Prodigy Math and Spring Math share one goal, better maths, but they are built for different people. Prodigy is a game children play: a wizard battles monsters by answering maths questions. Spring Math is a system schools run: it screens every child, finds the gaps, and gives teachers a daily routine to close them. One is a game for the child; the other is a toolkit for the teacher. This guide compares them so parents and teachers can pick the right one.
The short answer
Choose Prodigy if the goal is maths practice a child will actually do: it covers the full curriculum for grades 1 to 8 and children play it willingly, day after day. Choose Spring Math if the goal is to find and fix learning gaps across a whole class or school: it screens every child, tracks progress weekly, and tells the teacher exactly which skill to teach next. Spring Math finds the problem; Prodigy practises the solution. A school that needs both can use both: Spring Math to diagnose, Prodigy to practise.
What Prodigy Math is
Prodigy Math Game is a free fantasy game for grades 1 to 8. Children create a wizard, explore a magical world, catch pets and battle monsters by answering maths questions. The questions adapt to each player’s level and cover the full curriculum, from number sense to fractions and geometry. Teachers can set assignments and read reports, and parents can follow progress from a dashboard. The core game is free, with paid membership tiers adding pets, rewards and extras. Prodigy’s great strength is motivation and breadth: children open it because it is fun, and it practises every part of the curriculum. Its limit is that it is a practice tool, not a diagnostic one: it does not screen a whole class, rank skills by urgency, or hand a teacher a scripted intervention plan. For test preparation, see the Prodigy Math test prep guide.
What Spring Math is
SpringMath is a web-based MTSS and RTI system for mathematics, developed by Dr. Amanda VanDerHeyden, and it covers the whole MTSS cycle for grades K to 12. It has four connected parts. First, universal screening: a short 15-minute screener, given three times a year, pinpoints classwide and individual learning needs, and the results drive daily action with no manual analysis by the teacher. Second, daily classwide intervention: scripted lessons and paper-based practice materials, generated automatically each week, give the class a 15-minute routine that closes the gaps screening found. Third, weekly progress monitoring: at the end of each week the system shows who responded and who did not, and generates the next week’s materials accordingly, so adjustments happen in days rather than in six to eight weeks. Fourth, individual intervention: when a child needs more, SpringMath generates targeted small-group and individual lessons aimed at that child’s exact skill deficit. It assesses 130 skills in grades K to 8 and remedies gaps for grades K to 12, covering number operations, pre-algebraic thinking and mathematical logic. Subscriptions cost about $9.25 to $13.00 per student per year, and the programme is backed by more than 20 years of peer-reviewed research, including randomised controlled trials. Spring Math is a school tool: it is bought by schools and districts, not played by children at home.
| Feature | Prodigy Math | Spring Math |
|---|---|---|
| Main focus | Maths practice through a game | Screening, intervention and progress monitoring |
| Who uses it | Children, with parents and teachers | Teachers and schools |
| Grades | Grades 1 to 8 | Grades K to 12 |
| How it works | Play battles, answer questions, earn pets | Screen, intervene daily, monitor weekly, adjust |
| Teaching style | Adaptive practice, learns by doing | Scripted lessons, data driven decisions |
| Skills covered | Full maths curriculum, grades 1 to 8 | 130 skills in grades K to 8, gaps to grade 12 |
| Cost | Free core game, paid membership tiers | About $9.25 to $13.00 per student per year |
Which is better for parents
For parents, Prodigy is the clear choice: it is free to start, a child can use it alone at home, and it covers the whole curriculum. Spring Math is not really a parent tool at all. It is bought and run by schools, its daily routines happen in class, and a parent cannot buy a home version for one child. If your child’s school uses Spring Math, the useful question is not which to choose, but what the screening found: ask the teacher which skill your child is working on, then use Prodigy at home to practise that same skill. A parent comparing other school style programmes may also want the Prodigy Math vs DreamBox guide, which covers another adaptive programme.
Which is better for schools
For schools, the two answer different questions. Spring Math answers “which children need help, with what, and is it working?” It screens the whole class, gives the teacher a scripted daily routine, and shows weekly whether the intervention is working. Prodigy answers “how do we get children to practise every day?” It motivates children and gives teachers assignments and reports, but it does not screen, rank or prescribe. A school that wants both an explanation and a practice game may also like the pattern in the Prodigy Math vs Khan Academy guide, which covers another teaching style. In practice, schools use Spring Math to diagnose and intervene, and Prodigy to practise.
Can you use both
Yes, and for a school they fit together naturally. Spring Math screens the class, finds the gaps, and sets the weekly intervention plan. Prodigy then becomes the daily practice for those same skills: the teacher sets a Prodigy assignment that matches the week’s Spring Math focus, and the child practises it inside a game they enjoy. Spring Math decides what to teach; Prodigy makes the practice happen. The combination covers both halves of the job: diagnosis first, fluency second.
Frequently asked questions
What is Spring Math?
SpringMath is a web-based MTSS and RTI system for mathematics, developed by Dr. Amanda VanDerHeyden. It covers the whole MTSS cycle for grades K to 12: universal screening, daily classwide intervention, weekly progress monitoring and individual intervention.
How does Spring Math screening work?
A short 15-minute screener is given three times a year. It pinpoints classwide and individual learning needs, and the results automatically drive daily classwide intervention, with no manual data analysis needed from the teacher.
How much does Spring Math cost?
Subscriptions are priced per student, per year, at about $9.25 to $13.00 per student, depending on volume. The price includes universal screening, progress monitoring, classwide intervention, diagnostic assessments and individual intervention supports.
Can Spring Math replace Prodigy?
Not as a practice tool. Spring Math is a school system that diagnoses gaps and prescribes teaching; it is not a game children play at home. Prodigy is the better tool for daily practice, while Spring Math is the better tool for finding out what to practise.
What grades is Spring Math for?
Spring Math covers grades K to 12. It assesses 130 skills in grades K to 8 and remedies learning gaps for grades K to 12, with the goal of algebra readiness by the end of grade 8.
Related guides
This site is an independent guide. It is not the official Prodigy site, and it is not affiliated with Prodigy Education.