Best AI Homework Helpers of 2026
AI homework apps ranked on subject coverage, whether they explain or just answer, access to human experts, age rules and real price.
By , research by the BestBots team ยท Updated Oct 19, 2026
Fact checked against each company's published pricing, documentation and verified user ratings. How we score
ChatGPT is the best AI homework helper for most students: it covers every subject, reads photos of worksheets, and its free Study mode explains with questions instead of handing over answers. Gauth is the best photo solver for math and science, Photomath is best for free math steps, and Khanmigo is the best pick for younger kids.
Our top picks
How to choose
Homework apps differ on four points.
- Subjects. General assistants (ChatGPT, Gemini) handle any subject. Gauth and Chegg are strongest in STEM. Photomath and Mathway are math only. Brainly covers K to 12 humanities too. Gemini Notebook is for reading heavy work.
- Explain or answer. Tutor modes (ChatGPT Study mode, Gemini Guided Learning, Khanmigo) ask questions. Photo solvers lead with a full solution. Pick the first for learning, the second for checking.
- Human backup. Gauth Plus, Brainly Tutor and Chegg Study add human experts. Nothing else on this list does.
- Age. ChatGPT and Gemini Notebook are 13+, Gauth purchases are 18+, Brainly is rated 13+ on the App Store, Khanmigo accepts kids added by a parent. For younger children see the best AI tutors for kids.
Our picks, in detail
- Starting price
- $8 per month
- Free plan
- Yes
- Subjects
- Not published
- Live human help
- Not published
ChatGPT covers every subject, reads photos of worksheets, and its Study mode on the Free plan walks through problems with questions and quizzes instead of just answering. Go is $8 per month if you hit free limits, and parents of linked teen accounts get quiet hours and feature controls.
Pros
- Widest feature set in one app: chat, images, voice, Work agent, Codex and connectors
- Five consumer price points from $0 to $500 per month, so you can pay for exactly the usage you need
- Business seats at $20 per month annually undercut most rivals' team plans
- Largest review base in the category: 4.8 on the App Store from over 11 million ratings
Cons
- Go plan at $8 carries ads and stays on the smaller GPT-5.6 Luna model
- GPT-6 Pro is capped by weekly allowances even on Pro, per OpenAI's help center
- Plan and model naming (Sol, Luna, Terra, Astra) is hard to follow
Skip it if for children under 13, who are not allowed under OpenAI's terms.
- Starting price
- $11.99 per month
- Free plan
- Yes
- Subjects
- Math, biology, physics, chemistry and more
- Live human help
- Yes, 24/7 subject experts on Plus
Gauth turns a photo of a math, physics, chemistry or biology problem into step by step guidance, adds an AI Live Tutor with a whiteboard, and Gauth Plus includes 24/7 human experts for $99.99 per year. It has the most App Store ratings of any study app here, 1.5 million averaging 4.8.
Pros
- 4.8 on the App Store from 1.5 million ratings
- Covers science as well as math
- Human experts available on Plus
- Turns notes, audio or lecture links into quizzes and flashcards
Cons
- Owned by ByteDance, TikTok's parent, per Axios and WIRED
- Privacy label links contact info, photos and IDs to you and uses identifiers for tracking
- Answer first design makes copying easy
- Ten different App Store prices
Skip it if byteDance ownership or data linked to the student's identity is a concern.
- Starting price
- $9.99 per month
- Free plan
- Yes
- Subjects
- Math: numbers, algebra, functions, trigonometry, sequences, geometry, calculus
- Live human help
- No
Photomath explains every step free, from arithmetic through calculus including word problems, and its App Store label lists collected data as not linked to you. Paid extras cost $9.99 per month or $69.99 per year.
Pros
- Step by step explanations are free
- Covers arithmetic through calculus, including word problems
- App Store privacy label lists data as not linked to you
- 4.8 on the App Store from 733,163 ratings
Cons
- Math only
- Easy to copy answers without learning
- Plus features (textbook solutions, tutorials) are thin for $69.99 a year
Skip it if for anything other than math.
- Starting price
- $4 per month
- Free plan
- No
- Subjects
- Math, science, coding, history, humanities, writing; elementary school through college
- Live human help
- No
Khanmigo helps with math, science, coding, history and writing by asking guiding questions, so kids do the work. Parents can read chats and get flagged content alerts, and $4 per month covers up to 10 children.
Pros
- $4 per month covers up to 10 children, the lowest per child price here
- Parents can read chat history and get flagged content alerts
- Free for teachers, with lesson planning and rubric tools
- Nonprofit owner; Khan Academy says it does not sell personal information or show third party ads
- Tutors with questions and hints rather than giving final answers
Cons
- US only: subscribers need a US billing address
- Built around Khan Academy content, so it is not a fast answer app
- Students under 18 cannot sign up on their own or through a teacher outside a district deal
- Khan Academy scores 2.1 on Trustpilot from 173 reviews
Skip it if you want instant answers or live outside the US.
- Starting price
- $9.99 per month
- Free plan
- Yes
- Subjects
- Math, reading, science, history, English and other K to 12 subjects
- Live human help
- Yes, on Brainly Tutor
Brainly mixes community answers, AI explanations and, on the Tutor plan at $29.99 per month or $95.99 per year, live human tutors for K to 12 subjects including reading, history and English.
Pros
- Live human tutors on the Tutor plan
- Covers humanities as well as STEM
- Annual Plus at $39.99 is cheap
- 4.7 on the App Store from 284,253 ratings
Cons
- Community answers can be wrong
- Free use is limited
- Trustpilot reviewers report renewal charges and refused refunds
- Privacy label lists location, identifiers and usage data used for tracking
Skip it if you will not use the tutors; community answers can be wrong and free use is limited.
- Starting price
- $15.99 per month
- Free plan
- No
- Subjects
- 80 subjects incl. math, English, physics, engineering, chemistry
- Live human help
- Yes, expert answers in as little as 30 minutes, average 46
Chegg Study pairs AI solutions with a library of 60 million+ solved homework questions and expert Q and A in 80 subjects, strongest in engineering, physics and chemistry. It is $15.99 per month on the App Store.
Pros
- 60 million+ solved homework questions
- Human experts in 80 subjects
- 4.7 on the App Store from 204,656 ratings
Cons
- No free plan
- $15.99 per month is more than ChatGPT Go
- Expert answers average 46 minutes
- Web pricing not visible without an account
Skip it if for K to 12, or if ChatGPT Go at $8 per month already covers your courses.
- Starting price
- $4.99 per month
- Free plan
- Yes
- Subjects
- Any subject, grounded in the sources you upload
- Live human help
- No
Gemini Notebook answers questions from the readings, slides and videos you upload and cites each answer, free with up to 50 sources per notebook. It suits essays, history and literature assignments.
Pros
- Free plan with up to 50 sources per notebook
- Answers cite your sources, which cuts made up facts
- Audio Overviews turn readings into a podcast
- 4.9 on the App Store from 63,215 ratings
Cons
- Needs your own materials to work well
- Rated 13+, not built for young kids
- Free limits are described only as standard, not as numbers
Skip it if for math problem sets or for students under 13.
- Starting price
- $35.99 per year
- Free plan
- Yes
- Subjects
- Any subject with flashcard sets; lecture recording to study guides
- Live human help
- No
Quizlet turns notes and recorded lectures into flashcards, study guides and practice tests, with Plus at $35.99 per year. Ask Quizlet gives explanations, though the older Q-Chat tutor was retired in June 2025.
Pros
- Plus is $35.99 per year, one of the cheapest paid study tools
- Turns recorded lectures into study guides and flashcards
- Lists age assurance and parental controls on the App Store
- 4.8 on the App Store from 1.1 million ratings
Cons
- Q-Chat AI tutor discontinued in June 2025
- Free tier caps Learn and Test rounds
- Privacy label lists purchases, location and search history used for tracking
Skip it if you need worked solutions to problems.
What it costs
| App | Free version | Paid | Human help |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | Free plan with Study mode | $8 per month (Go), $20 (Plus) | No |
| Gauth | Limited | $11.99 per month, $31.99 per quarter, $99.99 per year | Yes, on Plus |
| Photomath | Full steps | $9.99 per month, $69.99 per year | No |
| Khanmigo | Teachers only | $4 per month, $44 per year | No |
| Brainly | Limited, with ads | Plus $9.99 per month or $39.99 per year; Tutor $29.99 or $95.99 | Yes, on Tutor |
| Chegg Study | None | $15.99 per month (App Store) | Yes |
| Gemini Notebook | Up to 50 sources per notebook | Google AI Plus $4.99 per month | No |
| Quizlet | Limited rounds | Plus $35.99 per year; Unlimited $44.99 | No |
October 2026 prices from vendor sites and the US App Store. If you want a human expert, Brainly Tutor's annual plan ($95.99) and Gauth Plus ($99.99) cost about the same per year; Chegg Study costs about $192 per year at the monthly App Store rate. See the Price Index.
Homework help by subject
Math. Photomath for free steps; Gauth or Mathway for wider coverage; Khanmigo or ChatGPT Study mode to learn the method. Full breakdown in the best AI math tutors.
Science. Gauth for physics, chemistry and biology problems from a photo. Chegg for college level problem sets. ChatGPT for concept explanations.
English and essays. Gemini Notebook for questions about assigned readings, with citations. ChatGPT or Claude (18+) for feedback on a draft. Grammarly for grammar and plagiarism checks.
History and social studies. Gemini Notebook for source documents, Brainly for community explanations and live tutors, Khanmigo for guided writing and debate practice.
Languages. See the best AI language tutors.
Test prep. Quizlet for flashcards and practice tests, Gemini Notebook to turn notes into Audio Overviews.
What happened to Socratic
Socratic by Google is no longer offered as a standalone app: socratic.org now sends visitors to Google Lens in the Google app. Students who used it for photo homework help can use Google Lens, Gemini with Guided Learning or Photomath, all from Google. Several new apps use the Socratic name; they are not made by Google.
Privacy and age rules
| App | Age rule | Data notes from the App Store label or policy |
|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | 13+, parent permission under 18 | Parents of linked teens can turn off model training |
| Gauth | Purchases 18+; app rated 4+ | Contact info, photos, IDs linked to you; IDs used for tracking; owned by ByteDance |
| Photomath | Rated 4+ | Data not linked to you |
| Khanmigo | Kids added by a parent | Khan Academy does not sell personal information or show third party ads |
| Brainly | Rated 13+ | Location, identifiers and usage data used for tracking |
| Chegg Study | Rated 4+ | Purchases, location, contact info, search history linked to you |
| Gemini Notebook | Rated 13+ | Google account controls |
| Quizlet | Rated 4+, age assurance and parental controls listed | Purchases, location, search history used for tracking |
Using AI for homework without getting in trouble
Schools set their own AI rules, and they vary by class. A few habits keep you on the right side of most of them:
- Read the syllabus. Many teachers now say exactly which uses are allowed, such as brainstorming or checking answers, and which are not, such as writing a submitted essay.
- Try first, then ask. Do the problem or draft yourself, then use the AI to check or explain. Tutor modes make this the default.
- Keep your work. Save drafts and scratch work. Grammarly's Authorship feature and Google Docs version history show how a document was written if anyone asks.
- Ask for explanations, not answers. "Why is step 3 wrong?" teaches more than "solve this."
- Verify facts. AI tools can state wrong dates, quotes and numbers with confidence. Gemini Notebook cites your sources so you can check; general chatbots may not.
Parents of teens on ChatGPT can link accounts and make Study mode the default for new chats, which nudges homework sessions toward explanations.
Red flags
- Free trials that renew into annual plans. Brainly reviewers on Trustpilot report renewal charges with no refund.
- Community answers. Brainly's user written answers can be wrong; a 4 star Trustpilot review says so directly.
- Apps borrowing a known name. Several "Socratic" apps on the App Store are unrelated to Google.
- Answer copying. Teachers increasingly spot pasted AI answers. Use tutor modes and keep your own work.
How we picked
We compared homework apps on published facts: pricing pages and App Store in app purchase lists, subjects covered, human help, age ratings, terms and privacy labels, ownership, and ratings with review counts from the App Store and Trustpilot. Breadth of subjects and teaching approach carried the most weight, then human backup, privacy and price. We did not submit homework through these apps. Scores follow the BestBots method; no vendor paid for placement.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best AI for homework help?
ChatGPT is the best overall: it covers every subject, reads photos, and Study mode on the Free plan tutors with questions instead of just answering. Gauth is the best photo solver for math and science, Photomath is best for free math steps, and Khanmigo is best for kids.
What is the best free homework app?
Photomath for free step by step math, ChatGPT Free with Study mode for any subject, Gemini with Guided Learning, and Gemini Notebook for readings. Gauth and Brainly have free tiers with limits.
What happened to Socratic by Google?
Socratic is no longer offered as a standalone homework app. Its site, socratic.org, now directs visitors to Google Lens in the Google app. Gemini's Guided Learning and Photomath, also owned by Google, are the closest replacements.
Gauth or Brainly: which is better?
Gauth is better for math and science from a photo, with an AI Live Tutor and experts on Plus for $99.99 per year. Brainly is better for humanities and for live human tutors on its Tutor plan at $95.99 per year. Gauth has 1.5 million App Store ratings averaging 4.8; Brainly has 284,253 averaging 4.7.
Is Chegg still worth it?
For college engineering and science courses with textbook problem sets, yes, because of its 60 million+ solved questions and expert answers. For general homework, ChatGPT Go at $8 per month or a free tutor mode covers most needs for less than Chegg's $15.99.
Is using AI for homework cheating?
It depends on your teacher's rules. Using a tutor mode to understand a method or checking your work afterward is usually fine; submitting AI written answers as your own usually is not. Ask your teacher what is allowed and keep your own drafts.
Is Gauth safe?
Gauth is owned by ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, per Axios and WIRED. Its App Store privacy label says contact info, photos, user IDs and usage data are linked to you, and identifiers are used for tracking. Purchases require users 18 or older.
Can AI help with essay homework?
Yes, for brainstorming, outlining and feedback. Gemini Notebook answers from your assigned readings with citations, and ChatGPT or Claude can comment on a draft. Many schools ban AI written essays, so use it for feedback, not for writing.