Ask Poppy vs Gauth
Gauth is a homework helper: snap a photo and it shows a step-by-step solution in seconds, across maths and sciences, with a voice "AI Live Tutor", flashcards from your notes and expert help on its paid plan. Ask Poppy is a voice-first tutor that asks what you've tried and gives one hint at a time, and it can't scan photos. Pick Gauth to get or check solutions fast; pick Ask Poppy if the goal is to be able to do it yourself next time.
Ask Poppy, the AI tutor that asks instead of tells. Free, 30 messages a day · iPhone, iPad, Mac
Disclosure: this page is written by the Ask Poppy team, and Ask Poppy is one of the options. Competitor facts come from each company's own pages or its US App Store listing (checked Oct 2026) and are linked so you can verify them. We haven't run a controlled test of any of these tools, ours included.
Side by side
| Gauth | Ask Poppy | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | AI homework helper and "study companion": step-by-step solutions from a photo or typed question | AI tutor you talk or type to; asks questions and gives hints |
| Leads with the answer? | Yes: solution with steps and "how" and "why" tips | No: Built to ask questions and give hints instead of answers; it isn't a mode you switch on |
| Photo of the problem? | Yes, scan or import | No (type or say it) |
| Voice | "AI Live Tutor" by voice with a virtual whiteboard | Yes: hold to talk, it speaks back (4 voices), or type |
| Extras | Flashcards and quizzes from notes, audio or lecture links; writing assistant; study timer; expert help (priority on Plus) | Remembers your goals between sessions; parent can add up to 3 child profiles |
| Subjects | Maths, biology, physics, chemistry and others | Any topic; no exam-board content |
| Free | Free download with in-app purchases; free limits not stated on the listing | Yes: 30 messages a day, no card |
| Paid (US) | Plus: $11.99/month, $31.99/quarter or $99.99/year; listing shows 3-day trials | $3.99/week or $9.99/month |
| Platforms | iPhone, iPad, web (gauthmath.com) | iPhone, iPad, Mac (Apple silicon). No Android or web app |
| Age rating | 4+ (App Store) | 4+ (App Store) |
| Made by | Gauthtech Pte. Ltd. | Poppy Labs AS (Oslo) |
Where Gauth is better
- Speed and photos. If you need a worked solution to a printed or handwritten question now, Gauth does that and Ask Poppy doesn't.
- Breadth of tools. Flashcards and quizzes from notes, a writing assistant, video lessons and practice questions on Plus.
- Popularity. 4.8 stars from about 1.5 million ratings on the US App Store, and #4 in Education when we checked.
- Free to start with a camera and no typing.
Where Ask Poppy is different
- It doesn't hand over the solution. It asks what you've tried and gives one hint at a time, which takes longer but leaves the working with you.
- Talking it through. Voice is the main way to use it, in 58 languages, for school or anything else you're learning.
- Cheaper monthly ($9.99 vs $11.99 in the US), with a free plan of 30 messages a day.
A note on accuracy
Every AI makes mistakes, including Ask Poppy. In our sample of 791 critical (1–3★) App Store reviews of six homework apps, wrong answers were the most common complaint, and Gauth drew the most of those. That sample covers unhappy reviewers only, so it says nothing about how often any app is right. Whatever you use, check the answer before you learn it.
More: Photomath alternatives · Ask Poppy vs Photomath · Ask Poppy vs Brainly
Sources (checked Oct 2026): Gauth on the App Store · gauthmath.com · JCQ: AI use in assessments · Ask Poppy on the App Store. Ask Poppy facts are from the current app (version 1.8.3) and its App Store listing. US prices; they vary by country and platform. Spot something out of date? Email [email protected].
Want hints instead of the solution? Ask Poppy is an AI tutor you talk or type to. It asks questions and gives one hint at a time instead of handing you the answer, and it remembers where you left off so you can pick it up again tomorrow.
Free, 30 messages a day on iPhone, iPad and Mac. Optional subscription. (Disclosure: this site is made by the Ask Poppy team.)
Questions
Is Gauth free?
Gauth is free to download with in-app purchases. Gauth Plus, which its App Store listing says unlocks unlimited detailed explanations and more, costs $11.99 a month, $31.99 a quarter or $99.99 a year in the US. The listing doesn't state the free plan's exact limits.
Does Ask Poppy scan homework photos like Gauth?
No, not in the current version. You type the question or say it out loud, and Poppy asks what you've tried and gives one hint at a time.
Is Gauth allowed for GCSE coursework?
JCQ lists Gauth among AI tools and says AI content in coursework must be acknowledged and can't be credited as your own work. In exams, no AI tools are allowed.
Which is better for checking homework?
Gauth, if you want a fast answer to compare against, especially for maths from a photo. Then check it yourself: any AI can be wrong. Ask Poppy is better suited to working a problem out with hints than to checking a finished answer.