What is the difference between IB Economics and AP Economics?

The theory overlaps heavily but the courses are structured differently. AP splits into two exams, Microeconomics and Macroeconomics, tested with multiple choice and short free-response questions. IB is one two-year course across four units, adds development economics and a real-world issues focus, and assesses through essays, data-response papers, an internal assessment of three commentaries, and for HL a Paper 3 policy paper that mixes calculations with a policy recommendation. Roughly speaking, IB Units 2 and 3 cover the same models as AP Micro and Macro.

Can I use AP resources to study for IB Economics?

Yes, for the shared theory, which is most of the course. Supply and demand, elasticity, market failure, market structures (HL), AD-AS, fiscal and monetary policy, trade and exchange rates are the same models with the same diagrams. AP resources will not help with IB-specific material: development economics, the internal assessment commentaries, Paper 1 essay technique, or the nine key concepts framing.

Does EconLearn cover the IB HL Paper 3 calculations?

Much of the quantitative side, yes. Our step-by-step calculation walkthroughs cover elasticities, consumer and producer surplus, deadweight loss, real GDP and the deflator, unemployment and inflation rates, multipliers, comparative advantage and exchange rate conversions, all of which appear on Paper 3. A few IB-specific calculation formats, such as full linear demand and supply function work, are not walked through in IB notation.

Is EconLearn free for IB students?

Yes. The 17 interactive graph sandboxes, 24 lesson modules, 398 practice questions, 430-term glossary and all calculation walkthroughs are free with no account required. Teachers at schools running both AP and IB can also start a free pilot semester at /teachers.

For IB students and teachers

Interactive graphs for IB Economics

EconLearn is built for AP Economics, but most of the theory in the IB course is the same theory. Here is an honest map of where our interactive graphs, lessons and calculators fit the IB syllabus, and where they do not.

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The honest version

EconLearn is an AP platform first. The core models transfer cleanly: supply and demand, elasticity, market failure, AD-AS, fiscal and monetary policy, trade and exchange rates. HL students get the most value, since AP-depth market structures match HL topic 2.11 and our calculation walkthroughs line up with much of the HL Paper 3 maths. What we do not cover: development economics (topics 4.7 to 4.10) beyond glossary definitions, 4.4 economic integration (trading blocs, monetary union, the WTO), 1.2 how economists approach the world, the internal assessment commentaries, Paper 1 essay technique, and IB-specific framings such as the nine key concepts and real-world issue inquiry. Use EconLearn to master the shared theory and diagrams, and your IB textbook and teacher for the IB-specific rest.

The syllabus, unit by unit

Unit 1: Introduction to economics, 1.1 What is economics?Strong: Scarcity, choice, opportunity cost and the PPC map directly; IB's nine key concepts framing is IB-specific.
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Unit 2: Microeconomics, 2.1 to 2.3 Demand, supply and competitive market equilibriumStrong: Identical diagrams; drag the curves yourself, then drill the theory in /micro/supply-and-demand. HL linear demand and supply function work is not covered in IB notation.
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Unit 2: Microeconomics, 2.4 Critique of maximising behaviour (HL)Partial: Behavioural economics is glossary-level only; AP does not test bounded rationality or nudges.
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Unit 2: Microeconomics, 2.5 to 2.6 Elasticity of demand and supplyStrong: PED, YED and PES all covered (we also teach XED, which AP tests but the current IB guide dropped); the calculations are walked through at /calculate/price-elasticity-of-demand.
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Unit 2: Microeconomics, 2.7 Role of government in microeconomicsStrong: Price ceilings, floors, taxes and subsidies use the same diagrams; IB's HL welfare calculations get heavier weighting than AP.
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Unit 2: Microeconomics, 2.8 to 2.9 Market failure: externalities, common pool resources, public goodsStrong: Externality and public-goods analysis matches, with an interactive graph at /sandbox/externality; common pool resources appear in AP as common resources; the sustainability framing is IB-specific.
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Unit 2: Microeconomics, 2.10 to 2.11 Market failure: asymmetric information and market power (HL)Strong: AP covers monopoly, oligopoly, monopolistic and perfect competition with the same HL diagrams and profit calculations, with sandboxes for each; asymmetric information and IB's evaluation of policy responses to market power are glossary-level only.
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Units 2 and 3, 2.12 Equity (HL) and 3.4 Economics of inequality and povertyPartial: Gini coefficient and related terms are defined in the glossary; IB's policy-evaluation depth on inequality is not covered.
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Unit 3: Macroeconomics, 3.1 Measuring economic activityStrong: GDP, real GDP, the deflator and the business cycle match, with step-by-step maths at /calculate/real-gdp; IB's GNI and alternative well-being measures are glossary-level only.
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Unit 3: Macroeconomics, 3.2 Variations in economic activity: AD-ASStrong: The same monetarist AD-AS model as a drag-the-curve sandbox; IB's separate Keynesian AS diagram is not taught on EconLearn.
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Unit 3: Macroeconomics, 3.3 Macroeconomic objectivesStrong: Unemployment, inflation and growth covered in full, plus the Phillips curve at /sandbox/phillips-curve; IB's evaluation of conflicts between objectives is essay-specific.
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Unit 3: Macroeconomics, 3.5 to 3.6 Demand management: monetary and fiscal policyFull: Both policy toolkits match AP exactly; fiscal policy at /macro/fiscal-policy and HL multiplier maths at /calculate/spending-multiplier.
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Unit 3: Macroeconomics, 3.7 Supply-side policiesPartial: AP treats supply-side effects inside the AD-AS model; IB's market-based versus interventionist classification is not taught as its own topic.
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Unit 4: The global economy, 4.1 to 4.3 Trade and trade protectionStrong: Comparative advantage, tariffs and quotas use the same diagrams, with a tariff sandbox at /sandbox/international-trade; IB's evaluation of protection arguments is essay-specific.
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Unit 4: The global economy, 4.5 to 4.6 Exchange rates and the balance of paymentsStrong: Floating exchange-rate diagrams and balance of payments basics match AP Macro; fixed and managed systems get more weight in IB.
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Unit 4: The global economy, 4.7 to 4.10 Sustainable development, measuring development, barriers and strategiesPartial: Development economics sits largely outside AP; key terms like HDI are in the glossary, but there is no dedicated development module.
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IB and AP, side by side

What is the difference between IB Economics and AP Economics?: The theory overlaps heavily but the courses are structured differently. AP splits into two exams, Microeconomics and Macroeconomics, tested with multiple choice and short free-response questions. IB is one two-year course across four units, adds development economics and a real-world issues focus, and assesses through essays, data-response papers, an internal assessment of three commentaries, and for HL a Paper 3 policy paper that mixes calculations with a policy recommendation. Roughly speaking, IB Units 2 and 3 cover the same models as AP Micro and Macro.
Can I use AP resources to study for IB Economics?: Yes, for the shared theory, which is most of the course. Supply and demand, elasticity, market failure, market structures (HL), AD-AS, fiscal and monetary policy, trade and exchange rates are the same models with the same diagrams. AP resources will not help with IB-specific material: development economics, the internal assessment commentaries, Paper 1 essay technique, or the nine key concepts framing.
Does EconLearn cover the IB HL Paper 3 calculations?: Much of the quantitative side, yes. Our step-by-step calculation walkthroughs cover elasticities, consumer and producer surplus, deadweight loss, real GDP and the deflator, unemployment and inflation rates, multipliers, comparative advantage and exchange rate conversions, all of which appear on Paper 3. A few IB-specific calculation formats, such as full linear demand and supply function work, are not walked through in IB notation.
Is EconLearn free for IB students?: Yes. The 17 interactive graph sandboxes, 24 lesson modules, 398 practice questions, 430-term glossary and all calculation walkthroughs are free with no account required. Teachers at schools running both AP and IB can also start a free pilot semester at /teachers.