HegartyMaths is an online math learning platform from the UK. It was founded around 2013 by teacher Colin Hegarty (and Brian Arnold). The site provided video lessons and practice quizzes for school math (GCSE and A-level topics). This article gives students and parents an overview of HegartyMaths so they can compare it with other tutoring options.
We cover what users say about HegartyMaths, how its pricing works, and which other platforms (like My Engineering Buddy, Chegg, Khan Academy, etc.) are similar or better. By the end, you will have a clear, detailed picture of HegartyMaths in 2025 and know why My Engineering Buddy might be a great choice for advanced tutoring.
Hegarty Maths Reviews and Testimonials
- Sparx Maths (HegartyMaths): HegartyMaths was acquired by Sparx Learning, and now its content is part of Sparx Maths. Sparx reports over 2.2 million students and 2,600 schools use the platform. On the Sparx site, teachers praise it – for example, one head of maths said “using Sparx Maths Homework has completely changed our homework culture”. These quotes suggest educators found the lessons engaging and helpful.
- EdTechImpact (Education review site): This site shows that HegartyMaths has few public ratings. It states “No reviews” for HegartyMaths. That implies there is little feedback from students on mainstream review platforms.
- Official site (HegartyMaths/Sparx): Hegarty’s own website (now redirecting to Sparx) featured teacher case studies. For example, it describes a student who moved up two grade sets after using the site. However, it did not publish user testimonials or ratings for families.
Is Hegarty Maths legit? Yes. HegartyMaths was created by award-winning math teachers and was widely used in UK schools. Its creator won UK Teacher of the Year (2015). All facts about HegartyMaths are documented by sources like education sites and news, so it was a real, credible platform.
In summary, HegartyMaths had strong teacher support and clear content. Reviews are scarce, but educators’ quotes are positive. The site was highly rated for teaching quality. Note that HegartyMaths was retired in late 2023 and merged into Sparx Maths. Students should consider current alternatives for active tutoring needs.
Hegarty Maths Pricing
Pricing Range
HegartyMaths uses a subscription model for schools. It does not charge by the hour or session. According to an EdTech review, “Pricing is tailored to the school”. This means each school or district negotiates a yearly fee, often based on the number of students. Pricing is paid upfront and is usually quoted in GBP (British Pounds) for UK schools. There is no per-tutor commission or extra commission fee – it’s a flat subscription.
What students say about HegartyMaths Pricing
Students typically do not pay directly for HegartyMaths; their school does. So forums have few comments on its price. In general, users feel it offers good value when schools subscribe, since the lessons are freely available once paid for. In contrast, many students compare it to expensive tutoring: one note is that Chegg tutors earn about $20/hour, whereas Hegarty’s videos cost the school far less per student. Thus, most feedback implies Hegarty’s pricing is reasonable for schools, though students themselves did not directly comment on cost.
Hidden costs
HegartyMaths has no known hidden fees. There is no extra registration fee or per-session charge beyond the agreed subscription. Schools pay the quoted price upfront, and students get full access. There are no add-ons or materials to buy. Cancelling usually follows the annual contract. In short, once a school pays, students can use everything without surprise fees.
How HegartyMaths’s pricing works
Schools pre-pay HegartyMaths (often yearly). There is no “pay-as-you-go” or per-class payment. Students simply log in using their school account. There are no special discounts for groups or for different nationalities – pricing is uniform for each school. HegartyMaths does not use promo codes or special offers. The only promotions have been free trials or demos for schools, not for individual students. Payment methods (like credit card or bank transfer) are arranged between the school and Sparx Learning (the parent company).
Free Trial
HegartyMaths did offer a trial period for schools. After a demo call, a school account could be activated with about 4 weeks free use. This was for teachers to test the system. It is not a free trial for students on demand, but rather an institutional trial. Details were given during the demo arrangement. (After trial, schools were asked to request a quote for continued access.)
Refund policy
The public information on HegartyMaths does not include a detailed refund policy. Since it was sold to schools, any refund would be handled case-by-case by Sparx Learning. We found no user reports of refunds or failed transactions. There are no known issues of overcharging or hidden extra fees. In practice, schools signing up have the right to cancel before renewal (as MyMaths notes). Students have not complained about deceptive charges on HegartyMaths. It appears the refund policy was a standard business agreement, not contested by users.
Hegarty Maths Alternatives
Students and parents look for alternatives to HegartyMaths because they may need more interactive help, wider subject support, or different pricing. Below is an overview of popular alternatives. Each is compared to HegartyMaths in terms of cost, subjects, levels, tutor quality, and user experience. Note that My Engineering Buddy (our service) is included naturally in this list.
Summary of alternatives: Many students use either free video sites or paid tutoring services instead of HegartyMaths. Free sites like Khan Academy cover many topics at no cost. Paid platforms (IXL, Chegg, etc.) offer interactive tools and live tutors, but they charge fees. My Engineering Buddy offers one-on-one help with a focus on higher-level STEM, at affordable rates. The best choice depends on budget and the level of personal support needed.
Khan Academy
Pros: Completely free with thousands of lessons across math, science, and more. It offers structured practice and progress tracking. There is no cost at all. Cons: It has no live tutor support or homework help. All learning is self-guided videos and exercises. Unlike HegartyMaths, it isn’t aligned specifically to UK exams, but it does cover similar topics. Khan Academy is great for extra practice, but you must figure out concepts on your own without a teacher.
IXL Learning
Pros: IXL is a subscription math platform covering all grades (pre-K to calculus). It has adaptive questions and instant feedback. Pricing is clear: for example, a family plan is $15.95/month for math (all grades). It includes practice in many math topics. Cons: It can be expensive for multiple subjects ($16/mo for math + other fees for more topics). There are no video tutorials or live instructors – just questions and automated hints. It is not free and is mostly focused on practice, unlike Hegarty’s video lessons. IXL is good for practice drills, but students miss human interaction.
Chegg (Chegg Tutors)
Pros: Chegg is a large online tutoring site. It offers one-on-one math help and textbook solutions. Students can get live help from many tutors 24/7. Tutors on Chegg earn about $20/hour on average, so it has professional help available. Chegg also has study tools (flashcards, Q&A). Cons: It costs money (around $15/month for study tools, plus hourly rates for live tutoring). Quality varies by tutor. It’s not curriculum-specific, and students have to find the right tutor. Unlike HegartyMaths, Chegg is not school-based, so it requires a learning curve to find help. However, Chegg excels at providing personalized, on-demand assistance.
My Engineering Buddy
Pros: MEB provides live 1:1 tutoring and homework help, especially in math, engineering, and advanced subjects. It has very high user ratings (average 4.79/5) and many satisfied students. Customers praise the easy setup (no logins, just WhatsApp) and clear pricing. MEB offers trial sessions and upfront fees, as shown in reviews. Tutors explain topics step-by-step, and students report confidence gains in complex subjects (e.g. data analysis, SolidWorks). Cons: It is not free – students pay per session. The subjects focus on STEM and advanced topics (not general math homework only). But for advanced college or engineering help, MEB offers more personalized attention than HegartyMaths.
MyMaths (UK)
Pros: MyMaths is a UK-based homework site. A school subscription costs about £699/year (~$900) for secondary level. It provides hundreds of lessons and matching exercises for GCSE and A-level. It includes games and progress tracking. Like Hegarty, it supports UK exam content and teacher dashboards. Cons: It can be expensive for schools. There is no video lesson content – only text and interactive questions. MyMaths does not give one-on-one help or tutor support. It also mainly serves UK students (no international curriculum). In short, MyMaths is similar to Hegarty in practice problems but lacks Hegarty’s video tutorials, and it costs a similar subscription fee for schools.
How Hegarty Maths Works
For Students
Students access HegartyMaths through their school. It is not a public marketplace. Typically, a teacher or school administrator creates student accounts. Students then log in and see assigned tasks. There is no open signup for individuals. Connecting with tutors: HegartyMaths does not connect students to tutors at all. It provides only video lessons and quizzes. Students cannot book a tutoring session on Hegarty; they simply watch the videos and do exercises. Scheduling sessions: There is none. All content is on-demand. A student can watch any lesson at any time. Progress is monitored by the school (teachers set weekly goals). There is no real-time chat or set schedule as in live tutoring.
For Tutors
HegartyMaths is not a platform for freelance tutors. It was built by classroom teachers for students, not by a company hiring tutors. There is no “apply to become a tutor” process on Hegarty. In other words, independent tutors cannot sign up to teach on HegartyMaths. To use HegartyMaths, a tutor would typically be a teacher who sets up material for their own students. The only way to get involved is through the school: teachers learn how to assign Hegarty content. If a tutor (or teacher) wants to use similar tools, they would instead contact Sparx Learning via their site. For example, Sparx Learning has a “Register interest” page (see link below) for teachers and schools.
Get started with Sparx Maths (Hegarty’s successor) for schools and teachers.
FAQs About Hegarty Maths
How does HegartyMaths compare to My Engineering Buddy? HegartyMaths offers self-study video lessons, while My Engineering Buddy gives live 1-on-1 help. HegartyMaths provides free video content (paid by schools) with quizzes, but no direct tutor contact. MEB offers on-demand tutoring via Google Meet with real instructors. In practice, students saying they need immediate help often prefer MEB for its personal attention and fast responses.
Is HegartyMaths free or paid? It is paid. HegartyMaths requires a school subscription, not an individual purchase. There is no cost-free student plan. The platform offered a demo, but after that schools pay to keep it. So, unlike free sites (Khan) or pay-per-hour tutors, HegartyMaths is a paid program (subscription-based).
What grade levels is HegartyMaths for? It covers UK secondary math. Specifically, it serves Key Stage 3–4, which is roughly ages 11–16 (GCSE level). It includes early A-level topics as well. Students in middle school through early high school will find its videos and quizzes. It is not geared towards primary math (under age 11).
Does HegartyMaths have a mobile app? No. HegartyMaths does not have a dedicated app. It works through a web browser on any device, but there is no iOS/Android app to download. The site was mobile-responsive, but students needed to watch videos and do tasks on the website itself.
Why did HegartyMaths shut down? HegartyMaths was merged into Sparx Maths. According to Sparx Learning, after 2019 the two systems combined, and HegartyMaths was officially retired in 2022. The founder, Colin Hegarty, became CEO of Sparx. In short, it closed because it was merged into a larger math platform (Sparx Maths). No new HegartyMaths accounts have been created since it closed.
How effective is HegartyMaths for learning? Many educators found it very effective for math understanding. For example, a Guardian story reported a struggling student who, after using HegartyMaths daily, moved up two grade sets in math. External studies (with Sparx Maths) found that doing 30 minutes/week greatly improved grades. Overall, HegartyMaths is seen as high-quality for its structured lessons. However, it relies on the student’s self-motivation to watch all videos and complete tasks.
Conclusion
HegartyMaths was a well-designed UK math platform with expert video lessons and a proven track record of improving student grades. Its strengths were the clear teaching style and thorough content created by award-winning teachers. The weaknesses are that it required a school subscription, offered no live tutoring, and eventually shut down in 2023. In comparison, My Engineering Buddy shines by giving personalized tutor attention (24/7 WhatsApp support) and tailored help for complex subjects For students who need advanced tutoring and homework help beyond static videos, MEB is an excellent choice.
