Softwr

Education · head to head

MasterClass vs Photomath

MasterClass logo

MasterClass

Education

Learn from the world's best

From
On request
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

  • Only Photomath has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: MasterClass annual membership required with no option to purchase individual courses; 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: MasterClass covers High-quality video, Photomath covers Camera scanning.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which MasterClass and Photomath actually diverge.

Attributes where MasterClass and Photomath differ
AttributeMasterClassPhotomath
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionFree with a Plus subscription
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidiOS, Android
Founded2015Unknown

Identical on both: 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 MasterClass

  • High-quality video
  • Workbooks
  • Community
  • Mobile apps
  • Offline viewing
  • Smart TV apps
  • Session stories
  • Smart TV platforms

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.

MasterClass

  • Learning from expertsnot Photomath
  • Inspirationnot Photomath
  • Skill developmentnot Photomath
  • Entertainmentnot Photomath

Photomath

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

Where each one falls short

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

MasterClass

  • Annual membership required with no option to purchase individual courses
  • No instructor interaction or personalized feedback on student work
  • No hands-on exercises, assignments, or peer discussion with other students
  • Limited interactivity with focus on entertainment value over practical skill development
  • Difficult to cancel subscription according to customer reviews

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

MasterClass

On request
  • Individual$10/month
    • All classes
    • One device
    • Mobile access
  • Duo$15/month
    • All classes
    • Two devices
    • Offline viewing
  • Family$20/month
    • All classes
    • Six devices
    • All features

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 MasterClass if

  • You need high-quality video.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want workbooks.
MasterClass 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 MasterClass or Photomath better?
Neither clearly leads. MasterClass starts at On request and Photomath at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, MasterClass or Photomath?
Photomath has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for MasterClass and Free for Photomath.
Does MasterClass or Photomath run on more platforms?
MasterClass runs on Web, iOS, Android. Photomath runs on iOS, Android.
Can I use Photomath for free?
Yes. Photomath has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. MasterClass starts at On request.
What is MasterClass best used for?
MasterClass is most often used for learning from experts, inspiration, skill development, entertainment. Of those, learning from experts and inspiration are not what Photomath is typically brought in for.
What can MasterClass do that Photomath cannot?
MasterClass covers High-quality video, Workbooks, Community, Mobile apps. Photomath covers Camera scanning, Step by step solutions, Built-in calculator, Word problem support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

MasterClass: What is the pricing structure for MasterClass?

MasterClass requires an annual membership with no single-course purchase option. Standard plan costs $10/month, Plus is $15/month with offline access, and Premium is $20/month for up to 6 devices.

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.

MasterClass: How many courses are available on MasterClass?

MasterClass has over 200 video classes taught by celebrities and experts, with each course containing approximately 20 videos of about 10 minutes each plus detailed workbooks.

Source
Photomath: Who owns Photomath now?

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

MasterClass: Does MasterClass provide certificates or formal credentials?

No. MasterClass does not provide certificates upon completing a course, so it does not offer formal recognition for course completion.

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.

MasterClass: Do MasterClass courses include personalized feedback from instructors?

No. All MasterClass courses are pre-recorded videos, so there is no direct interaction with instructors or personalized feedback on student work.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on MasterClass

More on Photomath

Keep looking

Other head to heads