BookShark
Depends
Confidence: Medium
Buy if you homeschool secularly, love books and read-alouds, and can spend several hundred dollars a year.
Comparison
BookShark vs Stride Learning
BookShark and Stride Learning both land on Depends.
Stride Learning
Depends
Confidence: Medium
Districts building full virtual schools and families wanting an accredited tuition-free online public school are the real buyers . this is a $3.5B public company built for scale.
| Compare | BookShark | Stride Learning |
|---|---|---|
| Verdict | Depends | Depends |
| Best for | Secular homeschooling families | Districts building virtual schools |
| Who it's not for | Tight budgets . packages run $300+ | Families wanting casual, drop-in tutoring |
| Privacy | One or more disclosed data-breach incidents; no public security page.⁷ | Multiple public incidents: 2020 cyberattack disclosed, 2026 ransomware listing and breach record, plus 35 leaked credentials.15 |
| Support quality | Text support, payment plans, parent bootcamps | No support-quality evidence in sources |
| Public sentiment | Mostly positive . parents praise flexibility and book quality, while cost is the recurring complaint.¹ | Public feedback is sparse and mixed: a few positive teacher posts about the platform, a balanced parent guide, and negative comments in teacher Facebook groups. |
| Biggest gotcha | BookShark LLC disclosed a data breach; Massachusetts assigned breach #15948⁷ | Ransomware group ShadowByt3$ listed Stride Learning as a victim in 2026. |
Pick BookShark when
- Secular homeschooling families
- Read-aloud-loving parents
- All-in-one package seekers
- ESA- or charter-funded households
When BookShark is not a fit
- Tight budgets . packages run $300+
- Kids who hate reading or read-alouds
- Families wanting independent, screen-based learning
- Parents avoiding heavy day-to-day teaching
Pick Stride Learning when
- Districts building virtual schools
- Families seeking accredited tuition-free online school
- State-funded K-12 enrollment
- Large supplemental course catalogs
When Stride Learning is not a fit
- Families wanting casual, drop-in tutoring
- Buyers who need published, transparent pricing
- Anyone wanting a lightweight self-serve tool
- Security-sensitive buyers unwilling to vet breach history
Sources
- Thoughts on Bookshark . r/homeschoolreddit.comreview
- BookShark Review . Cathy Duffy Reviewscathyduffyreviews.comreview
- 7 Must-Read Homeschool Curriculum Reviews for 2026 . Life Hublifehubeducation.comreview
- Complete All-Subject Packages . BookSharkbookshark.comofficial
- BookShark Payment Plan . BookSharkbookshark.comofficial
- Florida ESA . BookSharkbookshark.comofficial
security
- BookShark LLC Cybersecurity Incident . Board Cybersecurityboard-cybersecurity.comsecurity
- Stride Learning Review: Services, Costs & Terms (Fullmind)fullmindlearning.comreview
official
- Learning Solutions for School Districts (Stride)stridelearning.comofficial
news
official
- Stride Faces Contract Losses Amid Academic Concerns (Capitol Forum)thecapitolforum.comnews
- Stride Identifies a Cyberattack (2020, Investor Relations)investors.stridelearning.comsecurity
security