Education · head to head
Lumosity vs Photomath
Lumosity
Education
Brain training game app from Lumos Labs, which paid an FTC settlement in 2016 over unsupported cognitive improvement claims
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Photomath
Education
Camera based maths solver that shows step by step working, owned by Google since 2022
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Lumosity lumos Labs settled with the US FTC in 2016 for 2 million dollars over deceptive claims that its games improved real-world cognitive performance and could delay age-related decline, and the company was barred from making such claims without solid supporting evidence, a fact any buyer evaluating cognitive benefit claims should weigh.; 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: Lumosity covers Daily training set, Photomath covers Camera scanning.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Lumosity and Photomath actually diverge.
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 Lumosity
- Daily training set
- Brain Performance Index
- Game library by domain
- Fit Test assessment
- Progress tracking
- Insights and tips
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.
Lumosity
- An adult wanting a short daily game habit with a cognitive theme, treated as entertainment rather than medical interventionnot Photomath
- Someone comparing Lumosity against Elevate to decide between abstract cognitive games and practical skills practicenot Photomath
- A user who wants a long historical performance trend across many game sessionsnot Photomath
- A buyer evaluating whether the current marketing claims about cognitive benefit are consistent with the 2016 FTC settlement findings before subscribingnot Photomath
Photomath
- A student checking their own worked answer against the app steps to find where a method went wrongnot Lumosity
- A parent who cannot help with unfamiliar high school maths and needs a worked explanation rather than just an answernot Lumosity
- A student working through word problems in a subject not covered by the free tier who needs the Plus subscriptionnot Lumosity
- A school evaluating whether to recommend or restrict the app given the ease of copying a full worked solutionnot Lumosity
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Lumosity
- Lumos Labs settled with the US FTC in 2016 for 2 million dollars over deceptive claims that its games improved real-world cognitive performance and could delay age-related decline, and the company was barred from making such claims without solid supporting evidence, a fact any buyer evaluating cognitive benefit claims should weigh.
- The free tier is limited to a small daily set of games, and the personalised training programme the product is built around is a paid-only feature.
- As with the brain training category broadly, evidence that improved performance on the specific games transfers to real-world cognitive ability remains contested, independent of the marketing claims addressed by the settlement.
- The subscription auto-renews and, like most mobile subscriptions, requires cancelling through app store account settings rather than within the app.
- The game library has not changed dramatically in years, and long-term subscribers report the exercises becoming repetitive well before a years subscription is up.
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
Lumosity
Free- Lumosity$11.99/month
- Free tier gives a small daily set of games
- Full subscription unlocks the complete game library and personalised programme
- Annual plans typically run $59.99 to $79.99, cheaper per month than monthly billing
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 Lumosity if
- You need daily training set.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on iOS, Android, Web.
- You also want brain performance index.
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.
Questions people ask
- Is Lumosity or Photomath better?
- Neither clearly leads. Lumosity 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, Lumosity or Photomath?
- Lumosity starts at Free and Photomath at Free.
- Does Lumosity or Photomath run on more platforms?
- Lumosity runs on iOS, Android, Web. Photomath runs on iOS, Android.
- Can I use Lumosity for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Lumosity best used for?
- Lumosity is most often used for an adult wanting a short daily game habit with a cognitive theme, treated as entertainment rather than medical intervention, someone comparing lumosity against elevate to decide between abstract cognitive games and practical skills practice, a user who wants a long historical performance trend across many game sessions, a buyer evaluating whether the current marketing claims about cognitive benefit are consistent with the 2016 ftc settlement findings before subscribing. Of those, an adult wanting a short daily game habit with a cognitive theme, treated as entertainment rather than medical intervention and someone comparing lumosity against elevate to decide between abstract cognitive games and practical skills practice are not what Photomath is typically brought in for.
- What can Lumosity do that Photomath cannot?
- Lumosity covers Daily training set, Brain Performance Index, Game library by domain, Fit Test assessment. Photomath covers Camera scanning, Step by step solutions, Built-in calculator, Word problem support.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Lumosity: What was the FTC settlement about?
In 2016 the FTC found Lumos Labs advertising made unsupported claims that Lumosity games could delay cognitive decline, protect against conditions like Alzheimers, and improve real-world performance. The company paid 2 million dollars and was barred from such claims without solid evidence.
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.
Lumosity: Is Lumosity still available and does it still make cognitive claims?
Yes, the app and games remain available, but the company is legally restricted from the specific unsupported claims covered by the settlement.
Photomath: Who owns Photomath now?
Google acquired Photomath in 2022. It operates as a standalone app but is owned by Google.
Lumosity: Is Lumosity free?
A small daily set of games is free. The full library and personalised training programme require a paid subscription.
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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