CTCMath vs Mr. D Math
The sharpest difference is prep load: CTCMath is minimal, Mr. D Math is open-and-go. One other attribute separates them.
At a glance
CTCMath
Grades K-12
Owners report it suits
Multi-age familiesMr. D Math
Grades 6-12
Owners report it suits
Reluctant learnersBoth are reported to suit Struggling learners, Independent workers and Math-anxious parents.
Skip to who fitsWhere they differ
| Attribute | CTCMath | Mr. D Math |
|---|---|---|
Prep load
?How much the parent prepares before a lesson. Where a program lands on the 1 to 5 scale:
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Screen time
?How much daily work is on a device. Where a program lands on the 1 to 5 scale:
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| Best for Tags show where owners consistently report a good fit. They are not exclusions. | Struggling learnersIndependent workersMulti-age familiesMath-anxious parents | Struggling learnersReluctant learnersIndependent workersMath-anxious parents |
| Method | TraditionalVideo-led/self-pacedAdaptive online | TraditionalVideo-led/self-paced |
| Grades | K-12 | 6-12 |
Solid tags are unique to that program. Muted tags are carried by both.
Where they match
- Rigorboth on grade
- Parent involvementboth hands-off
- Independenceboth mostly independent
- Time commitmentboth 25 to 40 min
- Faith contentboth None
- Approachboth Mastery
- Formatboth Online
- Used asboth Spine
How each one plays by grade
CTCMath
Grades K-12
The K to 2 levels run thin on paper practice, and owners add a handwriting or manipulative supplement there. Elementary is well attested by long-term users. The high school levels have almost no independent owner reports, and the publisher itself used to recommend CTCMath as a supplement rather than a spine past grade 6.
Mr. D Math
Grades 6-12
Pre-Algebra and Algebra 1 draw the most owner reports and land gentle to standard. Families wanting more push tend to move up a level or switch by Algebra 2.
Cost
| Cost item | CTCMath | Mr. D Math |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $129-150/yr single, $149-199/yr family (discounted) | ~$247 self-paced, ~$450 live |
| Consumable | No | No |
| Per child / year | ~$130-150 one child, ~$40-50 in a family plan | ~$247 self-paced, ~$450 live |
What parents report
CTCMath
Consistently praised
- Short, no-fluff video lessons
- Very affordable for big families
- Access to every grade at once
- Printable worksheets and worked solutions
- Detailed parent reports
Reported as challenges
- Thin on word problems and mixed practice
- No built-in review, so parents build their own rotation
- Answers are mostly multiple choice
- No bound textbook
Mr. D Math
Consistently praised
- Kids warm up to math and gain confidence
- Clear explanations in plain language
- Live class keeps teens engaged and accountable
- Format and pricing are easy to live with
- Free extra-help sessions and quick email answers
Reported as challenges
- Not rigorous enough for a STEM-bound student
- Self-paced track lets unmotivated kids drag a course out
- Some kids lose focus during long videos
- Computer grading hides whether a student really got it
Who CTCMath fits
Best when somebody else needs to teach the math: large families juggling several grade levels, or a parent whose own math anxiety makes lessons tense. A mathy kid who needs problem-solving depth, or a young hands-on learner who still needs manipulatives, won't get enough here.
Read the full CTCMath entry Check price CTCMathWho Mr. D Math fits
Average or math-averse teens who need confidence and a teacher who isn't mom or dad, especially in families who want the accountability of a live class. Advanced or STEM-track students who want deep rigor should look at Derek Owens or an Art of Problem Solving path.
Read the full Mr. D Math entry Check price Mr. D MathSome links on this site are affiliate links. If you buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes how a curriculum is described or scored.
Still deciding?
CTCMath compared with
See all 12 CTCMath comparisonsMr. D Math compared with
Descriptions aggregate what homeschool parents consistently report across public community sources together with each publisher's own materials. Prices and editions change over time. Both entries last reviewed July 2026.