Duolingo is the better app overall, scoring 8.9 to 8.4. Duolingo wins on 4 of the 5 scores, Photomath on 1.
Beginners who want a fun, low-pressure daily habit in a new language
Middle school, high school and early college students checking their math
Score by score
The details
| Feature | Duolingo | Photomath |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Learning | Learning |
| Category rank | #3 of 10 | #6 of 10 |
| Developer | Duolingo | |
| Pricing | Free + paid plans | Free + paid plans |
| Usable for free | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone & iPad | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android | ✓ | ✓ |
| Web | ✓ | — |
Common questions
Is Duolingo better than Photomath?
Duolingo is the better app overall, scoring 8.9 to 8.4. Duolingo wins on 4 of the 5 scores, Photomath on 1.
Which is cheaper, Duolingo or Photomath?
Duolingo: Free with ads and Energy limits; Super and Max subscriptions remove them. Photomath: Free step-by-step solutions; Photomath Plus is $9.99 a month or $69.99 a year. On value for money, Duolingo scores higher.
Do Duolingo and Photomath work on the same devices?
Only Duolingo runs on Web.
Which is more private, Duolingo or Photomath?
Photomath scores higher on privacy (7.4/10). App Store label: no tracking and nothing linked to you, though photos, usage, location and IDs are collected. Camera images may help improve its recognition, and Play says data can't be deleted.
Strengths and weaknesses
Duolingo
- Free tier covers full courses, not just a sample
- Short lessons fit into any spare five minutes
- Habit features really do keep you practicing daily
- Open-ended speaking practice mostly sits behind paid plans
- Free version has ads and an Energy limit on practice
- Its App Store privacy label lists heavy cross-app tracking
Duolingo is the easiest way to build a daily language habit. Lessons take a few minutes, streaks and leagues keep you coming back, and the free tier covers whole courses. It teaches math, music and chess too. The catch: it is better at recognition than real conversation, free users get ads and an Energy cap, and it tracks a lot. Start here, then add a speaking app or tutor when you want fluency.
Full Duolingo 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
