Honest Thoughts on IXL: A Homeschool Mom’s Review

*This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.*

We’ve been using IXL in our homeschool recently—not as a full curriculum, but as a supplement—and today I want to share my honest thoughts on it. This post is sponsored by IXL, who kindly reached out and gave us the opportunity to try it out. As always, all opinions are my own!

What Is IXL?

If you’ve spent any time in homeschool forums or Facebook groups, you’ve probably heard of IXL. It’s an online learning platform that covers a wide range of subjects—math, language arts, science, social studies, and even Spanish—from kindergarten all the way through Year 13.

IXL is marketed as a comprehensive curriculum, but here’s the thing: IXL isn’t a traditional program with detailed lesson plans or teaching guides.

It’s really designed for independent learning. There are over 17,000 interactive skills kids can work through at their own pace, along with short video tutorials and fun educational games to help reinforce what they’re learning.

What I do love is how it adapts to each child. The diagnostic testing figures out exactly where they’re at and then gives personalized recommendations for what to work on next.

It’s a super helpful way to spot gaps or strengthen certain areas—and the progress tracking, awards, and instant feedback keep kids motivated without needing you to hover.

Whether you’re trying to prevent the summer slide, need something extra for skill practice, or just want a flexible tool that works on any device, IXL is a solid option that can fit into your homeschool in whatever way works best for your season.

How We’re Using It

We’re using IXL as a supplement—a tool for extra practice and review. I wouldn’t personally use it as our main curriculum, but I do think it’s incredibly valuable when used intentionally.

Here’s how we’ve been incorporating it (and how I think it’s wise to use it):

As a way to reinforce specific skills my kids are working on
For independent practice when I’m working one-on-one with a sibling
To help avoid the “summer slide” by keeping skills fresh
During busy seasons when I need something hands-off (hello, house moves or sick days!)

How It Works

When you first sign up, your child completes diagnostic testing. This helps IXL identify exactly where they are across different subjects and tailor practice recommendations to their current level, not just their age or grade.

I found this feature surprisingly insightful. It confirmed a lot of what I already knew about my kids’ strengths and weaknesses. For example, my daughter tested at a 6th-grade level in one area and a 2nd-grade level in another, despite being in grade 4. It was a helpful reminder that kids develop at different paces, and that’s okay.

The diagnostic testing takes around 45 minutes per subject, so we broke it up over a few days, especially for the younger kids. Once it’s complete, IXL generates a personalised list of skills for your child to work on.

And yes, they can click a speaker icon if they’re not yet reading confidently. This makes it accessible even for younger learners.

What My Kids Think

All three of my kids have tried IXL, but my eldest daughter in particular loves it. She regularly asks, “Can I do that fun school again?” (You know something’s working when they ask to do it!)

There’s a mix of game-like elements and structured practice that keeps it engaging. It also builds basic computer skills like using a mouse, clicking and dragging, and typing.

Who IXL Is Great For

In my opinion, IXL is a great fit for:

Families looking for extra practice in specific areas
A tool to prevent the summer slide
Times when you need something hands-off and easy to implement
Homeschoolers who want to track skill mastery without grading everything manually
Kids who thrive with interactive learning

It may not be ideal if you’re looking for a full curriculum with teaching plans and guided instruction. But as a supplement? I think it’s brilliant.

One Bonus I Didn’t Expect

Each week, IXL recommends completing about 15 questions in the diagnostics section to keep progress up-to-date. You can also print out diagnostic reports and action plans, which are super handy if you like to track your child’s learning visually (hello, planner lovers!).

Final Thoughts

We’ll definitely continue using IXL in our homeschool. It’s been especially helpful when I need to keep one child occupied while I work with another. Even just 10 minutes of focused, independent practice can make a big difference.

If you’re interested in trying it, IXL is offering 25% off an annual family membership when you use my link here. It’s a great way to test it out and see if it’s a good fit for your homeschool.

Thanks again to IXL for sponsoring this review and giving us the chance to explore another helpful homeschool tool.

Let me know in the comments—have you tried IXL? What did your kids think?