Topmarks

Topmarks is a free library of primary-learning materials for children, parents and teachers. It is best for finding activities across school subjects and age bands; its separate Hit the Button app is a more focused option for calculation practice.

Overview

Topmarks combines its own games, worksheets and classroom resources with educational content selected from elsewhere on the web. Its coverage ranges from ages 3–5 through 11–16 and spans Reception to Year 6, including maths, English, reading, writing, spelling and grammar. That breadth is useful when a family or teacher needs material for a particular topic, but it is a collection of resources rather than a single course or structured sequence.

Formats include interactive games, printable worksheets, classroom materials and apps. Teachers may use resources in classrooms and live online lessons, and parents may use them at home. Standalone redistribution or sale is prohibited, so the materials are not suitable for repackaging or resale.

Key features

Subject and age coverage

Alongside English, Topmarks covers number, geometry, measures, data handling and problem solving. The spread gives primary learners and educators several ways to approach a topic, including screen-based games and worksheets. Because the age bands extend beyond the stated Reception-to-Year-6 range, choose by the learner’s needs and the resource itself rather than treating the age labels as a continuous curriculum.

Hit the Button Maths

Hit the Button is a dedicated mental-maths app for ages 5–11, with 166 game modes across times tables, division, square numbers, number bonds, doubling and halving. Timed and untimed practice lets learners work on speed or take a less pressured route through the same calculation topics. Up to 30 player profiles can be saved on one device, with guest play as another option, making it practical for shared household or classroom devices.

The app works offline and has no ads or in-app purchases, avoiding interruptions and extra purchase prompts during practice. Its narrow focus is also a limit: it suits calculation drills, not the wider mix of subjects and resource formats on the website.

Pricing

The Topmarks website is free to use, with no subscription. Hit the Button Maths is a one-time purchase at £3.49 GBP / $3.99 USD / €3.99 EUR / $5.99 AUD. That fee buys a focused practice app rather than the broader website library. App licenses cannot be transferred between platforms, and educational institutions need a separate license for each computer, so schools should account for both device count and platform before buying.

There is no free trial for the app. The website remains the choice for free games, worksheets and classroom resources; the paid app makes sense when repeated mental-arithmetic practice is the priority.

Platforms

The website is accessible on the web, and Topmarks lists Android, iOS, macOS and Windows among its platforms. Hit the Button is listed for Windows, Mac, iPad, iPhone, Android devices and Kindle Fire; Chromebook support is also described in its support FAQ. Since licenses do not transfer between platforms, a purchase on one platform does not cover another.

Who it's for

Topmarks suits parents looking for learning activities at home and teachers seeking material for classroom or live online lessons. Its range of subjects and formats makes the website useful for finding a particular activity, while Hit the Button is a better fit for children aged 5–11 who need focused calculation practice. Those seeking a single, guided course should look elsewhere.

Topmarks says its apps do not collect or share personal information and store pupil data locally on the device. Its website privacy policy says it complies with GDPR requirements and the ICO Age Appropriate Design Code. The website uses Cloudflare to mitigate security risks during cyber-attacks, and questions about resources or the site can be sent to email support.

Pros and cons

• Pro: A free website brings together games, worksheets and classroom resources across maths and English, giving families and teachers options beyond a single activity format.
• Pro: Hit the Button offers 166 modes, offline play and up to 30 local profiles, making it well suited to repeated practice on a shared device.
• Pro: No ads or in-app purchases keep the app focused on practice without additional prompts or spending.
• Con: The app is limited to calculation topics, so it cannot replace the website’s broader learning resources.
• Con: The one-time app purchase is tied to its platform, and institutions must license each computer separately.
• Con: The site is a resource library, not a unified course, so learners who need a guided sequence may prefer a more structured option.

Alternatives

Teacher Resource Libraries is a useful category to explore when comparing other teaching-resource collections. Choose Myatt & Co if you want a film-led option: it has a free tier with a small selection of films and a £22.00 GBP monthly plan for all films and resources. CommonLit is a stronger alternative for teachers and students seeking a free text library and CommonLit 360 curriculum, with a paid Spark school plan at $4,200 USD per year.

BusyTeacher may suit teachers looking specifically for printable materials: its free offering includes 18,421 resources without registration, while its library of 80 PDF e-books costs $80.00 USD once. ReadWriteThink is another free educational-materials option. SBS Learn is worth considering for free Australian Curriculum-aligned digital resources for educators, ready to download, save and share. Scootle offers free registration with guest access, and requests an education or university email. Australian Teacher is another free teaching-resource option, with downloads and printing subject to its copyright terms. Classroom Secrets offers a free plan as well as a £6.56 GBP monthly plan for one user.

Verdict

Choose Topmarks if you want free, varied learning resources for home or classroom use, especially across primary maths and English. Its strongest case is breadth: games, worksheets and teaching materials sit alongside a focused offline maths app. Look elsewhere if you need a structured course, or choose another tool if your priority falls outside Hit the Button’s calculation practice.