Compared in depth
Abeka and BJU Press Homeschool are both Christian textbook publishers that sell full-grade kits for parent-led teaching and a video option in which recorded teachers lead the lessons. Abeka says it has offered education from a Christian perspective since 1972, and BJU Press began as Bob Jones University Press, publishing its first textbook in the 1970s. The practical differences show up in how each packages its kits, how video access works, and what each costs at the same grade.
Written by the Homebuilt team from both publishers’ own materials, checked September 2026. This is a description of the differences, not a recommendation of either program.
| Fact | Abeka | BJU Press Homeschool |
|---|---|---|
| Format | Print, Workbooks, Video, Online | Print, Video, Online |
For parent-led teaching, Abeka sells the Grade 4 Child Kit (27 items, all essential textbooks including assessments) separately from the parent materials. Parents add an Essential or a Complete Parent Kit; the Grade 4 Parent Kit includes 170 lesson plans, answer keys, and teaching aids, and Abeka says Bible, art, and music materials can be added. The Abeka Academy Video & Books option includes the child's books, video lessons, a video manual, progress reports, and test and quiz books with keys. A Video Only option leaves the books to buy separately.
BJU Press says its Textbook Kits contain everything needed to teach, with a student text and a teacher's edition. The Grade 4 Complete Grade Textbook Kit contains all the essential student and teacher materials for 4th grade, and a student-only kit is also sold. Grade 4 Online with Books includes student editions, worktexts, and handouts for each course, Homeschool Hub video access, some eTextbooks, digital teacher editions, and handout packets with answer keys. Its listed courses are Heritage Studies, English, Math, Science, Reading, Spelling, and Handwriting. For Bible materials, see the publisher.
Sources: www.abeka.com · www.abeka.com · www.abeka.com · www.abeka.com · www.bjupresshomeschool.com · www.bjupresshomeschool.com · www.bjupresshomeschool.com · www.bjupresshomeschool.com
Abeka offers two paths. In parent-led teaching, the parent works from lesson plans that lay out 170 lessons with suggested timing for quizzes and tests, teaching tips, and grading information. Abeka says the Grade 4 Parent Kit subjects can be taught in less than 4 hours, with adjustable pacing. In Abeka Academy, a video teacher leads daily instruction by streaming or DVD, the parent remains the parent-educator, and a video manual keeps the child aligned with the on-screen teacher. Abeka describes its method as spiral learning, with frequent review.
BJU Press describes online and parent-led formats. In the parent-led format, the teacher's edition supports the parent with instructions, activities, and additional explanation. Through the Homeschool Hub, students watch daily video lessons taught by expert teachers, following a complete schedule of lessons and assignments on an adjustable calendar, with a gradebook for the parent. BJU Press lists an average daily video time of 1 hour 50 minutes for grade 4 and 180 days of work in each grade 4 course. For a daily time estimate in the parent-led format, see the publisher.
Sources: www.abeka.com · www.abeka.com · www.abeka.com · www.abeka.com · www.bjupresshomeschool.com · www.bjupresshomeschool.com
Abeka sells materials from preschool through 12th grade, and Abeka Academy covers K4 through 12th grade, though the accredited program is not offered for K4. Lesson plans come as separate booklets through 6th grade and are built into teacher editions from 7th to 12th grade, except English. Abeka lists kit savings of 5 to 10% on preschool to 6th grade kits. Single-subject video is offered for core subjects in grades 1 to 6 and for all subjects in grades 7 to 12, where electives such as Spanish and digital assessments are also available.
BJU Press describes an all-in-one K3 to 12 core curriculum and says it produces materials from Pre-K through grade 12. In the Homeschool Hub, online tests and quizzes begin at grade 5; the other Hub features on its home page, such as streaming lessons, the schedule, handouts, and the gradebook, are not tied to a grade there. For grade 4, Hub access lasts 20 months on orders placed February 1 to May 31 and 16 months on orders placed on or after June 1. For how kits and courses change in middle and high school, see the publisher.
Sources: www.abeka.com · www.abeka.com · www.abeka.com · www.abeka.com · www.abeka.com · www.abeka.com · www.bjupresshomeschool.com · www.bjupresshomeschool.com · www.bjupresshomeschool.com
Basis: one full year of 4th grade, as priced on each publisher's product pages on September 24, 2026, before tax. Parent-led: Abeka's Grade 4 Child Kit (bound) was $540.45 alone, $1,272.15 with the Essential Parent Kit, and $1,511.60 with the Complete Parent Kit, each shown as 10% off. Video: Abeka Academy Grade 4 Video & Books, full year, streaming, was $1,390.00 unaccredited and $1,442.00 accredited. Abeka's payment plans, for orders of $350 or more, carry a $50 or $85 participation fee. Prices change, so check the publisher.
Same basis: BJU Press listed the Grade 4 Complete Grade Textbook Kit at $1,044.60 and the Grade 4 Student Full Grade Textbook Kit at $534.15. For video, Grade 4 Online with Books was $1,149.00, Online Only $979.00, DVD with Books $1,209.00, and DVD Only $1,039.00, with no sale marked. The video options are not identical: Abeka's full year gives 12 months of access to 170 lessons, while BJU Press lists 180 days of work per course and 16 or 20 months of access. BJU Press offers 0% interest payments on $350 or more. Prices change, so check the publisher.
Sources: www.abeka.com · www.abeka.com · www.abeka.com · www.bjupresshomeschool.com · www.bjupresshomeschool.com · www.bjupresshomeschool.com · www.bjupresshomeschool.com
Abeka describes its curriculum as built on the foundation of God's Word and frames its options as "do it yourself" or "do it with help." Its parent-led kits are aimed at parents who want to be involved, with lesson plans that guide them step by step. Abeka Academy is aimed at families who want their children taught "without having to lead all the lessons," and its grade 4 page names families homeschooling several children or traveling often. Families who want report cards and transcripts kept for them can choose the accredited program.
BJU Press says biblical worldview shaping is at the heart of all its materials. It addresses families whether they prefer an independent learning style or a parent-led approach, and offers online video, DVD, and textbook formats. Its Textbook Kits are aimed at parents who want a teacher's edition with instructions and added explanation. The Homeschool Hub is aimed at families who want daily video lessons from expert teachers, with scheduling, a gradebook, and online tests and quizzes from grade 5. BJU Press also says its buying options are flexible.
Sources: www.abeka.com · www.abeka.com · www.abeka.com · www.bjupresshomeschool.com · www.bjupresshomeschool.com
| Fact | AbekaAbeka | BJU Press HomeschoolBJU Press |
|---|---|---|
| Grades | PreK-12 | PreK-12 |
| Faith | Christian | Christian |
| Format | Print, Workbooks, Video, Online | Print, Video, Online |
| Price | Priced per grade. Grade 4, Sept 2026: parent-led Child Kit $540.45 (shown at 10% off; parent kits extra); Abeka Academy video with books $1,390 unaccredited or $1,442 accredited for the year. See publisher for other grades. | See publisher |
| Subjects | Full curriculum, Bible, Language arts, Math, History, Geography, Science, Health | Full curriculum, Bible, Reading, Language arts, Math, Science, History, Geography |
| Style | Traditional, Spiral | Traditional |
| What it is | A Christian textbook publisher with two main homeschool paths: parent-led kits with textbooks, workbooks, and lesson plans, or Abeka Academy, where students watch recorded classroom teachers by streaming video. Academy enrollment comes in accredited and unaccredited versions. The publisher describes its approach as spiral, returning often to earlier material for review. | A Christian textbook curriculum from the publishing arm of Bob Jones University, with a biblical worldview built into each subject. Families can teach from textbook kits with a teacher's edition, or use daily video lessons through the Homeschool Hub, which also schedules assignments and keeps a gradebook. The shop sells by grade or by subject. |
| Checked | September 2026 · From the publisher | September 2026 · From the publisher |
| Publisher | Visit the publisher ↗︎ | Visit the publisher ↗︎ |
Photography by Bryndle Photo