Khan Academy vs Photomath
Which is better in 2026? Five scores, side by side.
Khan Academy is the better app overall, scoring 9.1 to 8.4. Khan Academy wins on 5 of the 5 scores, Photomath on 0.
Students, parents and adults who want free, structured school-level lessons
Middle school, high school and early college students checking their math
Score by score
The details
| Feature | Khan Academy | Photomath |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Learning | Learning |
| Category rank | #1 of 10 | #6 of 10 |
| Developer | Khan Academy | |
| Pricing | Free | Free + paid plans |
| Usable for free | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone & iPad | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android | ✓ | ✓ |
| Web | ✓ | — |
Common questions
Is Khan Academy better than Photomath?
Khan Academy is the better app overall, scoring 9.1 to 8.4. Khan Academy wins on 5 of the 5 scores, Photomath on 0.
Which is cheaper, Khan Academy or Photomath?
Khan Academy: Free; Khanmigo AI tutor is $4/month for learners and parents, free for teachers. Photomath: Free step-by-step solutions; Photomath Plus is $9.99 a month or $69.99 a year. On value for money, Khan Academy scores higher.
Do Khan Academy and Photomath work on the same devices?
Only Khan Academy runs on Web.
Which is more private, Khan Academy or Photomath?
Khan Academy scores higher on privacy (9.4/10). App Store label links only usage data to you; email, search history and IDs are collected but not linked. No tracking and no ads, and Google Play says no data is shared with third parties.
Strengths and weaknesses
Khan Academy
- Core lessons and practice are free, with no ads
- Practice adapts to what you have and haven't mastered
- Excellent for school math, from basics to calculus
- School-style format can drag for adult learners
- Khanmigo, the AI tutor, is a paid add-on for learners
- Arts and humanities coverage is thinner than math and science
Khan Academy is still the best free learning resource you can install. Clear videos and mastery-based practice cover math from arithmetic to calculus, plus science, economics, grammar and computing. A nonprofit runs it, so there are no ads and no core lessons behind a paywall. Khanmigo, the AI tutor, costs extra for learners. The catch is a school-like format that can feel dry for adults. Get it for yourself or your kids.
Full Khan Academy 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
