Mathnasium vs. TutorLyft

Mathnasium doesn't publish prices in Canada. Each centre sets its own and gives you a quote after a free assessment. What Canadian centres do say: you pay a flat monthly membership plus an enrollment fee, with no long-term contract. For reference, Mathnasium's original centre in Los Angeles lists US$449 a month for ten 1-hour sessions, plus a US$198 enrollment fee that it waives when you enroll online. Ask your local centre for its written price list before you sign up.

Mathnasium recommends 2 to 3 sessions a week until your child reaches their goals. It doesn't assign homework: the work happens in the session, and instructors set aside some time each session for school homework. Sessions run during the centre's hours, usually after school. On TutorLyft you decide how often lessons happen, from a single lesson to a weekly slot.

You can't tell until you get a Mathnasium quote, because Mathnasium doesn't publish Canadian prices. Canadian Kumon centres list $150 to $220 per subject a month, plus an $80 registration fee. The two also work differently. Kumon is math and reading, with two short centre visits a week and daily worksheets at home. Mathnasium is math only, with 2 to 3 centre sessions a week and no homework.

It depends on what your child needs. At Mathnasium, an instructor works with up to four students at a time through a plan built from Mathnasium's own assessment. That suits a child who needs a steady math routine. A private tutor works 1-on-1 on what your child is doing in class right now, and you choose who it is. If your child needs help with a test, a specific course or a subject other than math, a tutor is usually the better fit.

Canadian Mathnasium centres say their programs are month to month with no long-term contracts. Notice periods and refunds are set by each centre, so ask for the written policy when you enroll. TutorLyft has no subscription: you pay per lesson, and you can cancel a lesson for free up to 24 hours before it starts.

Yes. Almost every tutor offers a free phone consultation, so you can ask about their approach and your child's goals first. There's no subscription or sign-up fee, and if the first session isn't the right fit, we refund it and give you your next hour free with a new tutor.