At a glance
| DuckyHelper | Google Gemini | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Live voice tutor that sees your screen and marks it up | Google's assistant, with a Guided Learning mode for studying |
| Platforms | Web app in any browser, including Chromebooks and Windows; Mac app (macOS 14+, Apple silicon) | Web, Android, iPhone, Windows and Mac apps, Gemini in Chrome (Chromebook Plus) |
| Live voice conversation | Yes, live voice in the web app and the Mac app | Yes, Gemini Live is free in the phone apps and in Chrome; not in the Gemini web app |
| Sees your screen | Yes: share a tab, window or screen in the browser; the Mac app sees your screen | Yes: camera and full screen in Live on phones; open tabs in Chrome; screen context in the Mac app |
| Draws or points on your screen | Yes: marks on the preview of what you share (web); on your real screen over any app (Mac) | Live can highlight things in your camera view on some phones; no drawing over a computer screen found |
| Checks each step you do in your own apps | Yes on Mac: tutorials in your own apps that check each step | No evidence found |
| Quizzes and flashcards | Quizzes, worked steps, graphs: Yes. Flashcards: Yes (Mac app). Longer practice tests: Yes (web app) | Free quizzes, flashcards, study guides and SAT practice tests |
| Progress tracking | Memory plus a dashboard: time learned, streak, topics, mastery, test scores | Study notebooks and a performance tracker for students |
| Subjects | Any subject | Any subject |
| Free plan | Free plan, about 6 minutes of talking a week | Yes, $0, including Gemini Live and Guided Learning |
| Paid plans (October 2026) | Plus $20/month, Pro $200/month, Unlimited $200/week | AI Plus $4.99/month, AI Pro $19.99/month, AI Ultra from $99.99/month |
| Age rules | 13+; under 18 needs a parent's OK; under 13 only with verified parental consent | 13+; under 13 with Family Link if a parent allows; Live in Chrome is 18+ |
| Track record | New (public since October 2026), no track record yet | Established, from Google |
Which one should you pick?
Pick DuckyHelper if
- You want one tutor for any app, with marks drawn where you need to look.
- On a Mac, you want it to draw right on the problem: circles, arrows and labels over the real app.
- You are learning an app and want every step checked before the next one.
- You want a dashboard with time learned, streak, topics, mastery and test scores.
Pick Gemini if
- You want a strong free option: Guided Learning, Live voice and quizzes cost $0.
- You study on a phone, a Windows PC or in a browser, including on a Chromebook.
- You want built-in SAT practice tests.
- You are a US college student 18 or older and can get Google AI Pro free for a year.
Guided Learning and Gemini Live
Google launched Guided Learning in August 2025. It uses "probing and open-ended questions" and "breaks down problems step-by-step", and it can add images, diagrams, videos and quizzes. Gemini also makes flashcards, study guides and full SAT practice tests, all without a paid plan.
Gemini Live is the voice side. On Android and iPhone you can share your camera or your whole screen, and on some phones Live can highlight objects in the camera view. On a computer, Gemini in Chrome can read up to 10 open tabs, and the Mac desktop app can take screen context when you press both Command keys.
Where DuckyHelper is different
DuckyHelper is one live voice session that sees your screen and shows you on it. In the web app it draws marks on the preview of what you shared; in the Mac app it draws over the real app you are using. It makes quiz and graph cards while it talks and remembers what you covered. On a Mac, for tasks in apps, it watches your clicks and typing and only moves on when you did the step.
Chromebooks and age limits
Gemini in Chrome needs a Chromebook Plus, and Google's help page says "For users under 18, Live is not available" there. Most school Chromebooks are not Chromebook Plus models. Students 13 and up can still use the Gemini web app, but Live is not in it. DuckyHelper's web app runs in Chrome on any Chromebook, with live voice and screen sharing, for ages 13 and up with a parent's OK.
Pricing as of October 2026
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| DuckyHelper Free | $0 | About 6 minutes of talking a week |
| DuckyHelper Plus | $20 a month | About 27 minutes a week (up to 11 in an hour) |
| DuckyHelper Pro | $200 a month | About 278 minutes a week |
| DuckyHelper Unlimited | $200 a week | No hourly limits, fair use about 20 hours a week |
| DuckyHelper Credit packs | $10, $25, $50 | About 58, 149 or 301 extra minutes, good for 12 months |
| Gemini free | $0 | Guided Learning, Gemini Live, quizzes and flashcards |
| Gemini AI Plus | $4.99 a month | About 2x free usage |
| Gemini AI Pro | $19.99 a month | More usage; free for a year for eligible US college students 18+ |
| Gemini AI Ultra | $99.99 or $199.99 a month | Highest limits |
Gemini costs less, and its free plan does a lot. DuckyHelper's free plan is small, about 6 minutes of talking a week, and Plus at $20 a month gives about 27 minutes a week. See DuckyHelper pricing.
Frequently asked questions
Is Gemini Guided Learning free?
Yes. Guided Learning, Gemini Live, quizzes and flashcards are on the free plan. Paid Google AI plans add more usage. Eligible US college students 18 and older can get Google AI Pro free for a year if they redeem by December 31, 2026.
Can Gemini see my screen?
Yes, in Gemini Live on Android and iPhone you can share your screen or camera. Gemini in Chrome reads open tabs, and the Mac app can take screen context. Live is not in the Gemini web app, and Live in Chrome is not available to users under 18.
Does Gemini draw on my screen?
Gemini Live can highlight objects in your camera view on some phones. We found no feature that draws over your computer screen. DuckyHelper draws circles, arrows and labels over any app on a Mac, and on the shared preview in its web app.
Which works on a school Chromebook?
The Gemini web app works for students 13 and up if the school allows it. Gemini in Chrome needs a Chromebook Plus and is 18+ for Live. DuckyHelper's web app works in Chrome on any Chromebook if the school allows it.
Can kids under 13 use them?
Gemini can be turned on for under 13s through Family Link by a parent, except in the EEA, UK and Switzerland. DuckyHelper allows under 13s only after a parent gives verified consent, and it is built mainly for teens and adults.
Sources
- Google blog: Guided Learning in Gemini, accessed October 1, 2026
- Gemini Help: learn with Gemini (Guided Learning), accessed October 1, 2026
- Gemini Help: Gemini Live, camera and screen sharing, accessed October 1, 2026
- Gemini Help: quizzes, flashcards and practice tests, accessed October 1, 2026
- Google AI plans and prices, accessed October 1, 2026
- Gemini for students, accessed October 1, 2026
- Gemini desktop app, accessed October 1, 2026
- Gemini Help: requirements and age, accessed October 1, 2026
- Chromebook Help: Gemini in Chrome on Chromebook Plus, accessed October 1, 2026
- Google blog: Gemini Live updates, August 2025, accessed October 1, 2026
- Google Families Help: Gemini for kids with Family Link, accessed October 1, 2026
- DuckyHelper features, accessed October 1, 2026
- DuckyHelper download and Mac requirements, accessed October 1, 2026
- DuckyHelper web app, accessed October 1, 2026
- DuckyHelper pricing, accessed October 1, 2026
- DuckyHelper terms (age rules), accessed October 1, 2026
