Khan Academy Kids is the better choice for parents seeking a free, comprehensive educational app for young children focusing on early learning. MasterClass is more suitable for older children and adults seeking in-depth knowledge across various subjects taught by experts, provided they are willing to pay for a subscription.
| Attribute | Khan Academy Kids | MasterClass |
|---|---|---|
| Age Range Suitability | Designed for children ages 2-8, from preschool through second grade. | Enjoyed by kids from the age of eight. Provides resources helpful for homeschool educators. |
| Subject Variety | Covers reading and literacy, language, math, social-emotional development, executive function and logic, motor and physical development, and creative expression. | Offers courses across diverse categories, including food, design, arts, music, business, sports, writing, science, home & lifestyle, community & government, and wellness. |
| Interactive Elements | Features interactive activities, books, animated videos, and games. Lessons include speaking aloud, singing, drawing, dancing, and manipulating objects on screen. | Some courses include interactive elements such as teaching assistants powered by AI, weekly prompts, tips, and discussion questions. Encourages student engagement through community forums. |
| Personalized Learning Paths | Offers an adaptive learning path that adjusts to each child's pace and level. The Learning Path presents content at an appropriate level based on the child's performance. | MasterClass asks about your interests to suggest courses. |
| Progress Tracking and Reporting | Provides progress reports for teachers to identify student needs. Teachers can see which students have completed assignments and view cumulative progress in each subject area. Progress is shown via colored checkmarks and percentage scores. | MasterClass at Work provides an Admin Analytics Dashboard to view user progress on shared courses. You can track course completion and access detailed watch data for users, including total lessons, lessons watched, and percentage of lesson completion. |
| Offline Accessibility | A section in the Library called "Kodi's Suitcase" is available offline, featuring stories, letters, numbers, logic, and letter tracing. An internet connection is required to initially create an account. | Plus and Premium plan members can download classes and lessons using Android and iOS mobile apps for offline viewing. This feature is not available on the Standard plan. |
| Cost and Subscription Model | Khan Academy Kids is 100% free, with no ads or subscriptions. | Offers annual membership plans. The plans include Individual, Plus, and Premium. All plans are billed annually. Individual: around $120 USD per year (around $10/month). Plus: around $180 USD per year (around $15/month). Premium: around $240 USD per year (around $20/month). |
| Teacher/Parent Resources | Offers teacher tools to roster classes, assign lessons, and view student progress. There's also a parent guide to help families use the app at home. | Offers resources to make homeschooling easier, such as downloadable workbooks that provide additional information and detailed illustrations. |
| Curriculum Alignment | Aligned with the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework and Common Core Standards. Teachers can search for lessons by standard. | MasterClass focuses on career-relevant topics, such as resume building and leveraging LinkedIn. |
| Platform Accessibility (Devices) | Available on iPhone, iPad, Android, and Amazon devices. | Accessible on various devices, including computers, smartphones, tablets, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Roku streaming players. |
| Content Quality and Expert Instruction | Developed in collaboration with learning experts at Stanford. | Provides high-quality, immersive courses taught by world-renowned experts. Classes are taught by celebrities and experts in their fields. |
| Community Features and Support | Offers resources for teachers and parents to support the learning process. For specific questions, users can contact the support team. | Offers community forums for students to discuss course material, ask questions, and share experiences. |