Comparison, math
Math with Confidence vs Saxon Math: which one suits your child?
Math with Confidence teaches through short, hands-on, parent-led lessons with a light daily review page, while Saxon from 5/4 up runs on incremental textbook lessons followed by a long mixed problem set every day.
The short answer. Neither is better for every child. Choose Math with Confidence if your child gets worn down by long problem sets. Choose Saxon Math if your child likes a predictable daily routine and knowing exactly what comes next. Whichever you pick, the level matters more than the brand, so find out where your child is before you buy.
At a glance
| Math with Confidence | Saxon Math | |
|---|---|---|
| Grades | K to 6 | K to 12 |
| Faith content | Secular | Neutral, faith-friendly |
| Teaching style | Mastery, Spiral review, Open and go | Spiral review, Textbook |
| Format | Workbook, Manipulatives | Textbook, Workbook |
| Parent time | Some | Some |
| Price | Low cost | Mid price |
| Placement test | No formal test | Yes |
| Often chosen for | Hands-on learners, children who like structure, math anxiety | Children who like structure, independent workers |
How they differ
| Math with Confidence | Saxon Math | |
|---|---|---|
| How a lesson runs | Warm-up, a scripted parent-led activity or game, then a short Practice page and Review page; about 25 to 45 minutes in grades 3 to 6. | From 5/4: a short new increment, a few practice problems, then a mixed set of about 30 problems; parents often report close to an hour. |
| Review (spiral or mastery) | New topics taught one unit at a time, with one daily Review page on earlier skills. | Strong spiral: every topic keeps coming back in the daily mixed problem set. |
| How new topics are introduced | Through objects, games and real-life contexts before written work. | In small fragments, one increment per lesson, mostly on paper. |
| How independent the child can be | Child does Practice and Review alone, but new material starts with the parent. | From 5/4 many children read the lesson and work alone; upper levels are largely self-teaching. |
| Pace against school grades | Grade-numbered, K to 6, at grade level. | Skill-level books: 5/4 is the fourth-grade book, 6/5 fifth, 7/6 sixth, 8/7 seventh; runs to Advanced Math and Calculus. |
| Visuals or manipulatives | Uses counters, base-ten blocks, fraction circles, cards and dice. | Manipulatives in the K-3 books; from 5/4, black-and-white textbook pages with few hands-on pieces. |
| Faith content | Secular content, described by reviewers as Christian friendly. | Neutral content; long sold through Christian homeschool retailers. |
Which one suits your child
Choose Math with Confidence if
- Your child gets worn down by long problem sets
- Your child learns best by doing and playing, not by reading a textbook
- You want to be involved in teaching every day
- Your child is in grades 3 to 6 and you want a gentler, varied routine
Choose Saxon Math if
- Your child likes a predictable daily routine and knowing exactly what comes next
- Your child forgets skills quickly and needs constant review
- Your older child needs to work mostly on their own
- You want one program that runs through high school
Why parents choose Math with Confidence
- Scripted, open-and-go lessons full of games
- Mastery of new topics with daily spiral review
- Uses cheap household manipulatives
Why parents choose Saxon Math
- Constant review makes skills stick
- Predictable daily routine
- Upper levels are largely self-teaching
Watch out for, Math with Confidence
- Parent teaches every lesson, even in grades 5-6
- Ends at grade 6, so a switch is needed for pre-algebra
- Can feel easy for children who love a challenge
Watch out for, Saxon Math
- Long daily problem sets can drain kids
- Concepts introduced in small fragments, not as big ideas
Switching between Math with Confidence and Saxon Math
From Math with Confidence to Saxon Math
Take the Saxon placement test, which the publisher says is valid for students new to Saxon. A child finishing Sixth Grade Math with Confidence is usually choosing between 8/7 (the seventh-grade book) and Algebra 1/2 (the eighth-grade book), and the test decides. The biggest adjustment is the length of the daily mixed problem set.
From Saxon Math to Math with Confidence
Use the Math with Confidence readiness checklist, not the Saxon book name; remember 5/4 is a fourth-grade book. Saxon children usually have solid procedures and fact recall, so placement tends to match their grade, but some need time with the hands-on, explain-your-thinking style. The program ends at grade 6.
Which level of Math with Confidence? → Which level of Saxon Math? →
What parents often say
- Saxon's constant review makes skills stick, but many families find the daily problem sets long and trim them.
- Math with Confidence is valued for short worksheets and games, and some parents say the games carry much of the practice.
- Parents note that changing to or from Saxon tends to cost a few months while the child adjusts to a very different format.
- Children who dislike Saxon's look and length sometimes do better with a hands-on program, while others thrive on Saxon's predictability.
Point of Progress in 20 seconds
Ready to see where your child stands?
See where they stand →Questions parents ask
Is Saxon harder than Math with Confidence?
Not necessarily harder in content, but more demanding in workload: Saxon lessons usually include a long mixed problem set, while Math with Confidence keeps written practice short.
Which Saxon book comes after Sixth Grade Math with Confidence?
Take the Saxon Middle Grades placement test. Most children who finished grade 6 content are choosing between Saxon 8/7 and Algebra 1/2, and the test score decides.
Does Math with Confidence have enough review compared with Saxon?
It has a daily Review page and unit Checkpoints, which is less review than Saxon's mixed sets. Children who forget quickly may need extra practice alongside it.
Which level should my child start in?
Use the publisher's placement guidance for the program you choose; levels rarely line up one to one between programs. If you are not sure where your child stands, an independent adaptive test such as Point of Progress (grades 3 to 10, about forty minutes at home) shows their level and the skills that need work.
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Sources
- kateshomeschoolmath.com/math-with-confidence/
- kateshomeschoolmath.com/how-to-choose-the-right-level-of-math-with-con
- kateshomeschoolmath.com/what-to-use-after-sixth-grade-math-with-confid
- kateshomeschoolmath.com/third-grade-math-with-confidence/
- kateshomeschoolmath.com/sixth-grade-math-with-confidence/
- hmhco.com/programs/saxon-math
- sonlight.com/pages/saxon-placement-tests
- cathyduffyreviews.com/homeschool-reviews-core-curricula/math/math-grad
Know where they stand before you buy the book.
About forty minutes at home, math and reading & writing, grades 3 to 10. The report is ready as soon as the test finishes.
Test your child, $9.99 →or with the ten-week workbook, $19.99This page is Point of Progress's own research, compiled in November 2026 from publishers' websites, placement materials and parent reviews. Publishers update their products, levels, placement tests and prices from time to time, so please verify all information with the provider before you buy. Point of Progress is independent and is not affiliated with any publisher named here.