Anki is the better app overall, scoring 8.8 to 8.4. Anki wins on 4 of the 5 scores, Photomath on 1.
Med students, language learners and anyone memorizing large volumes of facts
Middle school, high school and early college students checking their math
Score by score
The details
| Feature | Anki | Photomath |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Learning | Learning |
| Category rank | #4 of 10 | #6 of 10 |
| Developer | Damien Elmes and AnkiHub | |
| Pricing | Free | Free + paid plans |
| Usable for free | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone & iPad | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mac | ✓ | — |
| Windows | ✓ | — |
| Linux | ✓ | — |
| Web | ✓ | — |
Common questions
Is Anki better than Photomath?
Anki is the better app overall, scoring 8.8 to 8.4. Anki wins on 4 of the 5 scores, Photomath on 1.
Which is cheaper, Anki or Photomath?
Anki: Free on desktop, Android and web; iPhone app AnkiMobile is $24.99 one time. Photomath: Free step-by-step solutions; Photomath Plus is $9.99 a month or $69.99 a year. On value for money, Anki scores higher.
Do Anki and Photomath work on the same devices?
Only Anki runs on Mac, Windows, Linux, Web.
Which is more private, Anki or Photomath?
Anki scores higher on privacy (9.5/10). No ads or tracking. AnkiMobile's label links contact info and your cards (for AnkiWeb sync) to you; diagnostics are unlinked. The desktop app works fully offline without an account.
Strengths and weaknesses
Anki
- Smart scheduling means less review time for the same recall
- Free and open source on desktop, Android and the web
- Fully customizable cards, decks and study settings
- Dated interface with a steep learning curve
- The iPhone and iPad app, AnkiMobile, is a paid download
Anki is the most effective flashcard tool you can use, if you are willing to put in the work. Its FSRS scheduler shows each card just before you would forget it. It is free and open source everywhere except iPhone, where AnkiMobile is a one-time purchase, and AnkiHub is now taking over stewardship from its creator. The catch: a dated interface and real setup effort. Ideal for med students and serious language learners.
Full Anki review
Photomath
- Step-by-step explanations are free
- Reads handwriting as well as print
- No ads, and no account needed
- Needs an internet connection to solve
- Plus costs $9.99 a month
- Less reliable for advanced college math
Point your camera at a math problem, printed, handwritten or on a screen, and Photomath solves it with step-by-step explanations, multiple methods and graphs. The free explanations go a long way. Plus adds AI-powered animated tutorials, hints and textbook solutions. It needs an internet connection, updates have slowed under Google, and it's built for school math more than advanced engineering.
Full Photomath review
