The best Khanmigo alternatives in 2026

The closest Khanmigo alternatives are ChatGPT study mode and Gemini Guided Learning, which are free and guide with questions instead of quick answers, Claude's Learning style for adults, and Ask Poppy for voice-first tutoring on iPhone, iPad and Mac. For maths with 5 to 11 year olds, Synthesis Tutor is a closer fit. None of them comes with Khan Academy's free course library, so if you live in the US and want structured courses, Khanmigo at $4 a month is still hard to beat.

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.

Why people look for an alternative

Location. Khanmigo for learners and parents requires an account holder who is 18+, lives in the US and has a US billing address (khanmigo.ai).
No free tier for families. It costs $4 a month or $44 a year (khanmigo.ai).
Device. Khanmigo's chat, parent tools and teacher tools aren't in the Khan Academy app; the chat works on the web, including a mobile browser (Khan Academy Help).
Tests. It is switched off on Khan Academy quizzes, unit tests, course challenges and mastery challenges, and isn't set up for MCAT, LSAT or Praxis prep (Khan Academy Help).

Khanmigo and five alternatives, side by side

	Khanmigo	ChatGPT study mode	Gemini Guided Learning	Claude (Learning style)	Ask Poppy	Synthesis Tutor
Guides instead of answering?	Yes, by design: guides learners to find the answer (Khan)	A mode ("Study and learn") you can toggle on and off mid-chat	A mode in the tools menu; normal Gemini answers directly	A style you pick from a menu and can turn off	Built to ask questions and give hints instead of answers; it isn't a mode you switch on	Adaptive maths lessons (not a general chat tutor)
Subjects	Maths, science, coding, history, humanities; tied to Khan exercises, videos, articles	Anything; upload your own notes	Anything; adds images, diagrams and YouTube videos	Anything	Any topic you bring; No course library. Looks up official curriculum goals for some countries; no exam-board (GCSE, A-level, IB) content	Maths
Free option	No (learners and parents)	Yes, on Free	Yes, "for everyone"	Yes, Free plan	Yes: 30 messages a day	Free trial, no card
Paid (US)	$4/month or $44/year	App Store: Go $8.00, Plus $19.99/month	App Store: Google AI Plus $4.99, AI Pro $19.99/month	Pro $20/month ($17/month billed yearly)	$3.99/week or $9.99/month	"Less than $1/day"
Who can sign up	18+ in the US with US billing; parent adds up to 10 under-18s	13+; under 18 needs parent permission	13+ with a personal account; under 13 via Family Link (not EEA, Switzerland, UK)	18+	App Store 4+; a parent can add up to 3 child profiles	Designed for ages 5–11
Voice	Speech-to-text and read-aloud	ChatGPT voice (limited on Free); unclear if study mode applies in voice	Gemini Live on mobile; unclear if Guided Learning applies in Live	Voice mode on all plans	Yes: hold to talk, it speaks back (4 voices, adjustable pace), or type	Choices read aloud, adjustable speed
Platforms	Web (chat); Khan app has Activities only	Web, iOS, Android	Web; rolling out in mobile apps	Web, desktop, iOS, Android	iPhone, iPad, Mac (Apple silicon). No Android or web app	Not confirmed on the page we checked

Who should pick which

Stay with Khanmigo if

you live in the US, want a tutor attached to structured maths, science and coding courses, and want one low price for several children.

Pick ChatGPT study mode if

your teen is 13+, wants it free, and wants to study from their own notes and slides. Parents with linked teen accounts can set study mode on by default (OpenAI: parental controls).

Pick Gemini Guided Learning if

you learn best with diagrams, images and videos, or your family already uses Google accounts.

Pick Claude's Learning style if

you're an adult (18+) who already uses Claude.

Pick Ask Poppy if

you're outside the US or on iPhone, iPad or Mac, and want to talk a topic through out loud, in any subject. It has no course library or exam-board content.

Pick Synthesis Tutor if

your child is 5 to 11 and the goal is maths.

Going deeper: Ask Poppy vs Khanmigo · Is Khanmigo worth it? · Khanmigo vs ChatGPT study mode

Sources (checked Oct 2026): khanmigo.ai · Khan Academy Help · OpenAI: study mode · ChatGPT pricing · OpenAI terms · OpenAI: parental controls · ChatGPT on the App Store · Google: Guided Learning · Gemini Help: learning tools · Gemini Help: sign-in · Gemini Help: children · Engadget, Aug 2025 · Claude pricing · Anthropic consumer terms · synthesis.com/tutor · 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 to try a voice-first alternative for free? 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.)

About Ask Poppy

Questions

Is there a free alternative to Khanmigo?

Yes. ChatGPT study mode and Gemini Guided Learning are both included on free accounts for users 13 and over, and both guide with questions and hints instead of quick answers. Ask Poppy is free for 30 messages a day. None of them includes Khan Academy's course library.

Can I use Khanmigo outside the US?

Not as a learner or parent. Khan Academy says you must be 18 or older, live in the United States and have a US billing address; under-18s are added by a parent. Teachers in some countries can get Khanmigo for Teachers free.

Is Khan Academy itself free?

Yes. Khan Academy says its content library and learning platform will always remain free. Only the Khanmigo AI tutor is paid for learners and parents ($4 a month or $44 a year).

Which Khanmigo alternative is best for young children?

For maths at ages 5 to 11, Synthesis Tutor is designed for that age group. ChatGPT requires users to be 13 or older, Claude 18 or older, and Gemini allows under-13s only through a parent's Family Link account outside the EEA, Switzerland and the UK.