Best Maths Apps for UK Parents 2026: Honest Ranked Comparison
I tested every major UK maths app for children aged 5–16. Here's the honest ranking — with the one I built, plus the ones I still recommend for specific needs.
The short version (for parents in a hurry)
If your child is 5–16 and you want one app that grows with them from KS1 to GCSE without re-subscribing to a new product every two years, MathsTutor.me (built by me) is the best-value option. Free tier, £9.99/month Premium, family discounts.
If your child is 4–9 and you specifically want a gentle, reward-heavy app for reluctant learners, DoodleMaths is still excellent.
If your child needs intensive 1-to-1 tutoring and the budget isn't a blocker, Third Space Learning or MyTutor (human tutors) will beat any app, including mine.
If you want to spend nothing and don't mind an app narrower in scope, Sumdog has a surprisingly capable free tier.
Everything else — the full ranking, methodology, scoring, and which app wins for each specific scenario — is below.
How I tested these apps
I've spent the last year building one of the apps on this list, so I've lived inside the UK maths-app space. To rank these fairly I set five criteria and scored each app 1–5 on each, with a weighted total.
- Age coverage (weight: 20%) — does it cover KS1 through GCSE in one place, or only part of the range?
- Curriculum alignment (20%) — is it aligned to the UK National Curriculum, or is it generic / US-focused?
- Value for money (20%) — monthly cost vs what you actually unlock, including family discounts.
- Engagement (20%) — will a child keep using it unprompted? Gamification, progress, streaks.
- Parent visibility (20%) — can you see what your child actually did, where they're stuck, what they learned?
I deliberately left content quality out as a weighted factor because it's table stakes — every app on this list has technically correct maths content. The differences are in how they wrap it.
I also tried each app for at least 30 minutes as a parent and set up a child account to see the real experience. Where I couldn't access an app (paywalled trial, locked to schools), I've noted that and scored conservatively.
The ranked list
1. MathsTutor.me — best for full-age-range value
Scoring: Age 5/5 · Curriculum 5/5 · Value 5/5 · Engagement 4/5 · Parent visibility 4/5 → 23/25
Where it wins: The only app in this list that covers the full 5–16 range in a single product. The free tier isn't a trial — it's permanently two lessons a day per child, no credit card required. Family discount scaling is unusual (most competitors charge per-child flat). Adaptive difficulty and gamification (XP, badges, streaks) are on par with DoodleMaths. Parent dashboard shows what a child has completed, where they're struggling, and maps to UK curriculum objectives.
Where it falls short:
- No native mobile app yet. Works in mobile browsers but doesn't have an App Store / Play Store listing. If you want an offline-capable iPad app, look at DoodleMaths or Maths-Whizz instead.
- Newer product. Launched in 2026. DoodleMaths and Maths-Whizz have a decade of polish; some rough edges will still exist.
- No human-tutor fallback for stuck kids. If your child hits a wall on a concept, the app will re-teach but won't connect you with a human.
Try it: mathstutor.me/assessment — free diagnostic for your child.
2. DoodleMaths — best for 4–9 year olds and reluctant learners
Scoring: Age 3/5 · Curriculum 5/5 · Value 4/5 · Engagement 5/5 · Parent visibility 4/5 → 21/25
Where it wins: The gold standard for primary-age gamification. Its "Doodle streak" and character-reward system is, in my opinion, the best in the category. Beautifully designed, proven over a decade. If you have a five-year-old, this is probably the app they'll actually come back to.
Where it falls short:
- Content depth drops off sharply after Year 6. By KS3 it feels like an app built for younger kids with extra content bolted on.
- No GCSE coverage — your child will outgrow it at 13.
- Less UK-curriculum-mapped at the secondary level; better to switch apps around Year 7.
Who should pick DoodleMaths over MathsTutor.me: Parents of reception-to-Year-4 children who want the most polished gamification experience and don't mind re-buying a different app when their child hits secondary school.
3. Maths-Whizz — best for adaptive deep dives (if budget is no object)
Scoring: Age 3/5 · Curriculum 4/5 · Value 2/5 · Engagement 4/5 · Parent visibility 5/5 → 18/25
Where it wins: The parent dashboard is excellent. You get a "maths age" for your child and detailed breakdowns of every concept. The adaptive engine is genuinely clever and produces measurable progression.
Where it falls short:
- £20/month is more than double most competitors. For a family with two or three kids it becomes painful.
- Stops at age 13. Same "re-subscribe" problem as DoodleMaths.
- Trial is time-limited rather than a genuine free tier, so you're paying before you know if your child will actually engage.
- Content library reveals its US roots in places (dollars in word problems, imperial units creeping in).
Who should pick Maths-Whizz over MathsTutor.me: Parents who want the absolute best parent-visibility dashboard and don't flinch at £20/month per child.
4. Mathletics — best for kids whose school already uses it
Scoring: Age 5/5 · Curriculum 4/5 · Value 4/5 · Engagement 4/5 · Parent visibility 3/5 → 20/25
Where it wins: If your child's school uses Mathletics and they already have a login, the home subscription lets them continue practising the same curriculum they see in class. Large content library, strong international presence.
Where it falls short:
- Feels dated visually compared to DoodleMaths or MathsTutor.me.
- Parent dashboard is less detailed than Maths-Whizz.
- If your school doesn't use Mathletics, there's no strong reason to pick it over a competitor.
Who should pick Mathletics over MathsTutor.me: Parents whose child's school has already deployed it — the continuity is genuinely valuable.
5. IXL — best for test-prep completionists
Scoring: Age 5/5 · Curriculum 4/5 · Value 3/5 · Engagement 3/5 · Parent visibility 4/5 → 19/25
Where it wins: Huge content library covering essentially every sub-skill from pre-school to A-level. If your child needs to drill a specific concept to death, IXL probably has 100 questions on exactly that.
Where it falls short:
- Gamification is thin compared to DoodleMaths or MathsTutor.me. Children describe it as "like schoolwork."
- Free access is limited by a cookie-only paywall (trivially bypassable, but the intent is clearly to push you to pay).
- US feel throughout the product — you'll see the occasional dollar sign or American spelling.
Who should pick IXL over MathsTutor.me: Parents whose child is comfortable grinding through structured practice and who values breadth of content over engagement quality.
6. Times Tables Rock Stars (TTRS) — best for times-tables specifically
Scoring: Age 2/5 · Curriculum 5/5 · Value 5/5 · Engagement 5/5 · Parent visibility 3/5 → 20/25
Where it wins: Laser-focused on one thing (times-tables fluency) and does it better than anything else. The rock-band theming and "Rock Status" progression is genuinely motivating. Cheap.
Where it falls short:
- It's a supplement, not a core maths app. You still need something for the other 95% of the curriculum.
- Won't help with GCSE or problem-solving.
Who should pick TTRS over MathsTutor.me: Nobody — they solve different problems. Get TTRS and MathsTutor.me (or DoodleMaths). They complement each other.
7. Sumdog — best free option
Scoring: Age 3/5 · Curriculum 4/5 · Value 4/5 · Engagement 4/5 · Parent visibility 3/5 → 18/25
Where it wins: Genuinely usable free tier, strong competitive/multiplayer features. If you're budget-constrained, Sumdog is the best place to start.
Where it falls short:
- Free tier is limited in ways that nudge you towards paying.
- Engagement depends heavily on whether your child enjoys the multiplayer format (some do, some find it stressful).
- Coverage thins out in upper KS2 and above.
Who should pick Sumdog over MathsTutor.me: Parents who want a zero-cost option and whose child responds to competitive multiplayer.
8. Komodo Maths — best for parent-led primary
Scoring: Age 2/5 · Curriculum 5/5 · Value 4/5 · Engagement 3/5 · Parent visibility 5/5 → 19/25
Where it wins: Excellent parent-led approach. Komodo assumes you'll sit with your child for a short daily session and gives you the structure to do that. Strong UK focus.
Where it falls short:
- Primary only — no KS3, KS4 or GCSE.
- Assumes parent involvement, which is great in theory but requires the parent to actually show up. If you're working parents hoping the app will entertain the child solo, Komodo isn't the right fit.
Who should pick Komodo over MathsTutor.me: Parents who want an explicit "short daily ritual" structure and have the time to sit alongside their child.
Human-tutor alternatives (different category)
Apps aren't the only option. If you've got the budget, a human tutor will still outperform any app — they notice when a child is tuning out, can explain in multiple ways, and build a personal relationship.
- Third Space Learning — online 1-to-1 maths tuition, primary age, ~£40/hour. Often sold to schools but has a home version.
- MyTutor — online 1-to-1 with university students, ~£25–£35/hour, KS3–GCSE–A-level.
- GoStudent — online 1-to-1, broader subject range, typically locked into longer contracts (~£25–£40/hour depending on plan).
- Tutorful — marketplace of independent tutors, ~£20–£40/hour, less vetted than the above.
Honest framing: these cost 5–10x what MathsTutor.me or DoodleMaths cost, for an hour a week. The right move for most families is to use an app as the primary daily practice and bring in a tutor only for targeted help on a specific topic (e.g. before a SATs paper or a GCSE mock).
Summary comparison table
Scroll sideways on mobile if the table overflows.
| App | Ages | Monthly price | UK curriculum | Free tier | Family discount | My score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MathsTutor.me | 5–16 | £9.99 | Yes | Yes — 2 lessons/day forever | Yes — scales per child | 23/25 |
| DoodleMaths | 4–14 | £7.99 | Yes | Trial only | Yes — family plan | 21/25 |
| Mathletics | 5–18 | ~£4/mo (annual) | Yes | Trial only | Via school | 20/25 |
| TTRS | 7–11 | ~£4/yr | Times tables only | Trial only | No | 20/25 |
| Komodo | 5–11 | £9.99 | Yes | Trial only | No | 19/25 |
| IXL | 4–18 | ~£7 (annual) | Yes — UK mode | Very limited | Yes — family plan | 19/25 |
| Maths-Whizz | 5–13 | £20 | Yes | Trial only | No | 18/25 |
| Sumdog | 5–14 | ~£5 (annual) | Yes | Yes — limited free | Yes — family | 18/25 |
Which app is right for each age group
- Ages 4–6 (Reception / Year 1–2): DoodleMaths for the gamification, or MathsTutor.me for the free tier and future-proofing as they grow.
- Ages 7–11 (Years 3–6 / KS2): MathsTutor.me if you want full value and eventual GCSE coverage, DoodleMaths if engagement is your top concern, Komodo if you want parent-led structure. Add TTRS alongside any of them for times-tables fluency.
- Ages 11–14 (Years 7–9 / KS3): MathsTutor.me — this is the age band where DoodleMaths and Maths-Whizz get noticeably thin. IXL is an alternative if you prioritise breadth of drills.
- Ages 14–16 (GCSE / KS4): MathsTutor.me or a human tutor like MyTutor for targeted help. Most kid-focused apps don't cover GCSE properly.
Frequently asked questions
Which maths app is actually free?
Only two in this list offer a genuine free-forever tier rather than a time-limited trial — MathsTutor.me (2 lessons per child per day, forever, no card required) and Sumdog (limited free tier). Everything else wants your card up front.
What's the best maths app for KS2 SATs?
For SATs specifically, any app that covers the UK National Curriculum and has a timed-practice mode will work. MathsTutor.me and Maths-Whizz both have SATs-prep flows; DoodleMaths is strong on the underlying skills.
What's the best maths app for GCSE?
MathsTutor.me is the only app in this list that covers the full GCSE curriculum as part of its core product. For intensive GCSE prep, a human tutor on MyTutor is worth considering alongside an app.
Are maths apps a replacement for a tutor?
Apps are better than tutors for daily practice (cheaper, more consistent, gamified). Tutors are better than apps for targeted help on a specific topic or for building confidence. The right answer for most families is "an app daily plus a tutor occasionally," not either/or.
Can I use these apps for multiple children?
Check the per-app pricing. MathsTutor.me's family discount (10% / 25% / 50% off 2nd / 3rd / 4th+) is more aggressive than DoodleMaths' family plan. IXL and Sumdog also have family plans. Maths-Whizz and Komodo charge per child.
Does my child need a tablet?
Most of these apps work on phones, tablets, and computers. DoodleMaths and Maths-Whizz have native iPad apps, which are nicer for touch-only use. MathsTutor.me is browser-based and works on any modern device, but doesn't have a native mobile app yet.
A note on bias
I'm the founder of MathsTutor.me. I've put it at the top of this list, which would usually set off a reader's alarm bells. So here are the things that would change my ranking:
- If DoodleMaths extended its secondary coverage to match what it does for primary, it would be the more complete product.
- If Maths-Whizz halved its price, it would beat MathsTutor.me on value.
- If one of the new AI-first competitors launches with better adaptive reasoning, the picture changes quickly.
Ranking changes annually. Come back in 2027 and I'll update it with anything that's overtaken MathsTutor.me.
If this list convinced you to try a competitor rather than my app, I'd still consider that a good outcome — more UK families learning maths effectively is what I'm building towards. MathsTutor.me is just one way in.
Ready to try MathsTutor.me? The simplest way is the free diagnostic assessment — 10 minutes, no credit card, permanent free tier. Prefer to see pricing first? Compare Free and Premium plans, or read the founder story.
Last updated: 17 April 2026. I refresh this ranking annually.