| DoodleMaths | Daily UK maths and English habit | £7.99 a month or £69.99 a year (one child) | Phone, tablet, laptop, desktop |
| Pip 11+ Practice | KS2 SATs and 11+, Years 3 to 6 | Free; Pro £69.99 a year | iOS, Android, Amazon only |
| CENTURY | English, maths and science through secondary | £12.49 a month or £99.92 a year | Web browser |
| Atom Learning | Target-school 11+ and GCSE prep with mocks | From £39.99 a month | Web |
| EdPlace | Marked activities, KS1 to GCSE | Free (5 a month); £17.99 a month | Web |
| Khan Academy | Free video explanations | Free | Web and apps |
| Prodigy Math | Game-based maths | Free; optional membership | Web and apps |
Which IXL alternative is right for your child?
Each one is ranked by how closely it matches IXL, with a clear best-for line. Pip sits second because it is built for a narrower job, and it is the best of the seven for that job.
DoodleMaths: Best direct IXL alternative for daily UK maths practice
DoodleMaths is the closest like-for-like swap for IXL in this list: an adaptive, UK-curriculum practice app that responds to a child's answers. Its Proxima technology builds personalised programmes, it is aligned to EYFS, KS1, KS2 and KS3, and its sister apps add English (DoodleEnglish), spelling (DoodleSpell) and times tables (DoodleTables).
Where IXL is a very large library you steer yourself, DoodleMaths (see our DoodleMaths review) hands a child a short daily programme. That makes it a good fit when a steady maths habit matters more than choosing from thousands of skills.
It works on tablets, phones, laptops and desktops, and offline.
- Price (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- App Store listing: single child £7.99 a month or £69.99 a year; family (up to 5 children) £12.99 a month or £119.99 a year. 7-day free trial.
- Worth knowing
- Maths-led, with no 11+ exam-style papers or reasoning papers.
Pip 11+ Practice: best for KS2 SATs and 11+ preparation in Years 3 to 6
Pip is not a like-for-like IXL replacement. IXL covers Reception to Year 13 across three subjects; Pip is built for one job, and does it in depth: getting a child in Years 3 to 6 ready for the 11+, KS2 SATs, or both. If that is why you are looking at IXL, Pip is the best fit on this list.
Pip adapts the question level inside every skill, chooses the next skill from the child's gaps, and brings mastered skills back for review at the right time. When a child is stuck it offers to go back a step to a building-block skill, then returns them to the one they came from, so stepping back never feels like being sent down a level.
It teaches as well as tests. Pip Teaches lessons (Pro) are short interactive whiteboard lessons that show the method first. Pip Score gives a clear target of 90 with zones, and flags rushing. The coach gives method hints without revealing the answer, and Ask Pip explains a wrong answer step by step. Boss battles, coins, Pip's Den and the Learning Grove make children want to open it.
- Price (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Free download with adaptive practice and review. Pip Pro: £69.99 a year (£9.99 a month), with a 7-day trial.
- Worth knowing
- Pip runs on iPhone, iPad, Android and Amazon Fire tablets only. There is no desktop or web version yet, so it is not for anyone who needs a computer.
CENTURY: Best for UK English, maths and science beyond Year 6
CENTURY is a web-based platform for English, maths and science from primary through Key Stage 3 and GCSE. It finds gaps and recommends short micro-lessons made of videos, slides and questions, with a progress dashboard for parents. It runs in a browser on phones, tablets and computers.
If you like IXL because one account covers several subjects and many school years, CENTURY is the most similar in shape, and it also lists 11+ courses. Check which courses a home plan includes before you subscribe.
- Price (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- CENTURY Core: £12.49 a month per learner, or £99.92 a year (£8.33 a month). 7-day free trial.
- Worth knowing
- 11+ courses are listed separately; check what each plan includes.
Atom Learning: Best for target-school 11+ and GCSE preparation online
Atom Learning is a web-based platform for 11+ entrance exams and GCSEs, with plans for English, maths and science (EMS), Exam Prep, and Exam Prep Plus, which adds unlimited mock tests with detailed feedback and printable papers.
It is a strong choice for a family with a named school target that wants a structured online programme and mock papers. It is a different product from IXL: guided exam preparation rather than a browse-and-practise skill library.
- Price (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- EMS £39.99 a month (£31.99 on annual billing); Exam Prep £59.99 a month (£47.99 annual); Exam Prep Plus £69.99 a month (£55.99 annual). Annual billing saves 20%.
- Worth knowing
- Mock tests are included from Exam Prep Plus.
EdPlace: Best for worksheets and activities from KS1 to GCSE
EdPlace offers activities, automatic marking and progress tracking in English, maths and science from Key Stage 1 to GCSE, with 11+ preparation in its paid plans. Like IXL, it is built around a large bank of practice activities.
It has a free account, which is useful for trying the style before paying: up to 5 activities a month for one student.
- Price (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Free account (5 activities a month); Monthly Individual £17.99; Monthly Family £24.99; annual plans £134 (single subject), £200 (core subjects, including 11+) or £280 (all subjects) per year.
- Worth knowing
- The free plan is limited to 5 activities a month.
Khan Academy: Best free option for video explanations and extra practice
Khan Academy is a free, nonprofit learning site with video lessons and exercises in maths, science and more. It is the obvious choice for a family on a zero budget who want a clear explanation of a topic.
It is built around a US curriculum rather than UK year groups or exams, so it works best as a supplement: a free place to watch a concept explained, alongside UK-specific practice.
- Price (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Free.
- Worth knowing
- Not mapped to the UK curriculum or to 11+ and SATs papers.
Prodigy Math: Best for children who need a game to practise maths
Prodigy Math puts maths questions inside a fantasy role-playing game, for Grades 1 to 8. The educational content is free, with an optional paid membership for extra game features.
If a child will happily play but resists worksheets, the game wrapper can get more questions answered. It is maths only and not an exam-preparation tool.
- Price (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Free to play; paid membership available (we did not capture the price).
- Worth knowing
- Maths only; no 11+ reasoning or English.
How should you choose between them?
Start with the goal. If you want IXL-style daily practice, pick DoodleMaths or CENTURY. If the goal is the 11+ or KS2 SATs, pick Pip for a child on a phone or tablet, or Atom Learning for an online programme with full mocks. If the budget is zero, start with Khan Academy or Pip's free tier. Most apps have a free trial or free tier, so try one for a week and see whether your child opens it unprompted.
IXL alternatives: questions parents ask
What is the best alternative to IXL in the UK?
For a like-for-like swap, DoodleMaths and its alternatives come closest: adaptive, UK-curriculum maths practice with English and spelling in sister apps.
For a child preparing for the 11+ or KS2 SATs, Pip is the best fit. CENTURY is the closest in breadth if you want several subjects through secondary school.
We publish Pip, so we say clearly that it is not a direct IXL replacement: it covers Years 3 to 6 in depth rather than Reception to Year 13.
Is there a free alternative to IXL?
Yes. Khan Academy is free, and Prodigy Math's educational content is free to play. EdPlace has a free account limited to 5 activities a month. Pip is free to download with adaptive practice and review, with Pip Pro as an optional upgrade at £69.99 a year.
Is there an IXL alternative for the 11+?
IXL does not publish a dedicated 11+ programme on its UK homepage. For the 11+, look at Pip (Maths, English, Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning), Atom Learning, CENTURY or EdPlace. Each suits a different budget and style, as the comparison above shows.
Is there an IXL alternative for KS2 SATs?
Pip has a separate KS2 SATs track alongside its 11+ practice, with the full track in Pip Pro. DoodleMaths, CENTURY and EdPlace also cover KS2 maths. Check the exact papers and formats your child will sit.
How much does IXL cost compared with its alternatives?
IXL UK lists single subject £7.99, combo package £12.99 and all access £15.99 on its family membership page (checked 6 Oct 2026). DoodleMaths is £7.99 a month or £69.99 a year for one child, CENTURY Core is £12.49 a month, and Atom Learning starts at £39.99 a month. Pip is free to download, with Pro at £69.99 a year.
Always check the billing period at checkout, as prices change.
Does Pip work on a computer?
No. Pip runs on iPhone, iPad, Android phones and tablets, and Amazon Fire tablets. There is no desktop or web version yet, so if your child needs a computer, DoodleMaths, CENTURY, Atom Learning or EdPlace all work in a browser.
The Pip team builds Pip, the 11+ and KS2 practice app for children in years three to six. We write these guides from real exam formats and past papers.