Did Khan Academy Make Prodigy? No: How the Two Compare

No, Khan Academy did not make Prodigy. Prodigy is made by Prodigy Education, a company whose co-founders and co-CEOs, Alex Peters and Rohan Mahimker, say it began in 2011 as a university student project, while Khan Academy is a separate 501(c)(3) nonprofit started by Sal Khan.

The confusion is easy to understand. Both are well known for math practice, both are used by families and teachers, and both have a free option. They are still two different organizations with different missions, so you choose between them as you would any two separate products.

Who makes each one?

• Prodigy: Prodigy Education says its mission is "to help every student in the world love learning." Its About page names Alex Peters and Rohan Mahimker as co-founders and co-CEOs and says the company started in 2011.
• Khan Academy: Its About page states, "Khan Academy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization," and its mission is to provide a free, world-class education to anyone, anywhere. Its leadership page lists Sal Khan as Founder and CEO.

Neither organization's About page says it owns or is owned by the other; each describes its own founders and mission. Khan Academy's page also asks visitors for donations, while Prodigy's pages describe a free game plus paid memberships.

Keep readingKhan Academy for Learning at Home: A Parent's GuideKhan Academy is a free, nonprofit learning site with courses for kindergarten through early college. A parent can set up an account in a few minutes, add a child, assign work, and watch progress from…

What subjects and grades does each cover?

Prodigy offers two games. Prodigy Math is a standards-aligned math game for grades 1 to 8, and Prodigy English is an adaptive language arts game tied to Common Core for grades 1 to 6. Prodigy's parent guide describes "1,500+ curriculum-aligned math skills for 1st to 8th grade."

Khan Academy describes a free learning platform with 840+ courses covering core academic subjects for K-12 and early college. It also offers Khan Academy Kids, which covers foundational topics for preschool through second grade (ages 2 to 8).

In short, Prodigy is focused on math and English in the elementary and middle grades. Khan Academy spans a much wider range of subjects and ages, from early learning to early college.

How does each one work: game or courses?

Prodigy wraps practice inside a fantasy game. According to its parent guide, kids create an avatar, explore Prodigy Island and battle pets, and they answer a math question to cast a spell or use a pet. Each question is tailored to the child's curriculum and skill level, and correct answers earn experience points.

Khan Academy describes its courses as personalized and designed to help students master key concepts and fill in learning gaps. It presents itself as a learning platform made up of courses rather than a game world.

What does each cost?

Khan Academy's courses are free. Its separate AI tutor, Khanmigo, is paid: as of October 8, 2026 its pricing page shows $4/month or $44/year for learners and for families, and notes that sales tax is not included. Per the Khanmigo site, the paying adult must be 18 or older with a U.S. billing address, and a parent who subscribes can enable access for up to 10 children.

Prodigy's membership page says its Math and English content are free, while Science content and extra game enhancements require a membership. As of October 8, 2026 it lists three tiers: Core at $9.95 a month ($58.95 billed annually), Plus at $14.95 a month ($88.95 billed annually) and Ultra at $19.95 a month ($118.95 billed annually), with an extra 25% off when you buy for multiple children. Confirm the current price at checkout before you buy.

What can parents see and control?

Prodigy's parent guide says a free parent account includes a dashboard with ways to encourage your child, a monthly Report Card on progress and skills, and visibility into any assignments a teacher sets in Prodigy. A paid membership adds dashboard tools for setting goals and rewards, viewing Practice Areas, printing offline Practice Sheets and choosing from over 40 in-game rewards. That guide is Prodigy's own marketing material, so treat its descriptions as the company's claims.

Khan Academy's help center describes a Parent Dashboard where a parent can add a child's account and make assignments such as quizzes, articles, videos and unit tests. For a child under 18, a parent has to sign up for Khanmigo, and the Khanmigo parent plan lets the parent view the child's Khanmigo conversations.

Keep readingIXL vs Prodigy: Skill Practice or a Math Game? A Parent's ComparisonIXL and Prodigy both give a child online questions that adjust to what they know, but they feel very different. IXL is a skill-by-skill practice site that reports a score for each skill, while Prodig…

Which one may suit your child?

This is reasoning from the facts above, not a hands-on verdict. A parent who wants a free, course-based platform that stretches from early learning to early college may prefer Khan Academy. A parent whose child resists worksheets may prefer Prodigy's game format, and one who wants only math or English practice in grades 1 to 8 gets that focus there.

Because both have a free option, a parent can try the free versions of both and see which one the child keeps returning to. That costs nothing but a little time.