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Education · head to head

Khan Academy vs Photomath

Khan Academy logo

Khan Academy

Education

Free world-class education for anyone, anywhere

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

  • Each has a real cost: Khan Academy the Internet Archive's capture of Khan Academy's homepage on 1 January 2021 stated it is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and that its full library of practice and lessons 'is all free for learners and teachers', funded by donations rather than subscriptions.; 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.
  • They diverge on capability: Khan Academy covers Video lessons, Photomath covers Camera scanning.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Khan Academy and Photomath actually diverge.

Attributes where Khan Academy and Photomath differ
AttributeKhan AcademyPhotomath
Pricing modelfreeFree with a Plus subscription
PlatformsWeb, IOS, AndroidiOS, Android
Founded2008Unknown

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 Khan Academy

  • Video lessons
  • Practice exercises
  • Mastery system
  • Progress tracking
  • Personalized learning
  • Teacher tools
  • Parent dashboard
  • Test prep

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.

Khan Academy

  • Free self paced learning across maths, science and humanitiesnot Photomath
  • Assigning practice and tracking student progress in a classroomnot Photomath

Photomath

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

Where each one falls short

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

Khan Academy

  • The Internet Archive's capture of Khan Academy's homepage on 1 January 2021 stated it is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and that its full library of practice and lessons 'is all free for learners and teachers', funded by donations rather than subscriptions.

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

Khan Academy

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Video lessons
    • Practice exercises
    • Progress tracking

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 Khan Academy if

  • You need video lessons.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want practice exercises.
Khan Academy 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 Khan Academy or Photomath better?
Neither clearly leads. Khan Academy 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, Khan Academy or Photomath?
Khan Academy starts at Free and Photomath at Free.
Does Khan Academy or Photomath run on more platforms?
Khan Academy runs on Web, IOS, Android. Photomath runs on iOS, Android.
Can I use Khan Academy for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Khan Academy best used for?
Khan Academy is most often used for free self paced learning across maths, science and humanities, assigning practice and tracking student progress in a classroom. Of those, free self paced learning across maths, science and humanities and assigning practice and tracking student progress in a classroom are not what Photomath is typically brought in for.
What can Khan Academy do that Photomath cannot?
Khan Academy covers Video lessons, Practice exercises, Mastery system, Progress tracking. Photomath covers Camera scanning, Step by step solutions, Built-in calculator, Word problem support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Khan Academy: Is Khan Academy free?

Yes. Khan Academy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and states that it is a free tool for students, teachers and parents alike, with over 840 free courses and teacher tools provided at no cost. It relies on donor support rather than fees.

Source
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.

Khan Academy: Who is Khan Academy for?

Khan Academy serves students, teachers and parents, covering core academic subjects from K-12 through early college. The platform is available in more than 190 countries and over 55 languages.

Source
Photomath: Who owns Photomath now?

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

Khan Academy: How is Khan Academy funded if it is free?

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Khan Academy is funded by donations rather than subscriptions. Its about page states that donor support is what keeps the classroom tools free.

Source
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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