➗ Math apps and platforms · 🏫 Classroom tools
Desmos (and Amplify Classroom)
By Desmos Studio PBC; classroom lessons by Amplify Education. Visit Desmos (and Amplify Classroom)
Desk research from the maker's own pages. Not yet tried by us. Checked 2026-10-24.
Free online math tools: a graphing calculator, scientific and four-function calculators, matrix, geometry and 3D tools, and a new Notebook in beta. Students type equations and drag sliders to see graphs change. The same calculator is built into many state tests, the SAT and AP exams. The old Desmos Classroom lessons are now Amplify Classroom, where teachers run free interactive K-12 math, science and literacy activities and watch student screens live.
Our take: Every middle and high schooler should know the calculator; younger kids get more from the teacher-led Amplify Classroom activities than from the tools on their own.
Checked in a browser
A browser check on 2026-10-25: what loads, the ads and trackers we saw, and what a child meets first. Not a hands-on test.
| Child safety: 4 out of 5 | No ads or chat; Log In and Sign Up buttons and links out to test publishers. |
|---|---|
| Data: 5 out of 5 | No ad, tracking or analytics networks; the only third-party host was Bugsnag error reporting, and no cookies were set. |
| Ease: 4 out of 5 | Big, labeled buttons ('Open Graphing Calculator', 'I'm a Student', 'Open 3D') make the start clear for the older kids it suits. |
| Cost honesty: 5 out of 5 | Free, with no upgrade prompts seen. |
What we found
- Contacted 2 third-party sites, both Bugsnag error reporting; 0 cookies set.
- No ads or ad networks.
- Log In and Sign Up buttons at the top; accounts are optional for the calculators.
- Links out to testing and publishing companies (College Board, Pearson, NWEA and others) on an 'Is Desmos on your test?' map.
From the test: Free, ad-free and nearly tracker-free math tools with clear buttons, best for older kids.
| Ages it suits | about 10-18 for the calculators; grades K-12 for Amplify Classroom lessons |
|---|---|
| What its terms say about age | The terms set no age for independent use, but the privacy policy says the service is not directed to children under 13 in the US (under 16 in the UK and EU) unless a school has collected parent consent or a parent contacts Desmos to approve. The simple calculators collect no personal data and are open to anyone. Schools must get verifiable parent consent for students under 13. Amplify Classroom is for K-12 students using it as directed by a school or teacher under Amplify's acceptable use policy. (terms) |
| Price | Free. Calculators and Amplify Classroom lessons are free (Oct 2026). Desmos Professional is a separate paid product for business use. |
| Works on | Web |
| Account | No account needed |
| Ads | None |
| In-app purchases | None |
| The AI in it | No AI; the calculators graph exactly what you type. |
What's good
- Free with no ads and no login needed for the calculators
- Same tool kids will see on the SAT and state tests
- Teacher-paced lessons let a class explore math together
Watch for
- A calculator, not a teacher; kids need instruction alongside it
- Classroom lessons are built for teacher-led use, not solo home study
- Saving graphs needs an account, which is not meant for under-13s without consent
Data and privacy
Desmos says it never sells student data or uses it for targeted ads, and does not let ad networks track visitors; it does use analytics tools such as Google Analytics. Amplify Classroom follows Amplify's school privacy policy, which bars selling student data or targeting ads to students and relies on schools for COPPA consent. Read the privacy policy.
Does it work?
No independent studies of Desmos or Amplify Classroom found; the maker's pages point to its use on the SAT, AP and many state tests rather than learning results.
In the Big Index
- On the list 16 AI math helpers: the ones that teach and the ones that just answer
- On the list 14 AI homework helpers for teens that build understanding
- On the list 14 AI study tools for high schoolers (flashcards, NotebookLM, quizzes)
- On the list 20 best math games for kids (apps, web and board)
- On the list 19 best learning games for tweens (10-13)
- On the list Top 50 free learning sites for kids (2026)
- Desmos
Alternatives to Desmos (and Amplify Classroom)
Desk researchFree, with paid extrasNo ads
99math
99math (Estonia) · ages about 5-14 (grades K-8)
A low-effort, free way for teachers to make fact practice lively; parents of kids who dislike timed competition may want a calmer tool.
Desk researchPaidNo ads
ABCmouse
Age of Learning, Inc. · ages about 2-6 (preschool to kindergarten)
A full preschool program for families who want one paid app; cancel carefully and watch the reward loop.
Desk researchFree, with paid extras
ABCya
ABCya.com LLC (a division of IXL Learning) · ages about 4-12 (pre-K to grade 6+)
Handy for quick grade-level practice in class or at home; skip if you want an ad-free experience without paying.
Desk researchPaidNo ads
Adventure Academy
Age of Learning, Inc. · ages grades 3-8 (about 8-13)
Good for kids who love online games and need a nudge toward school subjects; families wanting no social contact should set chat to off or choose a solo app.
Desk researchPaidNo ads
ALEKS
McGraw Hill (ALEKS Corporation) · ages school-age students through college (K-12 and higher ed courses)
A rigorous, mastery-based option for motivated older students or homeschoolers; younger or easily bored kids may prefer something more playful.
Desk researchPaidNo ads
AoPS Online
Art of Problem Solving (AoPS Incorporated) · ages grades 5-12 (about 10-18)
A strong fit for a child who loves hard math and wants contest prep; a child who is behind in math needs something gentler.
Where these facts come from
- https://www.desmos.com/
- https://www.desmos.com/terms
- https://www.desmos.com/privacy
- https://classroom.amplify.com/
- https://amplify.com/customer-privacy/
- https://amplify.com/site-terms/
- https://amplify.com/acceptable-use-policy/
Prices, terms and features change. Nobody paid to be listed, nothing here is an affiliate link, and Peabody never rates itself. Where we and the maker disagree, the maker's own pages are the ones to trust.