Are Maths Apps Worth It? An Honest Parent's Review (2026)

The Short Answer: It Depends on the App

Not all maths apps are created equal. Some are curriculum-aligned, adaptive, and backed by research. Others are basically adverts wrapped in a thin layer of gamification.

The best maths apps are worth paying for—if they tick the right boxes. The worst ones aren't worth the storage space, even if they're free.

So what separates the good from the gimmicky? Let's break it down.

What Makes a Maths App Worth Paying For?

Before you hand over your card details, check whether the app meets these six criteria:

1. Curriculum Alignment

Does the app follow the UK National Curriculum or White Rose Maths? If it's built for US Common Core or Australian curriculum, your child will encounter unfamiliar methods and terminology.

For example, US apps teach "regrouping" whilst UK schools teach "exchanging". These differences cause confusion, not consolidation.

What to check: Look for explicit mention of "UK curriculum", "White Rose", "NCETM", or specific UK year groups (not grades). If it says "Ages 7-11" without mentioning Year 3-6, it's probably not UK-focused.

2. Adaptive Learning

Does the app adjust difficulty based on your child's performance? Or does it just serve up random questions regardless of whether they're struggling or breezing through?

Good adaptive engines use spaced repetition (revisiting topics at optimal intervals) and adjust when children consistently get questions right or wrong. Poor apps just loop through a question bank.

What to check: Trial the app for a few days. Do questions get easier if your child struggles? Harder if they succeed? Or does it feel random?

3. Engagement Beyond Drills

Does the app offer a meaningful narrative, character progression, or sense of achievement? Or is it just times tables flashcards with cartoon graphics?

The research on gamification in maths learning shows that meaningful game mechanics (story, strategy, building) work better than surface-level "collect coins for correct answers".

What to check: Play the app yourself. Would you engage with this for 10 minutes daily? If you're bored, your child will be too—no matter how many dinosaurs are on screen.

4. Parent Visibility

Can you see what your child is practising, where they're struggling, and how much time they've spent? Or is it a black box?

The best apps offer:

• Weekly progress reports
• Topic-by-topic mastery tracking
• Time spent per session
• Conversation starters ("Your child found equivalent fractions tricky this week")

What to check: Log into the parent dashboard. Is it genuinely useful, or just a token gesture with vague stats?

5. Data Privacy and Safety

Is the app GDPR compliant? Does it show ads to children? Does it harvest data to sell to third parties?

Free apps often monetise through data collection or targeted advertising. If the product is free, your child's attention (or data) is the product.

What to check: Read the privacy policy (search for "data", "advertising", "third party"). Look for explicit GDPR compliance and UK-based data storage. If the app shows ads during learning, walk away.

6. Value for Money

Is it priced reasonably for what it offers? Or are you paying £10/month for glorified flashcards?

Compare cost against alternatives: a maths tutor costs £25-40/hour. A year's subscription to a good app costs £50-100. If the app genuinely replaces 2-3 tutoring sessions per year, it's paid for itself.

Pricing Comparison: Popular UK Maths Apps

Here's what you'll actually pay in 2026:

DoodleMaths

• Cost: £7.99/month or £79.99/year (one child); £9.99/month for family plan
• Curriculum: UK National Curriculum (KS1-KS2)
• Best for: Daily practice, spaced repetition, parent dashboard
• Downsides: Can feel repetitive; limited narrative/character engagement

Mathletics

• Cost: £59/year (one child)
• Curriculum: UK, Australian, US options available
• Best for: Comprehensive coverage, printable worksheets, live challenges
• Downsides: Interface feels dated; some children find it "schooly"

Prodigy

• Cost: Free (with premium membership £7.99/month for cosmetic upgrades)
• Curriculum: US Common Core (not UK-aligned)
• Best for: High engagement, RPG-style gameplay
• Downsides: Not UK curriculum; aggressive upselling to children; US terminology

Times Tables Rock Stars

• Cost: Usually school-provided; individual subscriptions £39.99/year
• Curriculum: UK times tables (KS2)
• Best for: Rapid recall, competitive leaderboards, class battles
• Downsides: Only times tables (narrow focus); some children hate the pressure

MathCraft

• Cost: £4.99/month (free during beta)
• Curriculum: UK National Curriculum / White Rose Maths (Year 4-7)
• Best for: Story-driven learning, RPG progression, raising a virtual companion
• Downsides: Newer app (less established than DoodleMaths or Mathletics)

Free Options

• BBC Bitesize: Free, UK curriculum, excellent videos—but no adaptive practice or progress tracking
• TopMarks: Free interactive games—great for specific topics but no structured progression
• White Rose Maths home learning: Free worksheets and videos—requires parent involvement to guide

Red Flags: When to Avoid a Maths App

Walk away from apps that:

• Show ads to children during learning (breaks focus, often inappropriate)
• Aggressively upsell premium features to the child (creates conflict and nagging)
• Use US-only curriculum (different methods, terminology, and grade expectations)
• Lack parent oversight (no dashboard, no progress reports, no visibility)
• Harvest excessive data (vague privacy policy, third-party data sharing)
• Offer "gamification" without learning (coins and avatars don't equal effective maths practice)

If the app feels more like a manipulative mobile game than an educational tool, trust your instincts.

When Apps Work Better Than Tutoring

Maths apps excel at:

• Daily, low-stakes practice (10 minutes a day beats one hour on Sunday)
• Spaced repetition (revisiting topics at optimal intervals for long-term retention)
• Instant feedback (children learn faster when they know immediately if they're right or wrong)
• Fluency building (times tables, mental arithmetic, number bonds)
• Making practice painless (narrative and progression beats "do this worksheet")

If your child needs to build fluency, consolidate school learning, or practise little and often, a good app is brilliant value.

When Tutoring Works Better Than Apps

Apps can't replace a human for:

• Diagnosing deep misconceptions (e.g., "Why don't you understand place value?")
• Building confidence (a tutor notices anxiety, frustration, avoidance)
• Teaching new concepts (apps consolidate; tutors introduce)
• Exam preparation (11+, SATs, entrance exams need strategic support)
• Significant gaps in understanding (if your Year 5 child can't do Year 3 maths, a tutor can bridge faster)

Think of apps as practice and tutors as teaching. Ideally, you'd use both—but if budget only allows one, choose based on your child's specific need.

How to Trial a Maths App Properly (7-Day Checklist)

Most apps offer a free trial. Don't waste it. Use this checklist to decide if it's worth keeping:

Day 1: First Impressions

• Is onboarding clear? Does the app explain what to do?
• Does your child engage for the first 10 minutes?
• Is the interface intuitive or confusing?

Day 2-3: Check Curriculum Fit

• Are topics aligned to what your child is learning at school?
• Do methods match UK teaching (column addition, bus stop division, etc.)?
• Is the difficulty appropriate for your child's year group?

Day 4-5: Test Adaptive Features

• Do questions get easier if your child struggles?
• Do they get harder if your child succeeds?
• Does it feel personalised or random?

Day 6: Parent Dashboard

• Can you see what your child practised?
• Are reports genuinely useful or just vague stats?
• Does it give you conversation starters?

Day 7: Sustainability Check

• Is your child still engaging or already bored?
• Would they use this daily for 3+ months?
• Does it feel like value for money?

If the app passes all seven days, it's probably worth keeping. If your child loses interest by day 3, cancel and try something else.

Do Maths Apps Actually Help Children Learn?

The research is cautiously optimistic. The Education Endowment Foundation found that well-designed digital tools can add up to 4 months of progress per year—but only when used correctly.

Apps work best when:

• Used alongside (not instead of) quality teaching
• Monitored by parents or teachers
• Used for 10-15 minutes daily (not marathon weekend sessions)
• Focused on specific skills (fluency, recall) rather than trying to replace whole lessons

Apps don't work when:

• Children are left unsupervised for hours ("iPad babysitting")
• Used as a substitute for understanding (drilling methods without comprehension)
• The app prioritises engagement over learning (flashy graphics, minimal substance)

Think of maths apps like a gym membership: the tool doesn't do the work, but it makes consistent practice easier.

The Bottom Line: Are Maths Apps Worth It?

Yes—if you choose wisely.

A good maths app (UK curriculum-aligned, adaptive, engaging, parent-visible, safe) is worth £5-8/month for most families. That's less than one tutoring session and delivers daily practice year-round.

A bad maths app (ads, data harvesting, US curriculum, surface-level gamification) isn't worth it even if it's free.

Use the checklist above to trial properly. Trust your child's engagement. Check the parent dashboard. And remember: apps are practice, not magic. They work best alongside great teaching and parental involvement.