- IXL is good for the right family: more than 8,000 skills in maths, English and science from Reception to Year 13.
- UK family plans cost £7.99 (one subject), £12.99 (combo) or £15.99 (all access); confirm the billing period at checkout.
- It is a library you steer, with no dedicated 11+ or KS2 SATs programme on its UK homepage.
- Our rating: 4 out of 5. For Years 3 to 6 heading for the 11+ or SATs, a dedicated app such as Pip fits better.
Is IXL any good?
Yes, for the right family. IXL is a large, polished practice library covering maths, English and science from Reception to Year 13, and it gives UK parents an England curriculum skill plan. It is best when you want topic-by-topic practice across school years. If your child is in Years 3 to 6 and heading for the 11+ or KS2 SATs, a dedicated app such as Pip is a better fit.
- Our rating: 4 out of 5 (editorial)
- Price: £7.99 single subject, £12.99 combo, £15.99 all access
- Best for: broad curriculum practice, Reception to Year 13
- Consider instead: 7 IXL alternatives
Our connection: Pip publishes this review and competes with IXL for some families. We have tried to be fair: IXL's strengths are real, and Pip is a different kind of product.
This review is based on IXL's own UK pages checked on 6 October 2026, not a hands-on test. Features and prices change. IXL and its logo belong to IXL Learning.
What is IXL and what does it cover?
IXL is a subscription learning site with more than 8,000 skills in maths, English and science, from Reception to Year 13 (about ages 4 to 18). Children work through questions skill by skill, and a Real-Time Diagnostic and personalised recommendations point them to what to practise next. There are analytics for parents, awards and games, and skill plans including one for the England curriculum and one for test prep. IXL also has mobile apps.
How much does IXL cost in the UK?
The IXL UK family membership page lists three options (checked 6 October 2026):
The figures we could read did not state the billing period, and IXL's Irish site quotes "starting at" a per-month figure, so it is likely monthly. Confirm the period and any annual discount at checkout before you commit.
What does IXL do well?
- Huge range. One account can last from Reception through secondary, across three subjects.
- Diagnostic and recommendations. The Real-Time Diagnostic and recommendations give a starting point.
- England curriculum plan. A UK skill plan makes it easier to match work to school.
- Good for filling a known gap. If you know the topic, you can go straight to focused practice.
What should UK parents know before buying IXL?
- Breadth over exam focus. IXL does not publish a dedicated 11+ or KS2 SATs programme on its UK homepage.
- You steer. With thousands of skills, a parent or teacher usually needs to set the direction, in our view.
- Check the price period and free access. Confirm the billing period, and what free use is available, on IXL's site.
Who is IXL best for?
IXL suits families who want topic-by-topic practice across school years and subjects, including beyond Year 6, and who are happy to choose or guide the skills.
For a child who needs a daily programme chosen for them, read our DoodleMaths review. For the 11+ or KS2 SATs, look at Pip or Atom Learning.
The full list is in our 7 best IXL alternatives.
How does IXL compare with Pip?
They solve different problems. IXL is a wide library for the whole of school. Pip is a focused adaptive app for Years 3 to 6 preparing for the 11+ and KS2 SATs.
| IXL | Pip 11+ Practice | |
|---|---|---|
| Age range | Reception to Year 13 | Years 3 to 6 |
| Subjects | Maths, English, science | 11+ Maths, English, Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning; KS2 SATs track |
| How practice is chosen | Diagnostic and recommendations; you can browse skills | Adaptive engine picks level, next skill and review time |
| Teaching | Practice with explanations | Pip Teaches interactive lessons (Pro), coach hints, Ask Pip |
| Motivation | Awards and games | Pip Score, boss battles, coins, Pip's Den, Learning Grove |
| Price (checked 6 Oct 2026) | £7.99 single subject, £12.99 combo, £15.99 all access | Free; Pro £69.99 a year |
| Works on | Web and mobile apps | iOS, Android, Amazon (no desktop or web yet) |
Pip adapts the question level inside each skill, chooses the next skill from gaps, brings skills back for review, and offers to go back a step to a building block when a child is stuck. Its coach hints teach the method without giving the answer. Pip's one limit: it runs on iPhone, iPad, Android and Amazon Fire tablets only, with no desktop or web version yet.
Is IXL worth it? Our verdict
IXL earns 4 out of 5 from us as a broad practice library. Choose it for wide curriculum coverage and focused topic practice. Choose Pip instead, or alongside it, when the goal is the 11+ or KS2 SATs in Years 3 to 6 and your child uses a phone or tablet.
IXL review: questions parents ask
Is IXL worth it for UK families?
IXL is worth considering if you want topic-by-topic practice across maths, English and science for several school years, and you or your child will choose the skills. It has a very large catalogue (more than 8,000 skills) and an England curriculum skill plan. If your goal is the 11+ or KS2 SATs specifically, a dedicated app such as Pip may fit better.
How much does IXL cost in the UK?
The IXL UK family membership page lists single subject £7.99, combo package £12.99 and all access £15.99 (checked 6 Oct 2026). The page did not make clear whether these are monthly or yearly figures in the data we could read, so confirm the billing period at checkout.
Is IXL good for the 11+?
IXL does not publish a dedicated 11+ programme on its UK homepage, which instead lists an England curriculum skill plan and a test-prep skill plan. Families preparing for the 11+ often add a dedicated resource. Pip, Atom Learning, CENTURY and EdPlace all offer 11+ practice.
Is IXL good for KS2 SATs?
IXL has an England curriculum skill plan that can support Year 6 topics. It does not describe a dedicated SATs track on its homepage. Pip has a separate KS2 SATs route (the full track is in Pip Pro).
What is the IXL Real-Time Diagnostic?
It is IXL's assessment that estimates what a child knows and feeds personalised recommendations of skills to practise next.
What is the best alternative to IXL?
DoodleMaths is the closest like-for-like alternative, as set out in our DoodleMaths alternatives guide. Pip is the best for KS2 SATs and the 11+ in Years 3 to 6.
See our 7 best IXL alternatives.
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.
