Mochi IsleLearning games for New Zealand kids: 8 compared
In short: IXL, Mathletics, Matific and Reading Eggs / Mathseeds all say they align with the NZ curriculum, and all need a paid plan for full use. Polymath (Auckland) and Mochi Isle are made in New Zealand, and both can be started free. Studyladder’s free plan allows three activities a day. Ministry funding for e-ako maths, the free programme, ended on 30 June 2026.
Disclosure: we make Mochi Isle, one of the eight, so weigh that as you read. The table is in alphabetical order, not a ranking. The NZ curriculum column reports what each company says; we have not verified those claims. Checked on 2 November 2026, so check again before you pay.
| Game | Company based in | Ages or years | Subjects | Works in a browser? | Cost | NZ curriculum claim (as stated by each company) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IXL (NZ edition)nz.ixl.com | United States | K to Year 13 | Maths, English | Yes; apps too | 10 free questions a day on the app; NZ$12.99 a month per subject, NZ$19.99 for both | Says all skills correspond to the NZ curriculum |
| Khan Academykhanacademy.org | United States | K–12 and early college | Maths, science, English and more | Yes; apps too | Free | None found |
| Mathleticsmathletics.com/nz | Australia | 5–16 | Maths | Yes; apps too | Home subscription; 14-day trial | Says fully aligned to the NZ curriculum; its school programme (Years 0–8) says it completed Ministry quality assurance, and the Ministry lists it as a funded provider from 2027 |
| Matificmatific.com | Australia | 4–15; NZ site lists Years 1–10 | Maths, financial literacy | Yes; apps too | Subscription; 7-day trial | App Store listing says fully aligned to NZ and other curricula; parent page says local curriculum |
| Mochi Isle (we make this)mochiisle.com | New Zealand | 5 to high school | Maths, English, science, humanities | Browser only | Three islands free; more with a family membership (free during testing) | Levels follow NZ school years by our own mapping; not reviewed by the Ministry |
| Polymathpolymath.how | New Zealand (Auckland) | Primary; should be able to count to 100 | Maths | Yes; apps too | Free, with an optional paid tier | Parent page says questions align to your local curriculum without naming NZ; has NZ year-level resource pages |
| Reading Eggs / Mathseedsreadingeggs.co.nz | Australia | Reading Eggs 2–13; Mathseeds 3–9 | Reading, maths | Yes; apps too | NZ$14.99–19.99 a month; 30-day trial on monthly plans | Says aligned to the NZ curriculum |
| Studyladderstudyladder.co.nz | Australia | 4–12 (to Year 6) | Maths, English, science | Yes; browser only | Free plan: 3 activities a day; paid from NZ$19 a month | Says content draws on curricula of several countries, including NZ |
What happened to e-ako maths?
E-ako was a free, Ministry-funded maths programme for New Zealand students. The Ministry of Education stopped funding E-Ako, E-Ako Pāngarau and PLD 360 from 30 June 2026, and its notice says access ends on that date (the login page still loaded when we checked on 2 November). The Ministry also says a review found the content no longer lines up with the new national curriculum.
The Ministry’s notice also lists replacements: funded maths resources that schools can order, and Maths practice on its parent portal (education.govt.nz), for Years 3–8, in pilot until the end of December 2026. If your child used e-ako, ask the school first whether it has a plan. For free practice at home, you can also look at Polymath, Studyladder’s free plan, Khan Academy or IXL’s daily free questions.
How to read “aligned to the NZ curriculum”
This is nearly always the company’s own claim. New Zealand’s curriculum has been changing, so the same phrase may refer to an older version. Ask directly: which version is it aligned to, and is there a year-by-year list?
For how ages map to year levels, see the NZ school year levels table.
Which one for what you need
Made in New Zealand: Polymath (maths) or Mochi Isle (four subjects).
Your school already uses one: ask which (Mathletics, Matific or Studyladder, for example), and whether the school login works at home.
Several children in one family: check how many one plan covers. For example, Reading Eggs and Studyladder’s family plan cover up to 4, and Mochi Isle up to 6.
A Chinese-speaking home: see Chinese-English learning games.
Where Mochi Isle falls short
It is new and still in testing, with no independent reviews yet and no Ministry review. Starter levels 1–3 are for about ages 5–9, and Rung 1 is about Year 7. It runs in the browser only. See Mochi Isle at a glance.
Common questions
Is there a learning game made in New Zealand?
Yes. Polymath is a maths game from Auckland, and Mochi Isle is a four-subject learning game made in New Zealand. Both work in a browser, and both can be started free.
Can you still use e-ako maths?
The Ministry of Education stopped funding it from 30 June 2026, and its notice says access ends on that date. The login page still loaded on 2 November 2026, but we would not plan around it.
Are these games really aligned to the NZ curriculum?
Mostly that is the company’s own claim, and we have not verified each one. Ask which version of the curriculum it follows, and whether there is a year-by-year list.
Want to try Mochi Isle?
The main island and the daily lesson are free, right in the browser, with nothing to download.
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