Best Brains vs Kumon: Which After-School Program Fits Your Child?

Best Brains and Kumon both sit in the affordable after-school category, both send work home, and both work with young children. That is where the similarity ends. Kumon is a practice program: children teach themselves new steps from carefully sequenced worksheets. Best Brains is a small class: a teacher introduces each concept to a group of up to five, then children practice at home.

Which is better depends on how your child learns best and how much practice time your family can manage.

How do Best Brains and Kumon work?

Best Brains runs one class a week per subject. It says there are no more than five students per teacher at a math or English table and in online sessions, and a Best Brains center describes classes led by certified teachers. Children take home a weekly homework packet, and parents are asked to provide about 10 minutes of practice per subject per day. Teachers give weekly written feedback in a progress book.

Kumon starts with a placement test, often below grade level. Kumon's parent guide says each worksheet is a small step beyond the last and is designed to be solved independently, with a child moving on only after every answer is correct. In North America, children attend a center twice a week and do about 30 minutes per subject on other days.

Which one costs less?

For one subject, they are close. One Best Brains center lists $159 a month, while Kumon is commonly estimated at $150 to $200 per subject, plus about $50 registration and $30 materials.

For several subjects, Best Brains is usually cheaper. Its bundles bring the price down to roughly $100 per subject at three or four subjects, while Kumon charges a full fee for each subject. A child taking math and reading at Kumon might pay $300 to $400 a month; at the Best Brains center above, two subjects cost $269. See our Best Brains pricing guide and Kumon cost guide for yearly totals.

Which builds math skills faster?

It depends on the kind of skill. Kumon's volume of practice, 30 minutes per subject most days, is hard to beat for calculation speed and accuracy. Best Brains gives less practice volume but more teaching: a teacher introduces new concepts in class, which helps children who get stuck when left to figure things out alone.

So for fluency, Kumon has the edge. For understanding new ideas with a teacher's help, Best Brains is the friendlier format.

Which is better for reading and English?

Both teach reading and English to young children. Kumon's reading program follows the same independent worksheet method as its math, building from early sounds to comprehension through many small steps. Best Brains' English program is taught weekly in a small group, covering the language arts areas, with a homework packet. Children who enjoy discussing ideas in a group may prefer Best Brains; children who like steady independent practice may do well with Kumon.

Which fits a busy family better?

Best Brains asks for less: one visit per subject per week and about 10 minutes of daily practice. Kumon asks for more: two visits a week and about 30 minutes of daily worksheets per subject, which younger children need help to complete. If evenings are already full, Best Brains is easier to sustain. If you want maximum practice and can protect the daily time, Kumon delivers more of it.

What about abacus and coding?

Best Brains offers abacus and coding from age 7, which Kumon does not. They are enrichment rather than school support. If your child is on track and you want to add variety, bundling them at Best Brains is affordable. If your child is struggling with grade-level math, focus the budget on that first.

What should you ask each program?

• Best Brains: How long is each class, how many children are at my child's table, and how is the starting level set?
• Best Brains: Is there a registration or materials fee, and how do lessons connect to school topics?
• Kumon: Which level would my child start on, and how does the instructor help when my child is stuck?
• Kumon: What is the fee per subject, and what notice is needed to stop?

What to do next

1. 1Ask for a trial class at Best Brains and the placement test at Kumon.
2. 2Compare the real weekly time each program needs from your family.
3. 3If your child needs focused teaching, book a free 45-minute assessment with TaleemSquare. Our online math tutoring starts at $85 a month for two live one-to-one lessons a week.