The Best AI for Math: Teacher-Rated AI Tools and Programs Compared for Schools

The best AI for math today bears little relation to the early versions that made their now legendary mistakes. Now, the top AI math programs can legitimately claim to personalize learning, boost outcomes, and make real inroads into supporting teachers to better manage their workload.

But there are a lot out there, and it’s not always clear which AI math tool does what and which are most effective at raising math achievement. So we asked teacher Neil Almond to look at the most popular and best AI for math currently being used in elementary and high schools, and provide this useful comparison guide to help you decide what’s best for your district or school context.

Here, we are not looking at the higher-level AI math solvers like Mathway, Symbolab, Julius or Wolfram Alpha. These often have incredible computational engine capabilities and are able to provide detailed explanations, but they are not currently suitable for the needs of K–12 math teachers teaching students up to Grade 12.

Evaluation criteria 

With no standardized criteria to grade various AI tools against, what follows is a set of useful ‘at a glance’ criteria to help you make decisions when investing in a particular AI tool.

As AI tools develop rapidly, I strongly recommend checking official sources for the latest updates before adopting any solution.

Features and functionality

I’ll assess the core capabilities, including the ability to tackle math problems from basic arithmetic to advanced math concepts.

Key features assessed include:

• How it functions as a math tutor.
• Providing step-by-step solutions and detailed explanations;
• Options for chat-based tutoring or voice-based tutoring;
• Resource generation;
• How the math solver functions as a math problem solver, solving equations such as calculus;

Pricing model

Where possible, I’ll determine the cost structure: whether it’s entirely free, uses a freemium model, requires a subscription, or offers custom district or school licenses – all of which are likely determining factors in your school or district.

Curriculum alignment

Here, I’ll evaluate how well the tool’s content and approach align with the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) or state-specific math standards, ensuring it supports learning objectives for various math topics.

User experience

This covers ease of use from both teacher and student perspectives, including:

• Clarity of teacher dashboards;
• Intuitiveness of the student interface;
• Complexity of initial set-up.

An intuitive design is crucial for a positive learning experience.

Technical requirements

Here, I’ll cover Operating System (OS) requirements or device limitations, assessing the real-world feasibility of deployment across different school or district environments.

Benefits and disadvantages

Summaries cover:

• Whether the AI program is a valuable educational aid;
• Accuracy of instant solutions and reliable solutions;
• Pedagogical depth of the explanations and whether they promote a deeper understanding;
• Potential teacher workload and staff training/ongoing professional development.

Real-world feasibility

I’ll consider how easily the AI math tool integrates into existing school or district technology and workflows, and the extent of staff training required, determining if it’s a practical, valuable resource or requires significant changes.

This section also questions whether it can act as a versatile homework support tool, allowing students a personalized learning experience.

The best AI for math: a detailed breakdown for schools

This comparison looks in-depth at the following AI for math programmes:

• Third Space Learning
• Khanmigo
• Eedi
• MagicSchool AI
• TeachMateAI
• Brainly
• Photomath
• Mathspace

1. Third Space Learning’s AI math tutor: Skye

Brief overview:

Third Space Learning is trying something different – voice-driven adaptive AI math tutoring. Skye, the dialogue-driven AI math tutor, talks students through problems, providing tailored guidance, just as a traditional tutor would. The intelligent tutoring system helps learners figure out step-by-step solutions themselves, rather than simply spitting out answers like a math solver. Skye is built using GPT-4o to ensure fast responses that adapt to student learning.

Educator feedback:

Teachers appreciate that the AI tutoring pushes students to think through problems using dialogue, making learning a more active experience. Schools currently enrolled say it’s promising for targeted support.

We’ve used Third Space Learning for a few years and it has such a strong impact. The AI program has allowed us to get more children onto the platform because it’s so affordable and more flexible with the the same quality lessons as traditional tutoring.

David Gooding, Assistant Head,
Harrison Primary School

Key features:

Voice interaction that adapts to the student and dialogue-based step-by-step explanations covering math misconceptions. Built by teachers and math experts to ensure it covers the US Common Core State Standards and Grade 3 to Grade 10 content, including state assessments and high school readiness.

Benefits:

• Unlimited usage for the school fee is decent.
• The voice tutoring is unique and can make learning feel a bit more personal.
• Teachers and math experts write and review every lesson to ensure it aligns with the state or district curriculum standards—nothing is left to chance.
• It’s based on the same evidence-based pedagogy as their 10+ years of traditional tutoring.
• It builds a deeper understanding.
• Schools receive detailed reports after every lesson covering what objectives were covered, learner engagement, and results of the confidence check-out question at the end of each learning objective.
  

Disadvantages:

• While the platform uses a range of pictorial representations, learners may require graphing calculators and such.
• As the AI math tutor programs are new, the range of math topics is still growing.
• Programs available in both the UK and US are still growing, but the teachers and math experts are working hard to expand them.

Use cases:

• In-class: Handy for small group tutoring for those needing extra math help, or giving a whole class of students simultaneous, individualized and targeted practice on specific math concepts.
• Homework: Provides help outside the classroom, letting students work through problems at their own pace with guidance.
• Test prep: Programs focus on early intervention for upper elementary grades, and specific exam-prep programs help learners prepare for state tests and high school entrance exams.

Pricing & tech requirements:

• Pricing: One fixed annual fee for the whole school.
• Tech requirements: Medium setup, as you need devices with microphones. It’s web-based, so it needs a stable internet connection for the voice to work smoothly.
• Ease of Setup: Medium – full support provided by your district’s personal account manager.

Safety and privacy compliance

Third Space Learning has taken sensible steps to protect student data and has created an AI policy that they can adapt to use AI safely in education. They do not use any student data to train their AI model. Good to see they’re thinking about school data protection.

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2. Khanmigo (Khan Academy)

Brief overview:

This is Khan Academy’s AI chat tutor, Khanmigo. Built on a pretty advanced AI model (GPT-4 apparently), it aims to be a personal tutor for math and other subjects, tied into free Khan Academy content covering everything from elementary math to AP Calculus. It’s designed to be a versatile homework assistant.

Educator feedback:

General feedback is positive about it being from a trusted nonprofit. Teachers like the idea of the planning tools, and students seem to get decent homework help, often pointing them towards better understanding rather than just quick solutions.

Key features:

AI chat tutor for solving math problems provides detailed explanations, plus tools to help teachers with planning. Integrates a whole library of math topics.

Benefits:

• Nonprofit means data privacy is high on their list.
• Covers pretty much every math topic you can think of.
• Teachers like the tools for generating lesson ideas or quizzes.
• It tries to guide students to step solutions rather than just giving instant solutions.
• It is US-focused.

Disadvantages:

• Student access often requires a paid family account currently.
• Text-based learning can be limiting for some learners.

Use cases:

• In-class: Could support students working independently, offer extra explanations on complex math concepts, or help teachers quickly draft materials.
• Homework: Excellent for homework, letting students ask questions on problems from basic algebra to complex problems.
• Test prep: It covers K-12 and beyond for homework help or revision support across mathematical problems, including complex equations.

Pricing & tech requirements:

• Pricing: Teacher tools are free, but school-level features have a fee of $35 per student. For a school of approximately 300 students, it would cost $10,500.
• Tech requirements: Low setup – it’s web-based and works on anything with internet.
• Ease of Setup: Low.

Safety and privacy compliance:

Being part of Khan Academy, privacy is a focus. For school use in the US, you’d still need to check the specific school agreement to make sure it meets your district’s standards for handling data.

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3. Eedi

Name & brief overview:

Eedi is known for its adaptive math diagnostic tests that pinpoint exactly what students don’t understand in math. They’ve added an on-demand AI chat tutor to help students tackle specific misconceptions right away to close knowledge gaps.

Educator feedback:

Positive on the diagnostic side. I’ve heard math leads say it’s been great for revision and picking up on student misconceptions that you might miss in a normal lesson. The real-time text-based tutor helps with identified weak spots.

Key features:

Adaptive diagnostics, Q&A, on-demand text-based tutor for math assistance, detailed teacher reporting, aligns with US Common Core Standards. Uses artificial intelligence to analyze answers and provide immediate guidance.

Benefits:

• Brilliant for getting detailed insight into student understanding.
• The integrated tutor means students get help exactly when they need it on the problems they struggle with.
• Proven to help close gaps.
• Gives reliable solutions focused on understanding.

Disadvantages:

• To get the really detailed insights and full tutor access, you need the paid plan.
• It’s strictly math only.

Use cases:

• In-class: Great for quick diagnostic checks, setting targeted practice based on results, or using the tutor on the spot if they’re stuck after a recent test.
• Homework: Excellent for assigning homework that adapts to learner needs and provides instant help if they hit a misconception while problem solving.
• Test prep: Highly relevant for identifying and fixing gaps before exams across all US grade levels by targeting specific mathematical concepts.

Pricing & tech requirements:

• Pricing: Free basic level; paid Plus plan is around $6 per student per month.
• Tech requirements: Low setup – it’s a web app, no installation needed. Works on standard devices with internet.
• Ease of Setup: Low.

Safety and privacy compliance:

They are very clear about being fully FERPA compliant for schools, acting as a data processor and storing data securely in the US or EU. They provide the necessary agreements. Seems well set up for handling school data properly.

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4. MagicSchool AI

Brief overview:

MagicSchool AI has a host of AI tools for teachers to help cut down on workload across all subjects. Think lesson planning, quiz generation, and report writing – it does a bit of everything using artificial intelligence. Not just a tool for math, but a general AI assistant.

Educator feedback:

Teachers rave about the time it saves them on admin and preparation. They find it useful for generating ideas or resources for math topics, though they know they need to check the output carefully.

Key features:

Over 80 AI tools for teacher tasks and students, generates content across any subject, strong security. Can help create content for solving math problems or explaining concepts.

Benefits:

• Incredibly versatile – helps with workload reduction in many areas.
• Widely used and trusted on security.
• Can generate varied math problems or explanations for resources.

Disadvantages:

• It’s not a dedicated AI math solver or tutor for students.
• The math output needs thorough checking by the teacher for accuracy and pedagogical quality – it’s more of a starting point.

Use cases:

• In-class: Quickly generating example problems for a demonstration, creating differentiated practice questions for addition, subtraction, multiplication, division or basic algebra on the fly.
• Homework: Designing varied homework assignments or generating revision questions.
• Test prep: Useful for teachers creating revision materials, quizzes, or practice tests for any level, but the AI doesn’t directly tutor the student or interactively provide comprehensive solutions.

Pricing & tech requirements:

• Pricing: Free for educators; unlimited access with the Plus subscription.
• Tech requirements: Low setup – web-based, standard internet needed.
• Ease of Setup: Low.

Safety and privacy compliance:

They have a framework for COPPA and FERPA, but because it’s a general tool, the teacher has to be careful not to put student personal data into it. They have agreements in place to support compliance, but responsible use by staff is key.

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5. TeachMateAI

Brief overview:

TeachMateAI is another AI toolkit built specifically for teachers. It helps with tasks like writing reports, brainstorming lesson ideas, and generating resources. Includes some specific math tools like a bell-ringer generator. Like MagicSchool, it’s an AI-powered teacher assistant, not a math tutor.

Educator feedback:

Positive feedback centres on it being a straightforward tool that saves teachers time on everyday tasks, like creating math warm-ups.

Key features:

AI tools for teacher admin and planning, including math bell-ringer generator and other resource creation tools, developed for the US education system. Helps teachers generate math content.

Benefits:

• Effective in saving teacher time.
• Useful specific tools for math, like generating lesson starters.
• Strong focus on data privacy.

Disadvantages:

• Doesn’t provide direct AI math assistance or tutoring.
• The quality of generated content, while often good, still needs teacher review.
• UK-focused
• Requires a subscription beyond the basic tools.

Use cases:

• In-class: Quickly generating starter activities for a math lesson, creating examples for demonstrating mathematical concepts, brainstorming lesson ideas.
• Homework: Generating practice questions or formatting existing problems into worksheets.
• Test prep: Primarily a teacher tool to create resources for test prep or elementary/middle school, not a student-facing revision aid providing step-by-step solutions.

Pricing & tech requirements:

• Pricing: Free basic tools; Pro subscription for monthly/annual fee.
• Tech requirements: Low setup – web interface, standard internet.
• Ease of Setup: Low.

Safety and privacy compliance:

Clear statement about data privacy that aligns with FERPA recommendations, and doesn’t used data input for training AI models. Compliant with COPPA.

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6. Brainly

Brief overview:

Brainly is a large online forum where learners ask questions about their homework (e.g., math problems, science, etc.) and other students—or sometimes experts—respond. They’ve added an AI “learning companion” to provide instant solutions and explanations. It’s a very different kettle of fish—more of a social Q&A platform with some AI support.

Educator feedback:

There’s a cautious view of platforms like this in schools because students can use them to get answers instead of working through problems. The AI feature is meant to offer more support than just quick answers, but the risk of it becoming a shortcut that undermines actual learning remains.

Key features:

• Huge database of user-submitted questions and answers
• AI-powered chat companion for explanations
• Covers a vast range of subjects, including middle school and high school math
• Includes complex math problems aligned with Common Core and beyond

Benefits:

• Vast content and quick responses from the community.
• The AI aims to give more detailed explanations than just the final answer.
• Accessible for students seeking math assistance on specific problems.

Disadvantages:

• Inconsistent answer quality from peer responses
• The free version is full of ads.
• Concerns around students using it to bypass the learning process and just get instant solutions.

Use cases:

• In-class: Not really suitable for structured classroom time.
• Homework: A go-to for homework help on specific math equations or word problems.
• Test prep: Students might use it for review questions across any grade level, but it’s risky relying on it to build a deeper understanding or analytical skills needed for state assessments or standardized exams.

Pricing & tech requirements:

• Pricing: Free (with ads); Premium subscription for ad-free experience and more features.
• Tech requirements: Low setup – available as an app or on the web, needs internet.
• Ease of Setup: Low.

Safety and privacy compliance:

As a global consumer platform, their privacy and data compliance is geared toward individual users rather than school contracts. U.S. schools would need to be cautious in recommending or requiring its use due to potential FERPA implications and the open Q&A format. Unless Brainly has a specific school agreement with strong student data protections, it’s likely best avoided for any mandatory assignments or student submissions.

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7. Photomath

Brief overview:

Photomath is an app where you point your camera at a math problem and it solves it, giving you the answer and the step-by-step solutions. It’s a pure math solver, brilliant at one thing but not trying to be an AI math tutor.

Educator feedback:

While acknowledging how powerful it is as a math problem solver that gives quick solutions, the overwhelming feedback from teachers is concern about cheating. It makes getting the answer too easy, bypassing the hard work of understanding and problem solving that students need to do.

Key features:

Camera input, instant solution and step solutions, covers math from basic arithmetic to advanced calculus, can work offline for solving. Provides comprehensive solutions visually.

Benefits:

• Incredibly easy and intuitive to use.
• Provides instant solutions and clear step-by-step explanations.
• Works offline, which is handy in some situations.

Disadvantages:

• The major con is how easily it facilitates cheating and bypasses learning analytical skills.
• There’s no real pedagogical depth or attempt to teach the underlying mathematical concepts – it’s just a tool for getting the answer.

Use cases:

• In-class: Pretty much unusable in a test or even practice setting due to cheating. Maybe a teacher could use it to quickly verify a problem’s answer or steps when prepping materials.
• Homework: Can be used to check answers or see steps if stuck, but carries a high risk of learners simply scanning to finish the homework without engaging.
• Test prep: Provides solutions for problems across all levels, but using it for test prep risks not developing the problem-solving skills required. It’s useful for checking basic arithmetic or basic pre-algebra/algebra steps, but not for truly understanding complex math concepts.

Pricing & tech requirements:

• Pricing: Free core features; Photomath Plus subscription for more advanced help.
• Tech requirements: Low setup – mobile app only. Needs a working camera. Works offline for solving.
• Ease of Setup: Low.

Safety and privacy compliance:

Primarily a consumer app. Schools using it would need to consider if student data is being handled appropriately under FERPA or COPPA (U.S. equivalents of GDPR). It’s not designed for district- or school-wide privacy compliance. Best treated as an unmanaged personal device tool.

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8. Mathspace

Brief overview:

Mathspace is an adaptive online math practice platform. It gives students problems, and as they work through them, it checks every single step, providing instant feedback and step-by-step explanations. It aims for a personalized learning experience by adapting based on performance.

Educator feedback:

Teachers value the granular feedback Mathspace provides on every step of a student’s working out. They find it excellent for tracking progress and helping students correct mistakes immediately, which helps build a better understanding of mathematical concepts. The adaptive element is a plus.

Key features:

Adaptive math practice provides feedback and step-by-step solutions for every step, covers a wide grade and topic range, includes graphing tools, detailed teacher reporting. Uses AI to offer tailored guidance.

Benefits:

• Excellent for structured practice and building analytical skills by checking every step.
• Provides comprehensive solutions and immediate guidance.
• Adaptive nature helps students work at their level.
• Covers a huge range of mathematical problems from basic arithmetic to advanced problems like solving algebra and complex equations, including advanced calculus concepts.

Disadvantages:

• The interface is functional and clear, but maybe not as flashy or gamified as some other platforms, which might affect engagement for some.
• It’s more about guided practice than open-ended tutoring dialogue.

Use cases:

• In-class: Great for differentiated practice, setting specific tasks on mathematical concepts, or using the graphing tools for demonstrations.
• Homework: Useful for personalized homework where students can work through problems at their own pace, getting instant feedback on each step.
• Test prep: Strong across both – good for reinforcing early skills at elementary and middle school levels, and also covers high school and AP-level topics for test preparation..

Pricing & tech requirements:

• Pricing: Pricing varies by school – usually requires a license. No public price list; schools should contact Mathspace directly for a quote.
• Tech requirements: Medium setup – it’s a web-based platform that works on laptops and tablets with internet. Includes graphing tools..
• Ease of Setup: Low.

Safety and data protection:

They state they are FERPA-compliant and offer proper school-level data agreements. Schools should confirm where data is stored and ensure it fits local student data privacy requirements before rolling it out widely.

Comparison matrix

Here’s a snapshot of the best AI for math tools in one comparison matrix.

	Third Space Learning (Skye)	Khanmigo
Features	Skye the AI math tutor; Voice-driven and adaptive dialogue-based problem solving	AI text-based tutor (math & more); teacher assistant
Cost	One fixed annual school fee for unlimited students to receive unlimited sessions.	Currently free (beta for districts); future TBD
Curriculum alignment	US Grades 3–8	Khan Academy content (K–12, US Common Core)
Best for	1:1 tutoring, interventions, revision dialogues	Student tutoring (homework Q&A), teacher planning tools
Benefits & disadvantages	Benefits: Unlimited usage, realistic tutoring, teacher-designed content, strong engagement. Disadvantages: Visual element limited to Third Space Learning’s lesson slides	Benefits: High-quality non-profit content, multi-subject, strong data privacy, notifications for flagged content. Disadvantages: Limited access, parental subscription needed for home use.
Ease of set up	Medium	Low
Safety and data protection	Explicitly addresses safety and data protection with resources like a dedicated AI Tutoring Policy for Schools.	Strong emphasis on user safety and privacy, minimal personal data required, uses encryption, provides moderation and notification systems for adults. Committed to protecting student privacy.
Appropriateness for students	Designed for student use with a focus on engagement through voice interaction. No information provided about ads impacting the student experience.	Designed for student use with a focus on safe and private interactions. No advertising is present.

Implementation & limitations 

Before adopting any AI math tool, schools must consider a few critical factors beyond features and cost.

• Student safety and data privacy: these always come first. If student accounts or personal data are involved, teachers must confirm the tool complies with FERPA regulations. Always check where data is stored and whether the provider has clear privacy policies and data processing agreements in place.
• Teacher CPD: the requirements of AI for math tools vary. Some tools work straight out of the box, while others—particularly those with adaptive pathways or diagnostic capabilities—require staff training to ensure effective use. Without this, schools risk missing out on the most impactful features.
• Workload impact: while AI can reduce marking and generate real-time feedback, it can also introduce new demands, such as monitoring for over-reliance on hints or copy-pasting from model answers. Ongoing teacher oversight remains essential.
• Accessibility: this feature must not be overlooked. Schools should check whether the tool supports screen readers, keyboard navigation, or multilingual interfaces like visual scaffolding or support for English learners (ELs). Accessibility isn’t just a compliance issue—it’s central to equity in AI-supported learning.

Next steps for finding your best maths AI tool

There is no one-size-fits-all solution. The “best” AI for math for a particular school will depend on a number of factors, including the school’s specific educational goals, the unique needs of its students, and the available budget.

If you have limited budget and resources but a number of elementary or middle school students who are in need of one-to-one support to build skills and confidence, and raise grades, then the best AI for your math needs will be Third Space Learning’s AI math tutor, Skye.

If you want to support your students to find their own answers to math problems by taking a photo of them, then Photomath will be the best AI tool for you.

It really does come down to your needs, your school and your students.

Whatever your goals, I encourage you to approach the adoption of any AI in education with a mindset of informed skepticism, carefully evaluating the promises against the realities. The best AI for math, like any educational product driven by technology, will contribute to meaningful improvements in student outcomes. If it doesn’t, then it’s just another new and shiny thing and you can save your valuable resources.