Which AI Is Best for Kids’ Math Help? A Teacher’s Tested Breakdown
The fluorescent lights in my after-school math help room were already dimming when Lila’s mom texted last October. Lila, my 7th grader who twists the end of her braid so hard it snaps when she’s confused, had missed a week of class with flu, and we were catching up on linear equations. “We can’t swing a private tutor right now,” her mom wrote. “Everyone says to use AI for math, but which one actually works? We tried ChatGPT and it just gave us the answer with a bunch of words she’s never seen.”
Over the past year, I’ve gotten this question at least once a week. Parents have seen ads for every math tool under the sun, and they don’t know if they’re wasting money, or if their kid is just cheating instead of learning. I’ve tested five of the most popular options with my after-school group, and even had my own 10th grade son try them out for his homework, so I have a pretty good idea of what works for who.
Photomath is the one most kids find on their own first. It lets you snap a photo of a handwritten or printed problem and spits out a solution in 10 seconds. My son Henry has had it on his phone since 8th grade. I caught him just copying answers for a month last year before I noticed, so I get the hesitation. But once we set a clear rule, it’s been really useful. The free version has step-by-step explanations for almost every basic algebra, geometry, and arithmetic problem, which is more than enough for most middle and high school homework. The premium version is $9.99 a month, adds animated steps and extra practice problems, but I haven’t had many parents say it’s worth the upgrade over free. The big catch is it’s really easy to abuse, and it struggles with long word problems or formal geometry proofs. So if you’re going to let your kid use it, the rule I share with parents is this: after they get the explanation from Photomath, they have to close the app and rewrite the entire problem out loud, step by step, before they turn it in. It takes two extra minutes, and it makes them actually engage with the work instead of copying.
Next is Khanmigo, the AI built into Khan Academy, and it’s my go-to recommendation for elementary and middle school kids who struggle with math anxiety or need consistent extra help. When Lila tried it a month after we first talked, she told me it didn’t get frustrated when she asked the same question three times. Unlike other tools, it’s designed not to just give you the answer. It asks guiding questions: “What do you think the first step should be?” “If we move the 5 to the other side of the equals sign, what do we have to do to it?” It’s tied straight to Khan’s standard curriculum, so it lines up with what most kids are learning in class. The downside is it costs $12 a month, and the free trial only lasts three days, so you have to commit. It’s also built for K-12, so it’s not much help for high school AP or college level math. But for kids who need a little extra support between class and after-school help, it’s hard to beat.
If you don’t want to pay for a subscription, Microsoft Math Solver is the best free option I’ve found, hands down. It’s completely free, no subscription, no locked features. It works just like Photomath: you snap a picture of the problem, it gives you step-by-step solutions, and links to free tutorial videos from Khan Academy and other trusted sites. I recommend this first to parents who are on a tight budget. The downside is it’s not conversational. It won’t ask you guiding questions or rephrase an explanation if you still don’t get it, it just gives you the steps. It’s perfect for quick homework checks, but not great if your kid is really stuck and needs back-and-forth explanation.
A lot of people start with ChatGPT, but it’s not my first pick for younger kids. The free version (GPT 3.5) gets basic math wrong pretty often, making up incorrect steps all the time. GPT 4o is way better at math, but it costs $20 a month. It’s really good for older high school kids working on AP Calc, stats, or college level math, because you can ask it to explain a tricky proof in plain language, or walk you through a problem that even Photomath can’t parse. The catch is you have to teach your kid how to ask for what they need. If they just paste “solve this problem” it’ll just give the answer. If they ask “explain this 10th grade stats problem step by step, use simple language, and check my understanding after each step,” it works really well. I always tell parents to remind their kids to double check any answer ChatGPT gives, because it still gets things wrong every once in a while.
Lila got a B on her last linear equations test, which is a big jump from the D she got before. She uses Khanmigo for 15 minutes every night after homework to work through extra problems, and she says it’s less scary than raising her hand in class when she doesn’t get it. There’s no one best AI for math, really. It depends on your budget, your kid’s age, and what you need it for. If you’re on a budget, start with Microsoft Math Solver for quick help. If you have a middle schooler who struggles with math, try Khanmigo. If you have an older kid in upper level high school, ChatGPT 4 is worth the cost if you set clear rules.
I still tell every parent I talk to that AI isn’t a replacement for a teacher, or for you sitting down and going over a problem with your kid if you can. But it’s a really useful tool when you use it right. I’m still testing new tools as they pop up, and every kid responds to something different. Right now, this breakdown works for most of the families I work with, and that’s good enough for me.
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