Maya Tutor or Photomath: solving the problem or teaching the child?
Photomath is the better tool when someone needs a correct worked solution fast, whether that is a parent checking tonight's homework or an older student in algebra or calculus. Maya Tutor is the better choice when a child in grades 1–6 keeps getting one kind of problem wrong, because she teaches the idea and explains why the wrong answer felt right instead of solving the page.
What does each one actually do?
Photomath works in three steps, as its site describes them: scan a problem with the camera, including word problems, or type it into the smart calculator; see the solution, sometimes with more than one method; then read step-by-step explanations of each part. It covers math from elementary school through college: elementary math, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, statistics and calculus.
Maya Tutor starts from the child rather than the problem. Your child tells her what they learned at school today, by voice, by typing or with a photo of the page, and she teaches that topic with them through questions they answer by tapping. When an answer is wrong she explains why it was tempting, and she comes back later to what did not land. She teaches math, English, science, Hebrew and world studies.
Why does solving versus teaching matter at ages 6–12?
At this age many wrong answers come from a reasonable idea applied in the wrong place. A grade 4 child who writes 12 × 3 = 123 has stuck the digits together. A grade 5 child who writes 1/2 + 1/4 = 2/6 has added the tops and the bottoms. A worked solution shows the right steps, but it does not say which idea in the child's head produced the wrong answer.
Photomath's plans list extra how and why tips alongside the steps, which helps. Maya goes one step further for younger children: she names the tempting mistake, shows why it looked right, and then asks another question to check that the idea has changed. Watch how your own child uses a worked solution: some learn from reading it, others copy it.
How do they compare side by side?
The Photomath row comes from photomath.com, opened on 24 September 2026.
| Option | Ages | Subjects | Languages | How it teaches | Price | Where it is better |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Photomath | Elementary school through college | Math only: elementary math to calculus | Not stated on its home page | Scan or type a problem, get the solution and step-by-step explanations | Basic free; Plus $9.99 a month or $69.99 a year | Checking answers, older students, parents refreshing a method |
| Maya Tutor | Grades 1–6 (ages 6–12); material up to grade 10 | Math, English, science, Hebrew, world studies | English, Hebrew and nine more interface languages | Teaches what the child learned today; tap-to-answer questions; explains why the wrong answer was tempting | First lesson free, no card needed | A young child who keeps repeating the same mistake |
When is Photomath the better choice?
Photomath wins in these cases, and it is fine to use it for them:
- Checking a finished worksheet quickly, especially for a parent who wants to confirm an answer before saying anything.
- Algebra, trigonometry, statistics and calculus. Maya's material stops at grade 10, and she was built for grades 1–6.
- A parent who wants to see a method before explaining it.
- A family on Android that wants a store download. Maya works in any browser, but her Google Play listing is not live yet.
- Math only, with a free plan and no tutor needed.
When is Maya the better choice?
Maya fits better when:
- Your child is in grades 1–6 and keeps making the same kind of mistake.
- Your child has started copying answers from a solver and you want them to do the thinking.
- The trouble is not only math: English, science or reading a Hebrew text.
- You want the tutor to remember what did not land and bring it back.
Questions parents ask
- Is Photomath free?
- It has a free Basic plan. Photomath Plus costs $9.99 a month or $69.99 a year, billed annually, according to its site.
- Does Photomath work for grade 1–3 math?
- Its site lists elementary math among its topics. It can show the steps for a simple sum; whether a six- or seven-year-old learns from reading those steps is worth watching for yourself.
- Will my child just copy answers from a solver?
- It depends on the child and how the tool is used. One simple rule helps: your child tries first, and the solver is only for checking afterwards.
- Does Maya solve homework from a photo?
- Your child can show Maya a photo of the page. She uses it to find the topic and teaches it with questions for your child to answer, rather than handing over a finished page.
Sources
Related lessons
- Two-digit timesMath · Grade 4
- Unlike denominatorsMath · Grade 5
- Share equallyMath · Grade 3
- Reading decimalsMath · Grade 4
No card needed. The first lesson is free.
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