Times Tables is the kind of app a parent installs the night before a multiplication test. It drills 1 through 20 well, and the brain-training games keep kids in the seat a bit longer than flashcards would. The problem is what happens next. After two weeks the timer mode loses its pull, the ads cut into focus, and there is no path from “I learned my 7s” to “I can divide and tackle fractions”. These seven Times Tables alternatives close that gap, ranging from full kids math curricula to homework solvers for older students.
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Free plan | Starting price | Standout feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Khan Academy Kids | Ages 2 to 8, whole curriculum | Fully free, no ads | Free | Reading, math, social-emotional in one app |
| Photomath | Step-by-step homework help | Free with limits | from about $9.99/mo | Camera-based equation solver |
| Prodigy Math | Engagement for ages 6 to 13 | Free core game | from about $8.99/mo | RPG world tied to actual math standards |
| DragonBox Numbers | Number sense for ages 4 to 8 | None, one-time purchase | one-time about $7.99 | Visual model of how numbers behave |
| Mathway | Solver across all topics | View answers free | from about $9.99/mo | Covers algebra, calc, stats, not just arithmetic |
| Khan Academy | Free from pre-K through college | Fully free, no ads | Free | Full math curriculum with mastery system |
| Multiplication by Boriol | Pure times tables practice | Free with ads | Ad-free upgrade | Multiple game modes for drilling tables |
Why people leave Times Tables
We read through reviews and parent forums. Four themes come up over and over.
The scope is narrow. Times Tables does multiplication up to 20 well, but kids work on more than that, division, fractions, mental math, word problems. Parents end up installing three apps to cover what one full curriculum would.
Ads break concentration. The free tier shows enough ads that younger kids tap them by accident, which ends the session. Removing ads costs more than a stronger app like Prodigy or Khan Academy Kids would, and those are free with no ads to begin with.
No progress reporting parents trust. The in-app stars are fine, but there is no breakdown of which tables a child is still slow on, no retention curve, nothing to share with a teacher.
Drills get repetitive fast. After mastering a table, the modes shuffle but the underlying questions cycle. Kids who actually like math want more variety or a story to motivate the practice.
Khan Academy Kids. Best free option for ages 2 to 8
Khan Academy Kids is the standout free app for pre-K through 2nd grade. The math track covers counting, addition, subtraction, early multiplication, and number sense, all wrapped in cartoon characters that kids actually engage with. There are no ads, no in-app purchases, and no upsells, the entire app is free because it sits inside the non-profit Khan Academy mission.
Where it falls short: The cap is age 8. Once a child passes 3rd-grade content the app runs out of new material, and you graduate them to regular Khan Academy.
Pricing: Free. No ads. No premium tier.
Times Tables vs Khan Academy Kids: Khan Academy Kids covers far more ground than Times Tables and does it without the ad interruptions. The catch is the upper age limit; older kids drilling tables 11 to 20 will still want a focused tool.
Migrating from Times Tables: Create a kid profile, pick an age band, and the app sets the starting level. No data import.
Download: Aptoide · Google Play · App Store
Bottom line: Pick Khan Academy Kids if your child is 8 or under. There is no better-value app on Android.
Photomath. Best for older kids who need solving steps
Photomath is the app for the homework problem your fourth-grader (or fourteen-year-old) cannot start. Point the camera at any printed or handwritten equation, and Photomath returns the answer plus the step-by-step working. Coverage includes basic arithmetic, fractions, algebra, calculus, and word problems. Animated tutorials walk through the reasoning at each step.
Where it falls short: Photomath solves rather than teaches. Without a parent steering the conversation, it can become a copy-the-answer machine. The free tier also caps step-by-step views per day.
Pricing: Free with daily step-by-step caps. Plus runs around $9.99/month or $69.99/year and unlocks unlimited steps plus tutor-style explanations.
Times Tables vs Photomath: Different jobs. Times Tables drills speed; Photomath teaches reasoning. For a child past the multiplication-fact stage, Photomath is more useful.
Migrating from Times Tables: Install and point the camera at a homework page. The first solve takes 10 seconds.
Download: Aptoide · Google Play · App Store
Bottom line: Pick Photomath when the kid is past drilling and needs help with the actual homework.
Prodigy Math. Best for ages 6 to 13 who refuse to "do math"
Prodigy Math dresses curriculum-aligned math practice as a Pokemon-style RPG. Kids battle monsters by answering math questions, level up their character, and collect creatures. The free tier covers all the academic content; paid plans add cosmetic and gameplay perks rather than gating actual learning. Coverage runs from 1st through 8th grade, with content adjusted to your child’s grade and recent performance.
Where it falls short: The paid pitch can leak into the experience. Some kids feel pressure to buy the membership for the cosmetic items, even though the math itself is fully free. Sessions can also run long if a kid gets into the game side.
Pricing: Core math game is free. Membership runs about $8.99/month or $74.95/year and unlocks pets, hairstyles, premium events.
Times Tables vs Prodigy: Prodigy reaches kids who otherwise refuse to open a math app. Times Tables is more focused but feels like work; Prodigy hides the work inside the game.
Migrating from Times Tables: Set up a parent account, link the child’s grade level, and the placement test (a few in-game battles) sets the difficulty.
Download: Aptoide · Google Play · App Store
Bottom line: Pick Prodigy if engagement is the actual problem and the math content is secondary to keeping the kid playing.
DragonBox Numbers. Best for early number sense
DragonBox Numbers is the math app for kids who have not yet locked in what numbers are. The Nooms (cute creature characters that visually represent quantities) let kids stack, slice, and combine numbers in a way that builds intuitive understanding rather than rote memorisation. By the end, the child has internalised place value, decomposition, and basic addition through play rather than drills.
Where it falls short: The age range is narrow (4 to 8). Older kids will finish the content fast and not return. The app is also paid up-front rather than free with IAPs.
Pricing: One-time purchase, currently about $7.99. No subscriptions, no IAPs.
Times Tables vs DragonBox Numbers: Different stages of learning. DragonBox Numbers builds the foundation that makes multiplication practice (Times Tables) make sense later. If your child still counts on fingers for single-digit sums, start with DragonBox.
Migrating from Times Tables: Install, open, and hand the device to the child. The early levels are tap-and-learn with almost no text.
Download: Aptoide · Google Play · App Store
Bottom line: Pick DragonBox Numbers when the goal is real understanding before drilling speed.
Mathway. Best solver for older students
Mathway has been the go-to math solver for high school and university students since long before AI tutors existed. Type or photograph a problem and Mathway returns the answer with step-by-step working. Coverage spans pre-algebra through calculus, statistics, finite math, and physics, well beyond what Photomath handles, which is its main edge for advanced material.
Where it falls short: The free tier shows the answer but locks the steps. The step-by-step unlock is the entire reason most people install Mathway, so most users hit the paywall fast.
Pricing: Free for answers. Premium runs about $9.99/month or $79.99/year and unlocks steps and detailed working.
Times Tables vs Mathway: Mathway is the older-student tool. If the kid is past arithmetic and into algebra, Mathway handles the topics Times Tables and Photomath skim.
Migrating from Times Tables: Install, snap a homework problem, and pay or scroll past for the answer.
Download: Aptoide · Google Play · App Store
Bottom line: Pick Mathway when the student is in middle or high school and the problems have variables.
Khan Academy. Best free comprehensive curriculum
Khan Academy (the original, not the kids version) covers math from kindergarten through early university for free. The mastery system tracks every skill, every topic, every concept, and tells the student exactly what to practise next. Video explanations sit alongside the practice problems, so a stuck student can watch a 5-minute lesson without leaving the app.
Where it falls short: It is a serious tool, not a game. Kids under 8 will find it dry next to Prodigy or Khan Academy Kids. The interface assumes some self-direction.
Pricing: Fully free. No ads, no premium tier, no upsells. Funded by a non-profit.
Times Tables vs Khan Academy: Khan Academy is the full curriculum that includes multiplication facts plus everything that comes after. It is the natural graduation path once Times Tables (or any drill app) has done its job.
Migrating from Times Tables: Create an account, set the child’s grade level, and pick a skill to start on. The mastery system fills in the rest.
Download: Aptoide · Google Play · App Store
Bottom line: Pick Khan Academy when you want a long-term home for math learning that does not cost anything.
Multiplication by Boriol. Best pure drill replacement
Times Tables Multiplication by Boriol is the most direct one-for-one swap. It does exactly what Times Tables does, multiple modes for drilling tables 1 through 12 (and beyond), score tracking, time challenges, and a clean interface. The differences are mostly down to taste: Boriol’s graphics are cleaner and the ad load is lighter on the free tier.
Where it falls short: Same constraint as Times Tables. Multiplication only. No path to division, fractions, or anything else.
Pricing: Free with ads. Ad-free upgrade is a small one-time purchase.
Times Tables vs Multiplication by Boriol: Similar scope and feature set. Most parents who try both end up keeping the one with the better interface for their child; the underlying drill is the same.
Migrating from Times Tables: Install and pick a starting table. No setup required.
Download: Aptoide · Google Play
Bottom line: Pick Boriol if the format works for your kid but Times Tables specifically is not clicking.
How to choose
If the child is 8 or younger, pick Khan Academy Kids. Free, no ads, full kid-friendly curriculum, no downside.
If the child is older and needs homework help, pick Photomath for arithmetic through algebra, or Mathway for higher-level math.
If engagement is the actual problem and the kid resists math apps, pick Prodigy Math. The free tier covers all the academic content.
If the child still struggles with what numbers actually are (counting, place value, decomposition), pick DragonBox Numbers first and add drills later.
If you want a long-term home for math learning that costs nothing, pick Khan Academy.
If you only need a cleaner version of the same multiplication drill, pick Multiplication by Boriol and move on.
Stay on Times Tables if your child is locked in on a near-term test and the drill format works. For anything longer-term, one of the above will outgrow Times Tables within weeks.
FAQ
What is the best free Times Tables alternative? Khan Academy Kids (for ages 2 to 8) and Khan Academy (for older) are both fully free with no ads and no upsells. Prodigy Math is also free at its core, with optional cosmetics behind a paywall.
Which app teaches multiplication best for kids who hate drilling? Prodigy Math, by a wide margin. It wraps real math practice in an RPG so kids spend an hour without realising they have been answering math questions the whole time.
Is Photomath better than Times Tables? For different purposes. Times Tables drills multiplication facts; Photomath solves homework problems. A child in 3rd grade learning their 7s does not need Photomath. A child in 5th grade stuck on fractions does.
Can I import progress from Times Tables to another app? No. Times Tables stores progress locally and does not export. Every alternative on this list has its own placement test or onboarding flow that gets to the right starting level within minutes.
What is the best Times Tables alternative without ads? Khan Academy Kids, Khan Academy, and DragonBox Numbers are all ad-free. The first two are free; DragonBox is a small one-time purchase.
Does any alternative work offline? Khan Academy Kids works fully offline once downloaded. Khan Academy supports downloaded videos and selected exercises. Photomath and Mathway need a connection for the solver step. DragonBox Numbers runs fully offline.
