Waldorf Essentials vs Earthschooling: Honest 2026 Comparison
Waldorf Essentials sells early childhood to Class 8, in print or digital, with optional mentoring (Class 1: $200 digital, $275 print, $575 with Live Support). Earthschooling covers preK-12, digital only, at $350 per grade for grades 1-8 on sale, with eurythmy and state-requirement charts. Choose Earthschooling for high school and eurythmy; Waldorf Essentials for print books and coaching.
Which Waldorf curriculum fits your family?
Four questions: your child’s age, the time you have each day, how close to a Waldorf school you want to be, and what matters most. Your answers are matched against the 8 curricula in our comparison. Starpath is one of them and gets no extra points. The result shows on the page, and you can have it emailed to you.
Answer the four questionsChoose Earthschooling if you need preschool or high school in one program, want eurythmy at home, or would like charts that match the curriculum to your state's requirements. Choose Waldorf Essentials if your child is between kindergarten and Class 6, you'd like printed books, and you want live coaching and a parent community. Both are Waldorf-inspired homeschool providers, both publish their prices, and one goes wide while the other goes deep.
We're Starpath Learning, a Waldorf-inspired homeschool platform. We stay out of this comparison until the list of alternatives near the end.
What they share
Both Waldorf Essentials and Earthschooling are:
- Waldorf-inspired homeschool curriculum providers.
- Active and operating in 2026, with prices published on their websites.
- Built around main lesson blocks, art and story.
- Sold with no refunds, so the free samples and product pages are worth reading closely.
So they're fair to compare. The differences below are real, and they shape your year.
Where they differ: scope and grade range
Waldorf Essentials: Foundations (early childhood), Kindergarten 1, Kindergarten 2, and Classes 1 to 8. Its own pages say Class 7 is "not a full curriculum", and Classes 7 and 8 both need math and main lesson stories from elsewhere. For grades 9 to 12 it offers free high school outlines, a printable plan you fill with your own materials.
Earthschooling: preschool through grade 12, with a full package for every grade. Kristie Burns has been writing it with a board of Waldorf teachers since 1994, and it's run by The BEarth Institute.
If you want one Waldorf-inspired provider through high school, Earthschooling is one of two options. Oak Meadow is the other, and it also runs an accredited distance school. If your children are younger, Waldorf Essentials' range is enough.
Where they differ: pricing
Both publish prices on every grade page. They price differently, though. Waldorf Essentials sells each grade three ways: digital only, a printed hard copy, or a Live Support package that adds a year of mentoring and coaching. Earthschooling sells each grade as one digital package with lifetime access, covering all the children in your immediate family.
Published US prices (prices checked September 2026):
| Grade | Waldorf Essentials digital | Waldorf Essentials print (US) | Waldorf Essentials with Live Support (US) | Earthschooling (sale price, listed original) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preschool / early childhood | $99 | $175 | $475 | $350 ($650) |
| Kindergarten | $150 (K1 or K2) | $225 | $525 | $350 ($650) |
| Grade 1 | $200 | $275 | $575 | $350 ($635) |
| Grades 2 and 3 | $225 | $300 | $575 | $350 ($635-720) |
| Grade 4 | $225 | $300 | $575 | $350 ($780) |
| Grades 5 and 6 | $300 | $375 | $675 | $350 ($780) |
| Grade 7 (partial at Waldorf Essentials) | $125 | $160 | $450 | $350 ($780) |
| Grade 8 (partial at Waldorf Essentials) | $45 | $80 | not listed | $350 ($825) |
| Each high school grade | free outlines | $750 ($1,800) |
A few things the table doesn't show. Waldorf Essentials offers payment plans through AfterPay, and its one dated sale is 30% off the Live Support package in October. Earthschooling takes 30% off automatically for families in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and Vietnam. Earthschooling sells handwork separately, as one-time grade blocks with lifetime access (the grade 4 handwork block is $120 on sale). Waldorf Essentials puts handwork instructions inside each grade package.
For a digital grade 1 to 6 on its own, Waldorf Essentials costs less. For a family with several children, Earthschooling's one price for the whole family can close that gap.
Where they differ: eurythmy and music emphasis
Waldorf Essentials: its grade packages include main lessons, form drawing, math, handwork instructions and main lesson pictures. We didn't find eurythmy listed among them.
Earthschooling: online eurythmy classes, eurythmy videos by grade, and music and circle time lessons. The high school package has extensive eurythmy.
If eurythmy matters to you as part of Waldorf, Earthschooling is the clear choice.
Where they differ: state-standards alignment
Waldorf Essentials: follows the Waldorf sequence and doesn't offer state-standards charts. The Waldorf order of learning can run differently from public-school expectations, especially in early reading and math, where formal academics come later.
Earthschooling: provides charts showing how its curriculum matches the core requirements of your state or country, and legal documents for state compliance. It doesn't claim the curriculum is written to state standards; it shows you where the two line up.
If your state asks a lot (a Pennsylvania portfolio, or a New York IHIP, for example), those charts make the paperwork simpler. If your state asks little, they matter less.
Where they differ: depth vs breadth
Waldorf Essentials: a narrower range leaves room for more in each grade. Each package includes laid-out main lessons, form drawings, math lessons, handwork instructions, main lesson pictures, 18 months of access to a training course with audio and video, and the Planning for Peace planner.
Earthschooling: a wider range means more years covered. Each grade package has main lesson blocks with daily planner guides, watercolor, knitting and weaving, MP3s, teacher tutorial videos, and cultural enrichment lessons in Spanish, German, French and Arabic. Covering so many grades may mean less depth in any one of them.
If you want depth in each year, look hard at Waldorf Essentials. If you want coverage across many years, Earthschooling.
Where they differ: support model
Waldorf Essentials: free Zoom office hours twice a month and a free Facebook group with any curriculum purchase. The Live Support package adds mentoring, twice-monthly coaching calls, live planning help for a year and an online community. Melisa Nielsen, the founder, also offers private coaching.
Earthschooling: a 24-hour member forum on Facebook, email and tech support, a weekly newsletter, and over 100 hours of teacher support tutorials. Consultations with certified teachers cost extra.
If you want live help when you're stuck, Waldorf Essentials. If you learn well from tutorials at your own pace, Earthschooling.
Where they differ: web experience
Waldorf Essentials: you buy through its online store. Digital access starts straight away, printed copies ship in about 3 weeks, and the packages include app access.
Earthschooling: digital only. You log in to download and print PDFs, watch videos and play MP3s, with lifetime access and lifetime updates.
If you'd like a printed book on the table, Waldorf Essentials sells one. If you're happy to print what you need at home, either works.
Common questions about choosing between them
My child is in grade 11. Which is better?
Earthschooling. Waldorf Essentials offers only free outlines for high school.
My child is in kindergarten. Which is better for K?
Either. Waldorf Essentials has two kindergarten years (K1 and K2) and a Foundations guide for early childhood. Earthschooling has preschool and kindergarten Living Lessons with monthly planners. Read the samples and choose the one whose days sound like your home.
I want eurythmy at home. Which?
Earthschooling. Its eurythmy classes and videos are one of its strengths.
I'm in Pennsylvania (or another high-compliance state). Which?
Often Earthschooling. Its state-requirement charts make the portfolio review and the conversation with your evaluator simpler. Waldorf Essentials works in these states too, but you'll do more of the matching yourself.
I'm in Texas (or another low-compliance state). Which?
Either. Compliance matters less, so choose on the other differences.
I want printed books.
Waldorf Essentials. Earthschooling is digital only.
My child is in grade 7 or 8.
Earthschooling sells a full package for both. Waldorf Essentials' Class 7 and 8 materials need math and main lesson stories from elsewhere.
How they both compare to other Waldorf options
If neither Waldorf Essentials nor Earthschooling feels right:
- Lavender's Blue: kindergarten to grade 3 (grade 4 in development), $327-397 per grade, secular, with a private online community.
- Christopherus: more traditional than Waldorf Essentials, anthroposophy-grounded, early years through grade 8. First grade is $260.
- Live Education!: traditional, written by Waldorf-trained teachers, K-8, $425-595 per grade.
- Oak Meadow: PreK-12, secular, with an accredited distance school option.
- Enki Education: a Waldorf-Montessori blend. Early childhood and kindergarten only for now, with grades 1 to 5 coming one a year.
- Starpath Learning: Waldorf-inspired, written by Sophie, a Waldorf class teacher. Digital platform, grades 1 to 3, blocks at $19 each or the full curriculum at $47/month.
What to do to choose between Waldorf Essentials and Earthschooling
- Decide on grade range needs. If you need preschool or full grades 7 to 12, choose Earthschooling. If kindergarten to Class 6 is enough, both work.
- Decide on format. Printed books (Waldorf Essentials) or digital only (Earthschooling).
- Decide how much eurythmy matters. Earthschooling includes it; we didn't find it in Waldorf Essentials' packages.
- Decide on compliance needs. Earthschooling's state-requirement charts help in high-compliance states.
- Decide what kind of support you want. Live coaching and office hours (Waldorf Essentials) or a large tutorial library (Earthschooling).
- Read sample materials from each. Look at how much is in a single grade.
- Compare the prices for your grade and your number of children. Both are on the grade pages. Neither refunds digital purchases.
- Decide. Both serve families well, and they suit different families.
Related reading
Sources
Frequently asked questions
+What's the biggest difference between Waldorf Essentials and Earthschooling?
Grade range and format. Earthschooling covers preschool through grade 12 and is digital only. Waldorf Essentials sells early childhood, two kindergarten years and Classes 1 to 8, in print or digital, and offers only free outlines for high school. If you want one Waldorf-inspired provider all the way through high school, Earthschooling is one of two (Oak Meadow is the other). If you want printed books and live coaching, Waldorf Essentials offers both.
+How much do Waldorf Essentials and Earthschooling cost?
Both publish their prices. Waldorf Essentials Class 1 is $200 digital, $275 in print (US), or $575 with the Live Support package, which adds mentoring and twice-monthly coaching calls for a year. Classes 2 to 4 are $225 digital and Classes 5 and 6 are $300. Earthschooling's grades 1 to 8 are $350 each at the sale prices on its site (listed originally at $635-825), and each high school grade is $750. Earthschooling takes 30% off automatically for families in Australia, Canada and New Zealand. Neither offers refunds on digital materials (prices checked September 2026).
+Does Earthschooling have eurythmy?
Yes. Earthschooling includes online eurythmy classes and eurythmy videos for each grade, and its high school package has a lot of eurythmy. Eurythmy is the movement art developed in Waldorf education, and it's hard to teach at home without some guidance, so this is a real draw for families who want it. We didn't find eurythmy listed in what Waldorf Essentials includes.
+Is Earthschooling state-standards aligned?
Not quite in those words. Earthschooling provides charts showing how its curriculum matches the core curriculum requirements of your state or country, plus legal documents for state compliance. That can help if your state asks for a portfolio review or an evaluator. It doesn't claim the curriculum is written to state standards. Waldorf Essentials follows the Waldorf sequence and doesn't offer these charts, so in a high-requirement state you'd do more of that matching yourself.
+Which has more parent support?
Waldorf Essentials, if you want live people. It runs free Zoom office hours twice a month and a free Facebook group, and its Live Support package adds mentoring, twice-monthly coaching calls and live planning help for a year. Earthschooling has a 24-hour member forum on Facebook, email support, a weekly newsletter and over 100 hours of teacher support tutorials. It offers consultations with certified teachers for an extra fee. So Waldorf Essentials gives you more people to ask, and Earthschooling gives you a large library to work through at your own pace.
+Which has more grade coverage?
Earthschooling. It covers preschool through grade 12. Waldorf Essentials covers early childhood through Class 8, and its Classes 7 and 8 aren't full curricula (math and main lesson stories are sourced separately). For high school it offers free printable outlines, and families find their own content. If you want one Waldorf-inspired provider through high school, Earthschooling and Oak Meadow are the options.
+Are there caveats with Earthschooling I should know about?
A few. Its current prices are sale prices, well below the listed originals, so check what's on the site the day you buy. It doesn't refund electronic materials, though it offers free samples and exchanges within 15 days. High school certificates and transcripts cost extra and aren't accredited. And covering so many grades may mean less depth in any one of them than a narrower curriculum gives you. Read the free samples closely before you commit.
Related questions
Waldorf Essentials Review: An Honest 2026 Look
Waldorf Essentials is a widely recommended Waldorf-inspired homeschool curriculum founded by Melisa Nielsen. Strengths: warm voice, mentoring and coaching, early childhood to Class 8, prices on every grade page (Class 1 from $200). Weaknesses: all sales final, Classes 7 and 8 aren't full curricula, no high school curriculum, more inspired than strictly traditional.
Read answerWaldorf Essentials Alternatives: 7 Curricula to Consider in 2026
The main alternatives to Waldorf Essentials: Christopherus (traditional, deep, to grade 8), Lavender's Blue (secular, K-3), Live Education! (K-8, by Waldorf-trained teachers), Oak Meadow (PreK-12, accredited distance school), Earthschooling (PreK-12), Enki Education (Waldorf-Montessori blend) and Starpath Learning (Waldorf-inspired, grades 1 to 3, by a Waldorf class teacher).
Read answerWaldorf Homeschool Curriculum Comparison 2026: Which Is Right for Your Family?
There's no single best Waldorf homeschool curriculum. The right one depends on how traditional you want it, how much help you need as the parent, and how much of each day you want planned for you. The 2026 options are Waldorf Essentials, Christopherus, Live Education!, Oak Meadow, Lavender's Blue, Earthschooling, Enki, and Starpath Learning.
Read answerWhat Is the Best Waldorf Homeschool Curriculum for Grade 1?
There's no single best, but four options stand out for grade 1: Lavender's Blue (open-and-go, secular, K-3, $367 for grade 1), Christopherus (traditional depth, needs planning), Live Education! (the most demanding) and Starpath Learning (Waldorf-inspired, with planner and compliance tools built in). Choose by your planning time, how traditional you want it and the support you need.
Read answerIs There a Waldorf Homeschool Curriculum?
Yes, several. Traditional Waldorf homeschool curricula written by Waldorf-trained teachers include Live Education! and Christopherus. Waldorf-inspired options include Starpath Learning (written by a trained Waldorf class teacher, grades 1 to 3), Waldorf Essentials, Lavender's Blue (K-3), Earthschooling, Enki, and Oak Meadow (the only accredited option). Each fits a different kind of family.
Read answerFind it on Starpath
Looking for a Waldorf school, kindergarten or parent-and-child group near you? Find one on the Waldorf Map.
Which Waldorf curriculum fits your family?
Four questions: your child’s age, the time you have each day, how close to a Waldorf school you want to be, and what matters most. Your answers are matched against the 8 curricula in our comparison. Starpath is one of them and gets no extra points. The result shows on the page, and you can have it emailed to you.
Answer the four questions