At a glance
| DuckyHelper | Photomath | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Live voice tutor that sees your screen and marks it up | Camera math solver with step-by-step solutions, from Google |
| Platforms | Web app in any browser, including Chromebooks and Windows; Mac app (macOS 14+, Apple silicon) | iPhone, iPad and Android. No web app found |
| Live voice conversation | Yes, live voice in the web app and the Mac app | No evidence found |
| Sees your screen | Yes: share a tab, window or screen in the browser; the Mac app sees your screen | Camera scan of a problem on paper or on a screen |
| Draws or points on your screen | Yes: marks on the preview of what you share (web); on your real screen over any app (Mac) | Animated steps inside the app; it does not draw on your screen |
| Checks each step you do in your own apps | Yes on Mac: tutorials in your own apps that check each step | No |
| Quizzes and flashcards | Quizzes, worked steps, graphs: Yes. Flashcards: Yes (Mac app). Longer practice tests: Yes (web app) | No quizzes found |
| Progress tracking | Memory plus a dashboard: time learned, streak, topics, mastery, test scores | No evidence found |
| Subjects | Any subject | Math only: arithmetic to calculus, statistics, word problems |
| Free plan | Free plan, about 6 minutes of talking a week | Yes: core step-by-step solutions are free, with unlimited scans |
| Paid plans (October 2026) | Plus $20/month, Pro $200/month, Unlimited $200/week | Photomath Plus $9.99/month or $69.99/year |
| Age rules | 13+; under 18 needs a parent's OK; under 13 only with verified parental consent | 13+ per its terms |
| Track record | New (public since October 2026), no track record yet | Established, owned by Google |
Which one should you pick?
Pick DuckyHelper if
- You want to understand the method, not just see the steps, and ask "why?" out loud.
- Your math is on your computer screen: an online homework site, a PDF, Desmos.
- You want practice after: a quiz or an interactive graph (flashcards in the Mac app).
- You need help beyond math too: science, essays, languages, coding.
Pick Photomath if
- You want free, instant steps for a math problem on paper.
- You mainly use a phone.
- You want a low price: Plus is $9.99 a month, and the basics are free.
- You want a well-known app with a long track record.
Solver vs tutor
Photomath reads a problem with your camera and shows a worked solution. Google's help page says "Core Photomath features with step-by-step solutions to symbolic math will always remain free". Plus adds animated tutorials, deeper explanations, hints and textbook solutions. It is quick and very good at what it does.
DuckyHelper is a conversation. You say what you tried, Ducky sees the problem on your screen, asks what you think the next step is, and circles the line where things went wrong. After, it can make a short quiz with similar problems so you know you can do it alone.
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 |
| Photomath Basic | $0 | Step-by-step solutions, unlimited scans |
| Photomath Plus | $9.99 a month or $69.99 a year | Animated tutorials, deeper explanations, textbook solutions |
Photomath is cheaper for math. DuckyHelper costs more because each minute is a live voice tutor. See DuckyHelper pricing.
Frequently asked questions
Is Photomath free?
The basic version is free, including step-by-step solutions and unlimited scans. Photomath Plus costs $9.99 a month or $69.99 a year on photomath.com and adds animated tutorials, deeper explanations, hints and textbook solutions.
Does Photomath work on a computer or Chromebook?
Photomath is an iPhone, iPad and Android app. We found no web version. On a Chromebook it would only run as the Android app if your Chromebook supports Android apps. DuckyHelper's web app runs in a Chromebook browser.
Can Photomath explain a problem out loud?
We found no voice tutoring in Photomath. It shows written and animated steps. DuckyHelper explains out loud, and you can ask follow-up questions like "why did you divide there?"
Is DuckyHelper only for math?
No. DuckyHelper works on any subject because it sees whatever is on your screen: math, science, reading, essays, languages, coding and test prep like the SAT, ACT and CLT.
Sources
- Photomath, accessed October 1, 2026
- Photomath on the App Store, accessed October 1, 2026
- Photomath on Google Play, accessed October 1, 2026
- Photomath Help: free and Plus features, accessed October 1, 2026
- Photomath terms of use, 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
