Compare programs & platformsAges 6–146 min read
By Priya Nair ·
Beast Academy vs Art of Problem Solving vs Live Math Classes
Beast Academy, Art of Problem Solving and live math classes compared for advanced kids: ages, books vs online courses, and which path fits your child.
Beast Academy and Art of Problem Solving (AoPS) come from the same company and form one path for advanced math kids. Beast Academy covers ages 6 to 13 through books, an online program and live video classes. AoPS picks up from prealgebra with textbooks and demanding online courses. Live classes with an independent teacher are a third option when your child needs a different pace or style.
For elementary kids who love puzzles, start with Beast Academy, about one level below their grade. Around middle school, AoPS courses and books offer serious depth and contest preparation. If your child wants challenge but needs more talking, encouragement or a gentler on-ramp, a live class or tutor can sit alongside either program.
What Beast Academy is
Beast Academy is a full math program from Art of Problem Solving for ages 6 to 13, across five levels. Levels 1 to 5 cover key grade 1 to 5 topics, and levels 4 and 5 also reach into many middle-grades standards.
- Books: Each level has four units, each with a comic-style Guide book and a Practice book of exercises, puzzles and games.
- Online: A self-paced platform for levels 1 to 5 with videos and chapter tests.
- Live classes: Video-based classes with instructors for levels 2 to 5.
- Mix and match: Families can use books, online or both.
Beast Academy's own FAQ suggests starting about one level below your child's current grade, because the problems are designed to be challenging.
What Art of Problem Solving offers after Beast Academy
A child who finishes Beast Academy level 5 has the background for AoPS Prealgebra. From there, AoPS offers several routes.
Textbooks
AoPS textbooks, starting with Prealgebra, can be used on their own at home. AoPS says its core books parallel the standard prealgebra-to-calculus school curriculum and aim to teach students to develop ideas themselves and apply them to challenging problems. Students who have finished elementary school but haven't taken prealgebra are pointed to the Prealgebra book first.
AoPS Online School
The AoPS Online School serves strong middle and high school students. Introductory courses are aimed at grades 5 to 10, intermediate at grades 8 to 12 and advanced at grades 9 to 12. There are also courses for contests such as MATHCOUNTS, the AMC 8, 10 and 12, and the AIME.
Its classroom is text- and image-based, with no video or audio. Classes run about 90 minutes, an instructor leads students through problems of rising difficulty, and assistants help along the way. Students can send private messages for help, and transcripts are saved for review.
Video and in-person options
AoPS also runs video classes through its Virtual Campus and in-person classes at AoPS Academy locations.
Many families move between these. A child might use Beast Academy books in third grade, switch to the online program for its videos, then take an AoPS course in middle school once they want classmates working on the same problems.
A live class on this3rd Grade Math Level 2: Multi-digit Operations & Word ProblemsAges 5–10Books, online courses and live teaching compared
| Option | Ages or grades | Format | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beast Academy books | Ages 6-13 | Comic guides and practice books, parent-led | Families who like working on paper together |
| Beast Academy Online | Levels 1-5; live classes for 2-5 | Self-paced videos, problems and tests; optional live video classes | Puzzle-loving kids who can work independently |
| AoPS textbooks | Prealgebra and up | Challenging books for self-study, prealgebra through calculus | Self-driven students and hands-on parents |
| AoPS Online School | Intro grades 5-10 and up | Text-based live classes, about 90 minutes | Strong students who enjoy fast, typed discussion and contest math |
| Live class with an independent teacher | Varies by class | Live video, small group or 1-on-1 | Kids who want challenge with more talk, encouragement or flexible pacing |
Which path fits your advanced child
- Your child loves puzzles and gets bored easily. Beast Academy is built for this. Try a sample chapter or online lesson first.
- Your child is ready for prealgebra and works well alone. AoPS textbooks or the online school offer real depth.
- Your child is aiming at math contests. AoPS's contest courses are designed around MATHCOUNTS, the AMC and the AIME.
- Your child thinks best out loud. A text-based class can feel fast for some kids. A live video class lets them talk through ideas.
- Your child is advanced but anxious. Hard problems can knock confidence. A patient teacher can keep the challenge high and the pressure low.
If your child seems under-stretched in general, our guide on what to do when your child isn't challenged at school covers how to talk with teachers and find extra challenge.
Where live teaching adds value
Beast Academy and AoPS are rich programs. A live teacher can add a few things that books and self-paced platforms find harder.
- Talking through hard problems. Explaining a solution out loud often deepens understanding more than reading one.
- Pacing to the child. A teacher can slow down on one idea and skip ahead on another.
- Peers at the same level. Advanced kids often enjoy meeting others who like the same kind of puzzle.
- Topics outside the sequence. Logic, cryptography or competition strategy can keep curious kids engaged.
On Undoschool, independent, vetted teachers run live math classes on Zoom, including weekly clubs, multi-week courses and 1-on-1 tutoring, and the first class is on us.
Keep Beast Academy or AoPS as the main curriculum, and add one live weekly class where your child discusses problems with a teacher and peers.
What to watch for
- Constant frustration: If every session ends in tears, drop a level. Challenge should stretch, not crush.
- Skipping to answers: Challenge-based programs only work if kids wrestle with problems before peeking at solutions.
- Gaps from moving too fast: Racing ahead can leave basic skills shaky. Check that school-level work stays solid.
- Burnout: Advanced kids still need free time. If math stops being fun, ease off for a while.
Frequently asked questions
What age is Beast Academy for?
Beast Academy is designed for ages 6 to 13 across five levels. Its FAQ suggests starting about one level below your child's current grade.
Are Beast Academy and AoPS the same company?
Yes. Beast Academy is a program from Art of Problem Solving. Finishing Beast Academy level 5 prepares a child for AoPS Prealgebra.
Are AoPS online classes on video?
AoPS Online School classes use a text- and image-based classroom without video or audio. AoPS also offers video classes through its Virtual Campus.
Is Beast Academy too hard for my child?
It is meant to be challenging. If your child is frustrated more often than excited, drop a level or try a different program with more support.
Find live math challenge for your child
Live math classes give advanced kids a teacher to talk ideas through with and peers who enjoy the same hard problems.
