Traditional homeschool curricula, compared
24 programs, listed alphabetically, each with its grades, method, format and cost a year as the publisher’s own site showed them on October 29, 2026. Open a card for the strengths, the watch-outs and who it fits.
What this list holds
Traditional programs look much like school courses: a lesson, practice in a workbook or on screen, review and tests. Most textbook and online programs that name no particular method fall here.
At a glance
- 22 of the 24 show a price on the publisher's site. For one child and one year of the main package they run from free to $1,094.05, and 1 is free.
- How the child works: 16 books and workbooks, 6 on screen, 2 video lessons.
- 15 of the 24 have a placement test or level guide on the publisher's site, linked on each card.
- Grades: 22 reach pre-K or kindergarten, all reach the elementary grades, 22 reach middle school and 15 reach high school.
| Program | Subjects | Grades | Method | Format | Cost a year | Faith label |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AbekaAbeka | All subjects | Pre-K–12 | Traditional | Books and workbooks | $1,094.05 | Faith-based |
| Apologia ScienceApologia | Science | Pre-K–12 | Charlotte Mason, Traditional | Books and workbooks | $84.60 | Faith-based |
| Art of Problem SolvingAoPS Incorporated | Math | 5–12 | Traditional | Books and workbooks | $59 | Secular |
| BJU Press HomeschoolBJU Press | All subjects | Pre-K–12 | Traditional | Books and workbooks | $1,037.10 | Faith-based |
| CTCMathCTCMath | Math | K–12 | Traditional | On screen | $257 | Secular |
| Easy Peasy All-in-One HomeschoolEasy Peasy All-in-One Homeschool | All subjects | Pre-K–12 | Traditional | On screen | Free | Faith-based |
| Explode The CodeEPS Learning (Educators Publishing Service) | Reading and phonics | Pre-K–4 | Traditional | Books and workbooks | Not shown | Secular |
| Generation GeniusGeneration Genius (part of Newsela) | Science, Math | K–8 | Traditional | Video lessons | $250 | Secular |
| The Good and the BeautifulThe Good and the Beautiful | Math, Reading and phonics, Language arts, Science, History and geography | Pre-K–12 | Traditional, Unit studies | Books and workbooks | $147.94 | Faith-based |
| Horizons MathAlpha Omega Publications (AOP) | Math | K–8 | Traditional | Books and workbooks | $120 | Faith-based |
| Learning Without TearsLearning Without Tears | Language arts | Pre-K–6 | Traditional | Books and workbooks | $24.95 | Secular |
| Logic of EnglishLogic of English | Reading and phonics, Language arts | Pre-K–12 | Traditional | Books and workbooks | $226.67 | Secular |
| MiacademyMiaplaza Inc. | All subjects | K–8 | Traditional | On screen | $480 | Secular |
| The Mystery of HistoryBright Ideas Press and The Mystery of History, Inc. | History and geography | K–12 | Traditional | Books and workbooks | $79.95 | Faith-based |
| Mystery ScienceMystery.org (part of Discovery Education) | Science | K–5 | Traditional | Video lessons | $199 | Secular |
| Reading EggsBlake eLearning (3P Learning) | Reading and phonics, Language arts | Pre-K–8 | Traditional | On screen | $99.99 | Secular |
| REAL Science OdysseyPandia Press | Science | K–10 | Traditional | Books and workbooks | $87.99 | Secular |
| RightStart MathematicsActivities for Learning, Inc. | Math | K–7 | Traditional, Mastery | Books and workbooks | $329 | Secular |
| Saxon MathHoughton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH) | Math | K–12 | Traditional | Books and workbooks | Not shown | Secular |
| SchoolhouseTeachers.comThe Old Schoolhouse | All subjects | Pre-K–12 | Traditional | Books and workbooks | $389 | Faith-based |
| Spelling You SeeDemme Learning | Language arts | K–8 | Traditional | Books and workbooks | $65.43 | Not labelled |
| Teaching TextbooksTeaching Textbooks, LLC | Math | 3–12 | Traditional | On screen | $48.95 | Secular |
| Timberdoodle Curriculum KitsTimberdoodle Co. | All subjects | Pre-K–12 | Traditional | Books and workbooks | $1,017 | Faith-based |
| Time4LearningTime4Learning (Cambium Learning Group) | All subjects | Pre-K–12 | Traditional | On screen | $335.52 | Secular |
Each program in a line
- Abeka: A parent who wants a complete, school-style year in one order, with the lesson plans written out and the option of video teachers later.
- Apologia Science: A family teaching several children who wants one science topic at a time, read together from a textbook with hands-on activities, and then a structured textbook course for each teen.
- Art of Problem Solving: A strong, motivated math student in grades 5 to 12, perhaps aiming at math contests, with a parent or an online class to talk through hard problems.
- BJU Press Homeschool: A parent who wants a full, textbook-based year with detailed teacher editions, and the option to hand some or all subjects to video teachers.
- CTCMath: A family that wants short video lessons with automatic marking, including several children of different ages on one family plan.
- Easy Peasy All-in-One Homeschool: A family that needs a complete, free plan with daily assignments a child can follow on a computer with little parent planning.
- Explode The Code: A family that wants low-cost, low-prep phonics practice a child can do with little help, alongside reading aloud and real books.
- Generation Genius: A family that wants ready-made, video-led science or math lessons with hands-on activities for the elementary and middle school years.
- The Good and the Beautiful: A family that wants low-cost, open-and-go printed lessons and likes teaching science and history to several children at once.
- Horizons Math: A parent who wants to teach from a step-by-step guide each day, with colorful workbooks and steady review of earlier topics.
- Learning Without Tears: A family that wants a low-cost, grade-by-grade handwriting workbook, including for a young child who needs help with letter formation and fine motor skills.
- Logic of English: A parent who wants to teach phonics, spelling and grammar together from scripted lessons with plenty of games, whether with a 4-year-old or an older child who struggles with spelling.
- Miacademy: A family that wants the child to work through all subjects on screen at their own pace, with grading and attendance reports kept for them.
- The Mystery of History: A family with children of different ages who wants one world history read together in time order, with a choice of activities at each child's level.
- Mystery Science: A family with children in kindergarten to 5th grade who wants short, ready-made science lessons with a video to start and a hands-on activity to follow.
- Reading Eggs: A family that wants a child to practice reading in short sessions on a tablet or computer, with several children sharing one plan.
- REAL Science Odyssey: A family that wants one science subject a year, read aloud and done together, with hands-on labs already planned out.
- RightStart Mathematics: A parent who wants to teach math hands-on, with an abacus and card games, and is happy to lead a lesson each day.
- Saxon Math: A family that wants a printed, step-by-step math series from the early grades to high school, with steady review built into every lesson.
- SchoolhouseTeachers.com: A family with several children who wants one yearly price for every subject and grade, with a parent who is happy to print lessons and lead the teaching.
- Spelling You See: A family that wants short daily spelling lessons built on copywork and dictation instead of word lists and tests.
- Teaching Textbooks: A family that wants the math teaching and grading done for them, with a child in 3rd grade or above who is comfortable learning on a screen.
- Timberdoodle Curriculum Kits: A family that wants a full year of books, workbooks, games and hands-on kits chosen for them, with the freedom to swap pieces and set each subject at its own level.
- Time4Learning: A family that wants the child to learn mostly on screen at their own pace, with grading and progress reports handled by the program.
Before you buy
Look at how much of each day is worksheets or screen work, and whether the teacher's guide is scripted. Traditional programs are easy to record for a portfolio because the work is all written down.
Most publishers post samples and a placement test; each card links the placement test where the publisher has one.
Side by side
- Teaching Textbooks vs CTCMath
- Horizons Math vs Saxon Math
- Abeka vs BJU Press Homeschool
- Time4Learning vs Miacademy
- Easy Peasy All-in-One Homeschool vs Time4Learning
- Abeka vs The Good and the Beautiful
- Apologia Science vs REAL Science Odyssey
- Mystery Science vs Generation Genius
- SchoolhouseTeachers.com vs Easy Peasy All-in-One Homeschool
Related lists
- Secular traditional homeschool curricula 14
- Faith-based traditional homeschool curricula 9
- Traditional homeschool math curricula 8
- Traditional homeschool all-in-one curricula 7
- Traditional homeschool language arts programs 5
- Traditional homeschool science curricula 5
- Traditional homeschool reading and phonics programs 4
- Every program, with a filter for any combination
How we label
Every fact on a card was read on the publisher's own website on the date shown, and the page it came from is linked. A fact we could not confirm there is left out. Costs are for one child and one year of the main package, as the publisher's page showed them that day; prices and sales change. Method and format are the publisher's own description where it gives one. The only thing we say about religion is one label, secular or faith-based, given by the rule above; where the publisher's pages don't settle it, the card has no label.
No affiliate links, no sponsored places, no ranking. Something wrong or out of date? Send a correction; publishers can send corrections, never money.