Games like Prodigy: a fair comparison
Prodigy, Boddle and SplashLearn are all game-style math and reading practice with school and family versions. Peabody is a free alternative through the end of 2026 with no sign-up, where the question happens inside the game. Below, each product is read from its own page on one fixed rubric, and what Peabody does not do is listed too.
| Product | Cost to a family | Subjects | Grades | How it says it adapts | Evidence its page shows |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prodigy | Free for teachers and for students at school or home; optional paid family memberships add features | Math and English | Not stated on the home page (it names Common Core and TEKS standards) | Calls its games "adaptive"; the home page does not explain how | Figures from surveys it commissioned, and a school district's results |
| Boddle | Free for educators; parents can sign up for Premium (its features and price are not on the page we read) | Math and English language arts; science in the parent section | K–6 | An adaptive path, or content assigned by a teacher or parent | Lists an ESSA Level 3 badge and links a research article and case studies |
| SplashLearn | Free lesson plans and teaching tools for teachers; the page does not describe a family plan or price | Math and English (counting through fractions, phonics and the alphabet) | Preschool through grade 5 | Not described on the home page we read | Links to success stories; no research shown on the page we read |
| Khan Academy Kids | Free app with no subscriptions and no ads; schools can buy a version with a teacher dashboard | Early literacy, reading, writing, language, math, social-emotional growth and creative play | Ages 2 to 8 | Offers "a personalized path" that adjusts as a child grows, or free exploring | Not shown on the page we read |
| Peabody | Free through the end of 2026, with no sign-up | Reading (13 levels, a library of stories), math from Pre-K to 8th grade, and a World of facts | Pre-readers to about 8th grade | A practice brain that picks the next question and brings facts back on a schedule; the rules are published | No efficacy study yet; the science page says what has not been shown |
Every fact about another product below was read from its own public page on 2026-10-18 (linked in the table). Where a page does not say, we write that, which is not the same as "no".
Prodigy is a game-based math and English practice site used widely in classrooms. If you are looking at it, these are the nearest neighbours, read on the same rubric.
What each does that Peabody does not
Prodigy. Standards-aligned content (it names Common Core and TEKS) with lesson plans and tools for teachers. Aimed at: kids, teachers and parents.
Boddle. Standards-aligned K–6 math and ELA with tools for teachers and parents to assign work. Aimed at: students, teachers and parents.
SplashLearn. A big library of grade-by-grade programs, including a homeschool program. Aimed at: families, teachers and schools.
Khan Academy Kids. A nonprofit's free, ad-free app for the youngest children, covering early literacy, math and social-emotional growth. Aimed at: young children and their parents; teachers through a paid school version.
What Peabody does not do
- It has no classroom or teacher product.
- It does not map lessons to state standards or produce a standards report.
- It cannot hear a child read, so it cannot measure fluency; it does not give a Lexile, a reading age or a grade equivalent.
- It has no written work, no test and no score that compares a child to others.
- It has not published an efficacy study.
- Its free period is promised only through the end of 2026.
- Its subjects are reading, math and a World of facts, not the full school day.
Which to choose
- Choose Prodigy when your child's class already uses it or you want standards-aligned practice that a teacher can follow.
- Choose Peabody for a free option with no account where the questions are part of the play, a library of leveled stories for reading, and math from Pre-K to 8th grade.
Try two for a week and keep the one your child asks for. The rubric behind this table is on the compare page.
Other comparisons
- IXL alternatives for kids: a fair comparison
- Free learning apps for kids: a fair comparison
- Free homeschool math plan by grade
- How to choose an AI learning tool for your child
Questions parents ask
Is Peabody a Prodigy alternative?
For a family, yes: both are game-style practice. They are built differently. Prodigy is aimed at classrooms and families through teachers; Peabody has no classroom product, needs no account and is free through the end of 2026.
Does Peabody have a pet game like Prodigy?
Pet Hatch lets a child hatch, care for, breed and ride pets, and the questions are part of the play. It is a different design from Prodigy's. The games page lists them all.
Checked against how Peabody works on 18 October 2026. Written with help from AI, from Peabody's own code and library. Peabody is a learning app, not an assessment: if you're worried about your child's learning, talk to their teacher.