MyMathLab vs ALEKS: assigned problem sets or an adaptive pie?

Who makes MyMathLab and ALEKS?

MyMathLab is Pearson’s. Pearson now calls it MyLab Math: its older help still uses the MyMathLab name (Pearson help), and mymathlab.com now redirects to Pearson’s MyLab Math page, which we checked on October 20, 2026. It is sold alongside Pearson math textbooks.

ALEKS is McGraw Hill’s. McGraw Hill describes it as “an AI-powered online learning platform for Math and Chemistry” that “blends adaptive learning with instructor-led assignments” (McGraw Hill). ALEKS also has K–12 programs, including ALEKS Math for grades 3–12, and ALEKS PPL, which McGraw Hill lists for college math preparation.

Is MyMathLab adaptive like ALEKS?

Mostly not. In MyLab Math, “The Homework and Tests page lists the homework, quizzes, and tests your instructor assigns” (Pearson help). Two parts can adapt if your instructor turns them on. With personalized homework, “You first take a test or quiz on the material,” and “A homework assignment is automatically created based on your results.” The Study Plan lets you practice questions “very similar to the questions in your assignments,” then use Quiz Me to show mastery. Pearson notes that “Some courses do not offer the Study Plan.”

ALEKS adapts by design. Its student tour says it “administers a personalized, adaptive assessment that includes approximately 25 to 30 questions,” then shows the result as a pie in which “The darker portion of each pie slice represents the topics that you have mastered and the lighter portion represents what you have yet to learn.” McGraw Hill says ALEKS “helps the student work on the topics they are ready to learn” (About ALEKS).

How does each one grade your work?

MyLab Math grades question by question. A question is complete when you answer it correctly or use your tries, “usually three” per step, and your score updates in the gradebook as you go (Pearson help). Partial credit is available only on multi-part questions your instructor has set up for it (Pearson help). Your instructor gives each assignment points and weights the Homework, Quizzes, Tests, Other and Study Plan categories. For repeated tests, your instructor picks best, most recent, average or all scores (Pearson help).

ALEKS counts topics. “Once you have demonstrated mastery in the Learning Mode, the item is added to the ALEKS Pie, and new topics may become available” (ALEKS tour). Later, “ALEKS Knowledge Checks automatically confirm and enhance retention” (About ALEKS). Instructors can also assign homework, quizzes and tests. The ALEKS pages we read do not publish one grading formula, so your syllabus says how pie progress, assignments and Knowledge Checks count. There is no answer list to look up either; see is there an ALEKS answer key?

What does each platform record about your work?

MyLab Math records each completed question in your instructor’s gradebook. If you close a test without clicking Submit, Pearson says “your assignment will not be scored and will show as incomplete in your instructor's Gradebook” (Pearson help).

ALEKS keeps an Attendance Report where “You can track time spent in your ALEKS student account by day, the topics attempted during that time, and the topics mastered” (ALEKS tour). McGraw Hill also describes ALEKS Insights, which emails educators about students “who are not succeeding,” “who are excessively procrastinating,” or “who are learning “unusually” fast” (About ALEKS).

Do MyMathLab and ALEKS work from Canvas?

Both do, once your school connects them. Pearson says its LMS integration “works with Canvas, Blackboard, Brightspace by D2L, Moodle, Schoology and Sakai,” with single sign-on and grade sync. McGraw Hill’s LMS integration page lists Blackboard Learn, D2L Brightspace, Canvas and Moodle as “Just a few of the LMS systems we integrate with,” with ALEKS and Connect among the products you can pick.

What do MyMathLab and ALEKS cost students?

Both sell access per course, so your price depends on your school and course. Pearson’s help says you need “a student access code, which is provided with your textbook” (Pearson help).

For ALEKS in a college class, McGraw Hill’s registration guide has you enter your instructor’s 10-character class code, then pick one of three options: apply an access code you already bought, buy one online “using your credit card or PayPal,” or, if your school is in the Temporary Access Program, enter the temporary code your instructor gives you. ALEKS also sells home subscriptions for K–12 learners: $19.95 for 1 month, $49.95 for 3 months, $99.95 for 6 months or $179.95 for 12 months, one course at a time (McGraw Hill).

McGraw Hill vs Pearson: what else does each one sell?

Each publisher has a family of platforms. McGraw Hill’s higher-education digital products include Connect, ALEKS, ALEKS PPL, SIMnet, Sharpen and Virtual Labs (McGraw Hill). Pearson’s include MyLab, Mastering and Revel, with eTextbooks sold through Pearson+ (Pearson). If your other class uses McGraw Hill Connect, our Connect page covers it.

If your course uses WebAssign instead, that is Cengage’s platform; see WebAssign vs MyMathLab.