# Best AI math tutors in 2026

Canonical: https://duckyhelper.com/best/ai-math-tutors/
Updated: 2026-10-01

The best AI math tutors in 2026 are Khanmigo for guided math from elementary school to differential equations ($4 a month, US only), Photomath for free step-by-step solutions from a photo, and Gemini and ChatGPT study mode for free help that asks you questions. DuckyHelper, our product, ranks fifth: it marks up your math on screen while it talks, but it is new and costs more than the free options.

> **Note**
>
> **DuckyHelper is our product.** We made this list, and DuckyHelper is on it. We ranked every option, including ours, by the criteria below and say plainly where ours falls short. Facts about other products were checked on October 1, 2026 and are linked at the bottom.

## How we ranked

1. **Explains why** (counts most): asks what you think, gives hints, not just steps.
2. **Practice:** gives you new problems and checks them.
3. **Price:** free plan and paid plan.
4. **Where it runs:** phone, computer, Chromebook.
5. **Range:** which levels of math it covers.

## The ranking at a glance

**Ranked by the criteria above; facts checked October 1, 2026**

| Option | Best for | Price (October 2026) | Platforms |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1. Khanmigo | Low-cost guided tutoring on Khan Academy (US) | $4/month or $44/year; free for teachers | Any web browser, including Chromebooks |
| 2. Photomath | Free step-by-step math from a phone photo | Free; Plus $9.99/month or $69.99/year | iPhone, iPad, Android |
| 3. Google Gemini (Guided Learning + Live) | Best free all-rounder, with voice and screen sharing on phones | Free; AI Plus $4.99/month; AI Pro $19.99/month | Web, Android, iPhone, Windows, Mac, Chrome |
| 4. ChatGPT study mode | Free step-by-step help on any device | Free; Go $8/month; Plus $20/month; Pro from $100/month | Web, iPhone, Android, Mac, Windows |
| 5. DuckyHelper (our product) | A live voice tutor that sees and marks up your screen, any subject | Free (about 6 min of talking a week); Plus $20/month; Pro $200/month; Unlimited $200/week | Web app in any browser, including Chromebooks and Windows; Mac app (macOS 14+, Apple silicon) |
| 6. Symbolab | Math solver with practice quizzes and a Chrome extension | Free basic steps; App Store subscriptions from $2.49/week to $39.99/year | Web, iPhone, Android, Chrome extension |
| 7. Gauth | Photo homework help with a voice tutor and human experts | Free with limits; Plus $11.99/month or $99.99/year | iPhone, iPad, Android, web |
| 8. Mathway | Quick math answers in a browser | Free answers; Step-by-Step $9.99/month or $39.99/year | Web, iPhone, iPad, Android |
| 9. Synthesis Tutor | Kids 5 to 11 learning elementary math | Family $29/month or $119/year (App Store); 7-day free trial | iPad, iPhone, Mac, web including Chromebooks, Android tablets |

## The picks, in order

### 1. Khanmigo

**Best for:** Low-cost guided tutoring on Khan Academy (US). **Price (October 2026):** $4/month or $44/year; free for teachers. **Platforms:** Any web browser, including Chromebooks.

Khan Academy's AI tutor guides you to the answer instead of giving it. It covers math, science, coding, history and humanities, and works next to Khan Academy's lessons. A family plan covers up to 10 kids for the same price.

**Why it ranks here:** Built to tutor, covers elementary math through linear algebra and differential equations, and sits next to Khan Academy's practice.

**Watch out:** US only. You sign up at 18+, or a parent signs up kids. No live voice conversation or screen sharing; it is turned off during Khan Academy quizzes and tests. [Full comparison](https://duckyhelper.com/compare/duckyhelper-vs-khanmigo/).

### 2. Photomath

**Best for:** Free step-by-step math from a phone photo. **Price (October 2026):** Free; Plus $9.99/month or $69.99/year. **Platforms:** iPhone, iPad, Android.

Point your camera at a math problem and get a worked, step-by-step solution, free, with unlimited scans. Plus adds animated tutorials, deeper explanations and textbook solutions. Owned by Google.

**Why it ranks here:** Free, fast, clear steps from a photo; it shows how, but asks fewer questions than a tutor.

**Watch out:** Math only and phone only (no web app found). No voice. Its terms say 13+. [Full comparison](https://duckyhelper.com/compare/duckyhelper-vs-photomath/).

### 3. Google Gemini (Guided Learning + Live)

**Best for:** Best free all-rounder, with voice and screen sharing on phones. **Price (October 2026):** Free; AI Plus $4.99/month; AI Pro $19.99/month. **Platforms:** Web, Android, iPhone, Windows, Mac, Chrome.

Guided Learning breaks problems down step by step with questions, images and quizzes. Gemini Live is free voice chat that can see your camera or full screen on Android and iPhone. Gemini also makes free flashcards, study guides and full SAT practice tests.

**Why it ranks here:** Free Guided Learning asks probing questions and can graph and quiz; Live can see your work through the phone camera.

**Watch out:** Live is not in the Gemini web app, and Live in Chrome is not available to users under 18. 13+ (under 13 only through a parent's Family Link). [Full comparison](https://duckyhelper.com/compare/duckyhelper-vs-gemini/).

### 4. ChatGPT study mode

**Best for:** Free step-by-step help on any device. **Price (October 2026):** Free; Go $8/month; Plus $20/month; Pro from $100/month. **Platforms:** Web, iPhone, Android, Mac, Windows.

Study mode asks questions, gives hints and checks your understanding instead of only giving answers. It is free on every plan, and it can quiz you inside the chat. Voice is on all plans; Plus includes up to 3 hours a day of Live voice.

**Why it ranks here:** Free study mode gives hints and checks; it can still give direct answers.

**Watch out:** It can still give direct answers. The default Live voice cannot see your camera or screen; screen share is in Advanced voice on the phone apps. 13+, with a parent's permission under 18. [Full comparison](https://duckyhelper.com/compare/duckyhelper-vs-chatgpt/).

### 5. DuckyHelper (our product)

**Best for:** A live voice tutor that sees and marks up your screen, any subject. **Price (October 2026):** Free (about 6 min of talking a week); Plus $20/month; Pro $200/month; Unlimited $200/week. **Platforms:** Web app in any browser, including Chromebooks and Windows; Mac app (macOS 14+, Apple silicon).

A live voice tutor. Talk to Ducky and it sees your screen, explains out loud, and shows you: in the web app it draws marks on the preview of a tab, window or screen you share; in the Mac app it draws circles, arrows and labels right on your real screen and walks you through steps in your own apps, checking each one. Both make quizzes, worked steps, interactive graphs and pictures; flashcards, simulations, maps, timelines and the code runner are Mac app only, and longer practice tests are web only. A dashboard tracks time learned, streak, topics, mastery and test scores.

**Why it ranks here:** Talks through the problem on your screen, circles the line where you went wrong, and makes practice problems and interactive graphs, in a browser or on a Mac. Ranks fifth because it is new and costs more than the free options above.

**Watch out:** New, with no track record yet. The free plan is small, and you get far less talking time per dollar than with chat apps. Drawing on your real screen, step checks inside other apps and flashcards are Mac only. No phone app. Under 13 only with verified parental consent.

### 6. Symbolab

**Best for:** Math solver with practice quizzes and a Chrome extension. **Price (October 2026):** Free basic steps; App Store subscriptions from $2.49/week to $39.99/year. **Platforms:** Web, iPhone, Android, Chrome extension.

An AI math solver with 500+ calculators, graphing, an AI chat, and practice quizzes with feedback. Its Chrome extension can screenshot a problem on any website.

**Why it ranks here:** Strong solver with practice quizzes and feedback; advanced steps are paid.

**Watch out:** Advanced steps are paid. 13+ or a guardian's consent. Owned by Learneo, the company behind Course Hero.

### 7. Gauth

**Best for:** Photo homework help with a voice tutor and human experts. **Price (October 2026):** Free with limits; Plus $11.99/month or $99.99/year. **Platforms:** iPhone, iPad, Android, web.

Snap a photo for step-by-step answers in most school subjects. Its AI Live Tutor explains by voice on a whiteboard in the app, Plus adds 24/7 human experts, and it turns notes or lecture audio into quizzes and flashcards.

**Why it ranks here:** Voice and whiteboard tutor plus experts; built around answers.

**Watch out:** Built around answers ("Unlimited Answers" on Plus). Works from photos, not your live screen. Not for under 13; 18+ to buy. [Full comparison](https://duckyhelper.com/compare/duckyhelper-vs-gauth/).

### 8. Mathway

**Best for:** Quick math answers in a browser. **Price (October 2026):** Free answers; Step-by-Step $9.99/month or $39.99/year. **Platforms:** Web, iPhone, iPad, Android.

Type or photograph a problem from basic math through calculus, statistics, chemistry and physics. The free version gives answers and some steps; a subscription shows every step. Owned by Chegg.

**Why it ranks here:** Quick answers in a browser; full steps cost $9.99 a month.

**Watch out:** Full steps are paid. No tutor or voice. The free version has ads.

### 9. Synthesis Tutor

**Best for:** Kids 5 to 11 learning elementary math. **Price (October 2026):** Family $29/month or $119/year (App Store); 7-day free trial. **Platforms:** iPad, iPhone, Mac, web including Chromebooks, Android tablets.

An adaptive math tutor for ages 5 to 11, in English and Spanish. It reads everything aloud and moves on when a child shows they have mastered a topic.

**Why it ranks here:** The best pick for ages 5 to 11, but it only covers elementary math.

**Watch out:** Elementary math only. No free plan after the trial.

> **Tip: Also worth having**
>
> Desmos is not a tutor, but it is free and it is the same graphing calculator built into the digital SAT. Practice with it.

## Frequently asked questions

### What is the best free AI math tutor?

Photomath for free step-by-step solutions from a photo, and Gemini or ChatGPT study mode for free help that asks you questions. Khanmigo costs $4 a month. Desmos is a free graphing calculator, the same one built into the digital SAT.

### Which AI math tutor is best for the SAT?

Use the free official tools first: Bluebook practice tests and Khan Academy's Official Digital SAT Prep, and practice with Desmos. Then use an AI tutor to talk through what you missed. See [SAT prep apps](https://duckyhelper.com/best/sat-prep-apps/).

### Is there an AI math tutor for young kids?

Synthesis Tutor is built for ages 5 to 11 and covers elementary math, with a 7-day free trial. Khan Academy Kids is free for ages 2 to 8.

### Which math tutor works on a Chromebook?

Khanmigo, Gemini, ChatGPT, Symbolab, Gauth and Mathway work in a browser, and Synthesis Tutor supports Chromebooks. Photomath is a phone app. DuckyHelper's web app also runs in a Chromebook browser.

## Sources

- [Khanmigo pricing](https://www.khanmigo.ai/pricing), accessed 2026-10-01
- [Khanmigo for learners](https://www.khanmigo.ai/learners), accessed 2026-10-01
- [Khanmigo for parents](https://www.khanmigo.ai/parents), accessed 2026-10-01
- [Photomath](https://photomath.com/), accessed 2026-10-01
- [Photomath Help: free and Plus](https://support.google.com/photomath/answer/14330572?hl=en), accessed 2026-10-01
- [Photomath terms](https://photomath.com/terms/), accessed 2026-10-01
- [Google blog: Guided Learning](https://blog.google/outreach-initiatives/education/guided-learning/), accessed 2026-10-01
- [Gemini Help: Gemini Live](https://support.google.com/gemini/answer/15274899), accessed 2026-10-01
- [Gemini Help: quizzes, flashcards, practice tests](https://support.google.com/gemini/answer/16275879), accessed 2026-10-01
- [Google AI plans](https://gemini.google/subscriptions/), accessed 2026-10-01
- [Chromebook Help: Gemini in Chrome](https://support.google.com/chromebook/answer/16869001?hl=en), accessed 2026-10-01
- [OpenAI: study mode](https://openai.com/index/chatgpt-study-mode/), accessed 2026-10-01
- [ChatGPT pricing](https://chatgpt.com/pricing), accessed 2026-10-01
- [ChatGPT Help: voice mode FAQ](https://help.openai.com/en/articles/8400625-voice-mode-faq), accessed 2026-10-01
- [ChatGPT Help: study mode FAQ](https://help.openai.com/en/articles/11780217-chatgpt-study-mode-faq), accessed 2026-10-01
- [DuckyHelper features](https://duckyhelper.com/features/), accessed 2026-10-01
- [DuckyHelper download and Mac requirements](https://duckyhelper.com/download/), accessed 2026-10-01
- [DuckyHelper web app](https://app.duckyhelper.com/), accessed 2026-10-01
- [DuckyHelper pricing](https://duckyhelper.com/pricing/), accessed 2026-10-01
- [DuckyHelper terms (age rules)](https://duckyhelper.com/terms/), accessed 2026-10-01
- [Symbolab](https://www.symbolab.com/), accessed 2026-10-01
- [Symbolab Chrome extension](https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/ai-math-solver-calculator/mgfcnnpakbfcefgphceolkjldjfpieff), accessed 2026-10-01
- [Symbolab on the App Store](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id876942533), accessed 2026-10-01
- [Gauth on the App Store](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/gauth-ai-study-companion/id1542571008), accessed 2026-10-01
- [Gauth website](https://www.gauthmath.com/), accessed 2026-10-01
- [Mathway](https://www.mathway.com/), accessed 2026-10-01
- [Mathway premium terms](https://www.mathway.com/Premium-Terms), accessed 2026-10-01
- [Synthesis Tutor](https://www.synthesis.com/tutor), accessed 2026-10-01
- [Synthesis Tutor on the App Store](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/synthesis-math-tutor-for-kids/id6448335635), accessed 2026-10-01
- [Desmos](https://www.desmos.com/), accessed 2026-10-01
- [College Board: calculator policy](https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/sat/what-to-bring-do/calculator-policy), accessed 2026-10-01

## Related

- [Best AI tutors in 2026](https://duckyhelper.com/best/ai-tutors/)
- [Best SAT prep apps in 2026](https://duckyhelper.com/best/sat-prep-apps/)
- [SAT Math study guides](https://duckyhelper.com/learn/sat-math/)
- [Best Photomath alternatives in 2026](https://duckyhelper.com/alternatives/photomath/)
- [DuckyHelper vs Photomath](https://duckyhelper.com/compare/duckyhelper-vs-photomath/)
- [Plans and pricing](https://duckyhelper.com/pricing/)
- [DuckyHelper features](https://duckyhelper.com/features/)

## Try asking Ducky

- "Why does this step work?"
- "Give me three problems like this and check them"
- "Graph this and show me where it crosses zero"

## Get DuckyHelper

Free to start. The web app works in any browser, Chromebooks included; the Mac app can also draw on your real screen. [Try it free in your browser](https://app.duckyhelper.com/?utm_source=duckyhelper.com&utm_medium=best) or [Get the Mac app](https://duckyhelper.com/download/)