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Education · head to head

Gimkit vs Photomath

Gimkit logo

Gimkit

Education

Game-based learning built by students

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Photomath logo

Photomath

Education

Camera based maths solver that shows step by step working, owned by Google since 2022

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • They diverge on capability: Gimkit covers Game modes, Photomath covers Camera scanning.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Gimkit and Photomath actually diverge.

Attributes where Gimkit and Photomath differ
AttributeGimkitPhotomath
Pricing modelfreemiumFree with a Plus subscription
PlatformsWeb, IOS, AndroidiOS, Android
Founded2017Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Education).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Gimkit

  • Game modes
  • In-game currency
  • Live games
  • Assignments
  • Reports
  • Question import
  • Audio questions
  • Game themes

Only in Photomath

  • Camera scanning
  • Step by step solutions
  • Built-in calculator
  • Word problem support
  • Animated explanations
  • Textbook alignment

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Gimkit

  • Review gamesnot Photomath
  • Formative assessmentnot Photomath
  • Student engagementnot Photomath
  • Test prepnot Photomath

Photomath

  • A student checking their own worked answer against the app steps to find where a method went wrongnot Gimkit
  • A parent who cannot help with unfamiliar high school maths and needs a worked explanation rather than just an answernot Gimkit
  • A student working through word problems in a subject not covered by the free tier who needs the Plus subscriptionnot Gimkit
  • A school evaluating whether to recommend or restrict the app given the ease of copying a full worked solutionnot Gimkit

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Gimkit

Nothing recorded yet. See the Gimkit review.

Photomath

  • Full free step by step solutions make it straightforward for a student to submit copied working without doing the reasoning themselves, which is a real concern for teachers assigning homework.
  • Word problems, a common school assessment format, are gated behind the Plus subscription, so the free tier is weaker on exactly the problem type many students struggle with most.
  • Camera recognition of messy handwriting or complex notation such as matrices or multi-line proofs is unreliable, and misreads produce confidently wrong steps.
  • Since the 2022 Google acquisition, the product sits inside a company whose primary business is advertising and data, which is a relevant factor for schools with strict student data policies.
  • It solves problems rather than teaching underlying concepts from scratch, so a student with no foundational understanding gets a worked answer but not necessarily comprehension.

Pricing, plan by plan

Gimkit

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 5 kits
    • Basic game modes
  • Pro$9.99/month
    • Unlimited kits
    • All game modes
    • Reports
  • School/District$undefined/month
    • All Pro features
    • Admin tools
    • Rostering

Photomath

Free
  • Photomath Plus$9.99/month
    • Step by step solutions for most problem types free and unlimited on the base app
    • Plus unlocks word problems, animated explanations and deeper steps
    • Plus available at roughly $59.99 billed annually as a cheaper alternative to monthly

Which should you pick?

Choose Gimkit if

  • You need game modes.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want in-game currency.
Gimkit review

Choose Photomath if

  • You need camera scanning.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android.
  • You also want step by step solutions.
Photomath review

Questions people ask

Is Gimkit or Photomath better?
Neither clearly leads. Gimkit starts at Free and Photomath at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Gimkit or Photomath?
Gimkit starts at Free and Photomath at Free.
Does Gimkit or Photomath run on more platforms?
Gimkit runs on Web, IOS, Android. Photomath runs on iOS, Android.
Can I use Gimkit for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Gimkit best used for?
Gimkit is most often used for review games, formative assessment, student engagement, test prep. Of those, review games and formative assessment are not what Photomath is typically brought in for.
What can Gimkit do that Photomath cannot?
Gimkit covers Game modes, In-game currency, Live games, Assignments. Photomath covers Camera scanning, Step by step solutions, Built-in calculator, Word problem support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Photomath: Is Photomath free?

Basic step by step solutions for most maths problem types are free and unlimited. Word problems, animated explanations and some textbook-specific solutions require Photomath Plus.

Photomath: Who owns Photomath now?

Google acquired Photomath in 2022. It operates as a standalone app but is owned by Google.

Photomath: Does it just give the answer or show working?

It shows step by step working for the method used, not only the final answer, on both free and Plus tiers, with Plus adding more detail.

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