Comparison, math
Teaching Textbooks vs Saxon Math: which one suits your child?
Teaching Textbooks teaches and grades every lesson on a screen so the child can work alone, while Saxon is a printed course with long mixed problem sets that someone has to check.
The short answer. Neither is better for every child. Choose Teaching Textbooks if your child wants to work alone and get instant feedback. Choose Saxon Math if your child does well with paper, pencil and a fixed daily routine. Whichever you pick, the level matters more than the brand, so find out where your child is before you buy.
At a glance
| Teaching Textbooks | Saxon Math | |
|---|---|---|
| Grades | 3 to 12 | K to 12 |
| Faith content | Neutral, faith-friendly | Neutral, faith-friendly |
| Teaching style | Spiral review, Video lessons, Open and go | Spiral review, Textbook |
| Format | Online, Video, Textbook | Textbook, Workbook |
| Parent time | Little | Some |
| Price | Low cost | Mid price |
| Placement test | Yes | Yes |
| Often chosen for | Independent workers, math anxiety, children who are behind | Children who like structure, independent workers |
How they differ
| Teaching Textbooks | Saxon Math | |
|---|---|---|
| How a lesson runs | The child watches an animated lecture, then answers problems in the app; each problem is read aloud, with hints, a second chance and a video solution. | Warm-up with facts and mental math (5/4 to 8/7), a short new concept, then a long mixed problem set from a printed textbook, worked on paper. |
| Review (spiral or mastery) | Each assignment mixes in earlier topics, with a quiz about every seventh lesson; lower levels reteach basics before moving on. | Spiral: every problem set mixes the new step with many earlier lessons, plus regular cumulative tests. |
| How independent the child can be | Built to be used alone from Math 3: the app teaches, grades instantly and records hints and retries. | Many children work largely alone from 5/4 on, but someone must grade the work and catch errors. |
| Parent role | Set up the account, then read the gradebook and daily progress emails; no teaching required. | Read the mental math aloud through 8/7, grade daily work and tests, and help with the start of new lessons when needed. |
| Screen time | All teaching happens in the app on a computer or tablet; printed books are sold only as companions, and up to six lessons work offline. | Print-based, so no screen is needed; optional teaching videos are sold separately. |
| Pace against school grades | Math 3 to Pre-Calculus, named by grade but gentler; reviewers often find a level close to the grade below, so strong students place up. | Kindergarten to Calculus; 5/4 is the grade 4 book, and the program is generally seen as more demanding, especially in Algebra 1. |
| Faith content | Publisher pages mention no religious content; used by some Catholic and Christian programs. | No religious content in the lessons; long sold through Christian homeschool retailers. |
Which one suits your child
Choose Teaching Textbooks if
- Your child wants to work alone and get instant feedback
- Your child feels anxious about math or was pushed too fast elsewhere
- You cannot teach or grade math every day
- Your child learns well from a patient explanation they can replay
Choose Saxon Math if
- Your child does well with paper, pencil and a fixed daily routine
- Your child needs a lot of repetition to keep skills
- Your family wants math with very little screen time
- Your child copes with long problem sets and likes a challenge
Why parents choose Teaching Textbooks
- Automatic grading frees the parent
- Friendly step-by-step explanations
- Kids can work alone
Why parents choose Saxon Math
- Constant review makes skills stick
- Predictable daily routine
- Upper levels are largely self-teaching
Watch out for, Teaching Textbooks
- Reviewers often find it a grade behind other programs
- Easy to click through without real understanding
Watch out for, Saxon Math
- Long daily problem sets can drain kids
- Concepts introduced in small fragments, not as big ideas
Switching between Teaching Textbooks and Saxon Math
From Teaching Textbooks to Saxon Math
Take the Saxon placement test for students new to Saxon. Children coming from Teaching Textbooks often place a book lower than their TT level, because Saxon is more demanding and expects more written work. Expect an adjustment period to longer daily sets without instant feedback.
From Saxon Math to Teaching Textbooks
Take the Teaching Textbooks placement test for the level you are considering; if unsure, give the higher-level test first. Saxon students often test into a TT level at or above their Saxon book's grade, and the early lessons may feel like review. The free first 15 lessons give a second check, but the publisher says not to rely on the trial alone.
Which level of Teaching Textbooks? → Which level of Saxon Math? →
What parents often say
- Teaching Textbooks is often praised for independence and for calming math-anxious children, while Saxon is praised for skills that stick.
- Parents disagree on whether Teaching Textbooks runs behind: some say about a grade, others say the gap disappears when the child is placed by test.
- Some families who used Teaching Textbooks through middle school report gaps when moving into outside high school math courses.
- Saxon's repetition is often too much for children who grasp ideas quickly, and many parents trim the problem sets.
Point of Progress in 20 seconds
Ready to see where your child stands?
See where they stand →Questions parents ask
Is Teaching Textbooks behind Saxon?
Many reviewers find Teaching Textbooks gentler and roughly a grade behind more demanding programs, though placement tests narrow the difference. Saxon is generally seen as more rigorous, especially in Algebra 1.
Can a child do Saxon independently?
Many children work through Saxon 5/4 and up largely on their own, but a parent still reads the mental math aloud through 8/7 and grades the work. Teaching Textbooks grades automatically.
Does Teaching Textbooks start in kindergarten?
No. Teaching Textbooks starts at Math 3 and runs to Pre-Calculus. Saxon starts at kindergarten and runs to Calculus.
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
- teachingtextbooks.com/faqs
- teachingtextbooks.com/placement/
- teachingtextbooks.com/
- hmhco.com/programs/saxon-math
- sonlight.com/pages/saxon-placement-tests
- cathyduffyreviews.com/homeschool-reviews-core-curricula/math/math-grad
- cathyduffyreviews.com/homeschool-reviews-core-curricula/math/math-grad
- homeschoolfox.com/compare/saxon-math-vs-teaching-textbooks
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.