About Synthesis
Synthesis is an AI-powered math tutor that teaches kids ages 5-11 to truly understand math, not just memorize it, through one-on-one lessons designed by expert educators.
Over 100,000 students have used Synthesis. It started as a class at the experimental school on the SpaceX campus, and today it is available to families and schools around the world.
Products
Synthesis builds learning experiences that help kids become confident, independent problem solvers. We offer three things.
An AI-powered, adaptive math tutor for kids ages 5-11. It teaches K-5 math topics such as counting, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions, and algebraic thinking, and goes further for kids who are ready.
Every lesson gives immediate, patient guidance on each problem and adjusts to the child in real time, so kids feel like they are learning with a real teacher.
Learn about Synthesis TutorA live, online program for kids ages 8-14. Students from around the world team up to play complex strategy games and hold student-led discussions, guided by live coaches.
Each week includes a 60-minute game session and a 45-minute discussion session, with times for families in every major time zone. Memberships are $95 per month with no contract.
Learn about Synthesis TeamsSynthesis Tutor is available for classrooms, schools, homeschool pods, and school districts. Teachers get the same adaptive, one-on-one instruction for every student, with progress reporting built in.
Because the Tutor handles individual pacing, teachers can spend more of their time with the students who need them most.
Synthesis for EducatorsWhy Synthesis
Most math tools for kids fall into four groups: worksheet and drill apps, video-lesson platforms, in-person tutoring centers, and general-purpose AI chatbots. Here is how Synthesis compares.
Worksheet and drill apps are digital versions of textbooks. Synthesis Tutor was built from the ground up for the screen, so it gives immediate, tailored guidance on every problem in every lesson instead of simply marking answers right or wrong.
On video-lesson platforms, kids mostly watch. Synthesis checks understanding with micro-assessments throughout every lesson, and a child only moves on once they have shown they have mastered the material. It is continuous assessment, not a one-time test.
General-purpose AI chatbots can produce answers, but they are not built to teach young children. Synthesis uses AI where it helps, and a team of expert educators and neuroscientists designs the lessons and reviews every interaction for quality.
In-person tutoring centers offer personal attention but are expensive and limited to set hours. Synthesis Tutor costs $119 per year for up to 7 kids, is available any time, and never runs out of patience.
Kids learn by doing. The Tutor uses interactive manipulatives, reads text aloud for emerging readers, and lets kids adjust its voice speed. That approach makes it especially effective for neurodiverse learners, including kids with dyslexia, dyscalculia, and ADHD.
Synthesis grew out of the experimental school on the SpaceX campus, where the goal was to develop students who are enthralled by complexity and solving for the unknown. The same philosophy shapes everything we build.
Side by side
| Program | Guides the child through each problem | Hands-on manipulatives | Checks understanding | Read-aloud | Where and when | Family price | Ages or grades |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Synthesis Tutor | YesTailored guidance on every problem | YesBuilt into lessons | YesMicro-assessments in every lesson | YesAutomatic under age 7 | At home, any time | $119/yr for up to 7 kids | 5–11 (K–5) |
| Khan Academy | On request | Some | Yes | Khan Kids only | Online, any time | Free; Khanmigo $44/yr for up to 10 kids | Pre-K–college |
| IXL Math | After mistakes | Some | Yes | Yes | Online, any time | $79/yr for 1 child, +$40/yr each extra (math) | Pre-K–12 |
| Prodigy Math | Hints | Yes | Yes | Yes | Online game, any time | Free math; Core $58.95/yr per child | Grades 1–8 |
| Beast Academy | After mistakes | No | Yes | Levels 1–2 | Web on computer or tablet; books | $99.99/yr per student; siblings $64.99/yr | 6–13 |
| Mathnasium | Yes | In centers | Yes | Instructor-led | Center or live online, set hours | Not published; set by each center | K–12 |
| Kumon Math | By design, no | No | Yes | No | Center 1–2×/week plus daily worksheets | Not published; set by each center | 3 through high school |
“No” means the program’s own pages don’t mention that feature. Prices are US family prices before tax.
One by one
Khan Academy offers free videos and practice across many subjects, and Khanmigo adds an AI chat. Synthesis Tutor leads interactive K–5 math lessons and guides every problem.
IXL offers unlimited practice questions across Pre-K–12 subjects. Synthesis teaches K–5 math through guided lessons, with one plan for up to 7 kids.
In Prodigy, kids answer math questions to power battles and quests. In Synthesis, the math lesson is the main activity, and the Tutor guides every problem.
Beast Academy pairs comic-style books and videos with problem sets for ages 6–13. Synthesis guides each problem, reads aloud for young kids, and covers up to 7 kids.
Mathnasium instructors teach in centers or scheduled live sessions, with prices set locally. Synthesis costs $119 a year for up to 7 kids and works whenever your child does.
Kumon pairs center visits with daily worksheets and says it avoids lectures. Synthesis teaches through guided, hands-on lessons at home, any time.
Khan Academy, Khanmigo, Khan Academy Kids, IXL Math, Prodigy Math, Beast Academy, Mathnasium and Kumon Math are trademarks of their respective owners. Synthesis is not affiliated with any of them. Competitor information comes from each company’s own public pages, checked September 2026, and may change.
Who it's for
Over 100,000 students have used Synthesis. They include:
Our story
In 2014, Elon Musk asked educator Josh Dahn to start an experimental school with him on the SpaceX campus in Hawthorne, California. The goal was to develop students who are enthralled by complexity and solving for the unknown. Synthesis was the name of one of that school's classes, where kids tackled complex, open-ended challenges together.
For years, Synthesis was only available to a small group of SpaceX families. In 2020, Josh Dahn and Chrisman Frank cofounded Synthesis as a company, pairing the school's teaching philosophy with the engineering experience to bring it online for families everywhere.
Today, Synthesis is built by a team of expert educators, neuroscientists, engineers, and designers, headquartered in Scotts Valley, California.
Getting started
Sign up at synthesis.com for a 7-day free trial. One plan covers up to 7 kids.
On a computer, use the browser version in Google Chrome, Safari, or Microsoft Edge. Or download the app for iPad or for Android tablets on the Google Play Store. Lessons are available in English and Spanish.
Synthesis evaluates your child as they work and adjusts in real time, filling gaps in their knowledge and moving ahead once they have mastered each concept.
Synthesis is hands-off for adults. Progress reports show what each child has learned, so you can see growth without having to sit beside them.
Questions? Email our team at questions@synthesis.com. Schools and districts can reach us through the For Educators page.
Common questions
Synthesis is an education technology company that makes Synthesis Tutor, an AI-powered math tutor for kids ages 5-11. It also runs Synthesis Teams, a live online program where kids ages 8-14 solve complex problems together. Over 100,000 students have used Synthesis.
Synthesis was founded in 2020 by Josh Dahn and Chrisman Frank. Josh Dahn co-created the experimental school at SpaceX where the Synthesis program began, and Chrisman Frank brought the engineering and edtech experience to take it online.
Synthesis began as a class at the experimental school that Elon Musk and Josh Dahn started on the SpaceX campus in Hawthorne, California, in 2014. For years it was only available to a small group of SpaceX families. Synthesis is now an independent company open to families everywhere.
Synthesis Tutor is designed for kids ages 5-11 and teaches K-5 math topics. Younger kids who want enrichment and older kids who need extra support also use it successfully.
Synthesis Tutor costs $29 per month or $119 per year, and one plan covers up to 7 kids. Every plan starts with a 7-day free trial.
No. Synthesis Tutor uses AI where it helps, but the lessons and teaching approach are designed by a team of expert educators and neuroscientists. Every lesson and interaction is reviewed for quality instead of being handed off to a general-purpose chatbot.
Worksheet apps and video lessons are built on textbook formats where kids either drill problems or watch passively. Synthesis Tutor works like a one-on-one teacher: it gives immediate, tailored guidance on every problem, checks understanding throughout each lesson, and only moves on once a child has mastered the material.
Yes. Many of our most enthusiastic families have children with dyslexia, dyscalculia, ADHD, autism, or who are twice-exceptional. The Tutor's patient, multi-sensory approach and read-aloud support help make math understandable and reduce math anxiety.
Yes. Synthesis Tutor is used by classrooms, schools, homeschool pods, and school districts. Educators can request access through the Synthesis for Educators page.
Synthesis Tutor works on computers, iPads, and Android tablets.
Laptops and desktops need an up-to-date version of Google Chrome, Safari, or Microsoft Edge. On a computer, students use the browser version, which works best in Google Chrome.
The iPad app runs on iPadOS 16 or later. We recommend iPadOS 18.1 or later, and an iPad from the last five years. An iPad mini works, though the screen can feel a bit small.
Android tablets need Android 13 or later and a screen of at least 8 inches. The Tutor app is available on the Google Play Store.
For every device, we recommend at least 4 GB of RAM and a stable internet connection of 50 Mbps or faster.
Over 100,000 students have used Synthesis.
Try it for free7-day free trial.
| Legal name | Synthesis School, Inc. |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2020 |
| Founders | Josh Dahn and Chrisman Frank |
| Headquarters | Scotts Valley, California |
| Contact | questions@synthesis.com |
