A fair comparison
Why not ChatGPT, NSWEduChat or Khanmigo?
It is a fair question. Each of these is a real option, and for some families one of them will be the better choice. Here is how SparkIQ differs, based on public pages we link to below.
Checked 6 October 2026. Products change, so check the sources before you decide.
We make this product, so read it with that in mind. We describe the other tools from their public pages and haven't run side-by-side tests. SparkIQ is in early access and has no outcome data from families yet, so we make no claim that it gets better results than any of them.
At a glance
| Question | SparkIQ | NSWEduChat | Khanmigo | A general chatbot (such as ChatGPT) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Made for | Australian students in Years 3–12, NSW curriculum first, used at home | NSW public school students, announced for Year 5 and up, used through school | Students and teachers; US-first | Everyone. A general-purpose assistant, not designed specifically for children |
| Cost to a family | Free during early access. Paid plans are not open yet | Free to NSW public school students, according to the NSW Government | A paid subscription for families. See its pricing page | Free and paid tiers. See the provider |
| When a child says “just tell me” | A hint, then a question, then the working only after real tries | Designed to guide students rather than just hand over answers, as we read the announcement | A Socratic tutoring style | Usually gives the answer. It can be asked to coach instead, but the child has to ask |
| What a parent sees | A weekly summary in the Parents area, and an optional weekly email | Delivered through school. Ask the school what, if anything, parents can see | Describes a parent view. See its page | Depends on the account and settings |
| Local curriculum | NSW syllabus first. The maths mapping is a draft and hasn't had an independent teacher review yet | Built for NSW schools | US-first. One independent review describes it as US-centric | Not tied to any curriculum |
| Exam-style practice | Original NAPLAN, OC and Selective-style papers, not real past papers | See the announcement for what it covers | See its page for what it covers | Can be asked for practice questions. Check them against the official sources |
| Your child's data | Nickname, year and curriculum. Progress stays on the device by default. See Safety and data | Read the Department's privacy information | Read its privacy policy | Read the provider's privacy policy and terms, including minimum age |
When another option may be the better choice
- Your child is in a NSW public school, Year 5 or above. NSWEduChat is free and provided through school. Try it first, and ask the teacher how it is used in class.
- You want a low-cost Socratic tutor and the US curriculum isn't a problem. Khanmigo is built on Khan Academy's content and may suit you.
- You are an adult, or want help well beyond school work. A general chatbot is powerful. For a child, check the provider's age rules, decide what supervision and settings you want, and know that its default is to answer.
What SparkIQ is trying to do differently
- Made for Australian families at home. NSW curriculum first, with original NAPLAN, OC and Selective-style practice for the years those tests happen.
- Finds the level first. A short starting check of about five minutes, then it adjusts answer by answer.
- The AI tutors; fixed rules decide. Mastery, level and practice-paper scores come from fixed rules in the app, not from the AI. A hinted answer doesn't count towards mastery.
- A weekly view for you. What they practised, and a strength and a next step when there is enough practice to say. See an example with made-up data.
- Privacy-first, and honest about limits. No ads, nothing sold, a child profile of just a nickname, a year and a curriculum. See Safety and data, including where it falls short.
You don't have to pick one. Plenty of families will use a school tool and a home tool together.
Sources
- NSWEduChat: NSW Government, NSW to roll out purpose-built AI education tool to all public school students from Year 5
- Khanmigo: Khanmigo pricing and plans
- Khanmigo, independent view: Kids AI Tools, Khanmigo review for parents (2026)
- General chatbots: OpenAI terms of use, for age and consent rules
Spotted something out of date or unfair? Tell us and we'll fix it.