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Teaching is hard. Not just the standing-in-front-of-the-classroom kind of hard, but the behind-the-scenes grind that no one talks about.
Planning lessons, grading stacks of papers, and staying late to figure out how to make dry topics click for restless students add up to 10 hours of work per week for you as a teacher.
That's why AI for teachers feels like a lifeline as tools like AI-powered grading systems now cut your time by up to 70%.
That’s huge because this is the time you can use to make an impact. For example, you can sit down with struggling students, working through their challenges without feeling rushed.
Or even just having the rare freedom to leave school on time, knowing your work is handled and your energy isn’t completely drained.
Feels right? Below are the 14 personally tested AI tools for teachers and educators that make your life easier.
The Role of AI in Modern Education
AI tools are changing how classrooms work and making teaching and learning more effective. With AI support, teachers can...
- Create content for students needing additional support.
- Create instant, customized practice tasks for students.
- Draft emails and updates for parent communication.
- Identify strengths and weaknesses in assignments.
- Get ideas for engaging projects and strategies.
- Generate personalized and adaptable lesson plans.
- Organize and share resources for team collaboration.
- Simplify scheduling and administrative record-keeping.
However, AI for teachers is only as good as the data and prompts it’s given. Teachers report AI hallucinations, confidently wrong outputs, and superficial answers.
This isn’t a major issue but it means AI isn’t a “set it and forget it” tool.
Moreover, without proper guidance, students could misuse it for shortcuts such as copying homework answers instead of learning.
Therefore, it's best to treat AI as a helpful partner, not a replacement. Use it to strengthen learning while maintaining your personal touch through mentorship and creative teaching.
The Best AI Tools for Teachers (Free & Paid)
Here are some AI tools for educators, both free and paid, that will genuinely help in your classroom, not just check boxes for technology integration.
Zebracat (AI Video Generator Tool)
Zebrcat is one of the best AI-powered online course creation tools that lets you make educational videos with the help of text prompts, blog posts, or scripts.
It's designed to help teachers create engaging content for their lessons without needing technical expertise.
Key Features
- Text-to-video converter transforms blogs or scripts into visually dynamic explainer videos without the need for technical skills.
- Its AI will automatically pick the best stock footage clips to create an engaging video for you.
- AI voiceover with natural-sounding voices that makes the content more engaging and accessible to students.
- Built-in music, sound effects, and transitions that adds depth and polish to videos so they become easier to follow for students.
- Upload your footage from a field trip, class activities, personal projects, etc.
- It clones your voice that feels more authentic for students as the teacher.
Best Use Case
One of the best ways to use Zebracat is to create engaging, high-quality content for lessons that require dynamic visuals—for example, a history or literature lesson.
Once I created an educational video on the civil rights movement. For this, I just input my script and let Zebracat generate a video with visual elements, voiceovers, and historical images.
Within minutes, I had an engaging video with voiceovers, animations, and even background music—perfect for students to review at their own pace. Here it is.
Why Educators Love It?
- Saves time on video creation, letting teachers focus on other aspects of lesson planning.
- No need for professional video editing skills.
- Engages students through multimedia content, which can improve retention.
- Ideal for creating content for flipped classrooms or remote learning environments.
- Great for social media content to promote class projects.
Pricing
- Free Plan: Limited video generation per month.
- Paid Plans: Start at $15.60/month for more features, including unlimited video creation, and custom branding.
ChatGPT (AI Writing Assistant)
Teaching comes with countless responsibilities, but ChatGPT can help manage them efficiently. It drafts lesson plans, generates quizzes, and simplifies complex topics.
Also, you can generate fresh ideas for class projects, grade student activities, and write emails or parent updates.
Key Features
- Natural language generation for essay writing, lesson plans, etc.
- Real-time text suggestions and improvements.
- Ability to summarize and generate ideas for various topics.
- Multi-language support.
- Remembers past conversations so you can pick up right where you left off.
Best Use Case
One of the best ways this AI for teachers can help you is by generating engaging and well-structured lesson plans. When I created a lesson on renewable energy, I asked ChatGPT for an outline that included interactive activities, real-world examples, and assessment ideas.
Within seconds, it provided a comprehensive framework:
- Key points about solar, wind, and hydro energy.
- A brainstorming activity where students identify renewable resources in their communities.
- A hands-on group project to design a basic solar-powered device.
With this outline, you can spend less time on prep and more time customizing the lesson for your student’s needs.
Why Educators Love It?
- Reduces time spent on repetitive tasks like writing and drafting
- Assists with idea generation and brainstorming
- Helps students with writing, improving clarity, and style
- Can be used in any subject area
Pricing
- Free Plan: Limited to basic functionality and access
- ChatGPT Plus: $20/month for faster responses and access to GPT-4
Grammarly (AI Writing Assistant)
Grammarly is like having a sharp-eyed editor by your side. If you’re swamped with grading essays or writing feedback—Grammarly catches grammar mistakes, rewrites clunky sentences, and makes your writing clearer.
You don’t have to waste time nitpicking over commas or rephrasing awkward lines.
This AI tool for teachers is especially useful when you’re writing student feedback, emails, or even lesson materials. Plus it works right inside Word or Google Docs, so you’re not jumping between tools.
Key Features
- Grammar, punctuation, and style checker
- Detects plagiarism
- Tone and clarity suggestions
- Works in browsers, desktop apps, and even mobile devices
Best Use Case
Use Grammarly to review your students’ essays, assignments, and reports. It highlights errors, suggests corrections, and helps them improve their writing style.
Last year, a teacher friend was overwhelmed with grading essays. I suggested Grammarly, and we tried it on one paper.
Within seconds, it flagged run-on sentences, vague words, and tense issues while clearly explaining each mistake.
She loved how easy it was to share the feedback with her students. And it saved her hours of work.
Why Educators Love It?
- Gives instant feedback for quicker revisions
- Supports multiple platforms, including email and document editing
- Provides better word choices to improve vocabulary variety and avoid repetition
- Offers corrections for non-English speakers, ideal for ESL teachers or multilingual classrooms.
Pricing
- Free Plan: Basic grammar and spelling checks
- Premium Plan: $12/month with advanced suggestions, plagiarism and AI checks, and more
Kahoot! (Interactive Learning Platform)
Kahoot! is a game-based learning platform where you can create quizzes, surveys, and learning games for students.
Its music, fast-paced format, and live leaderboard keep students engaged. It’s perfect for quick reviews, icebreakers, or even gauging prior knowledge before starting a new topic.
Plus, you can pause after a question to go over what students got wrong—something you can’t do as easily with other tools.
Key Features
- Team-based game modes for collaboration.
- Self-paced homework quizzes for flexibility.
- New modes like Submarine Squad and Robot Run.
- Integration with Google Classroom for assignments.
- Accessible across devices without downloads.
- Option to randomize questions for fairness.
- Language support for multilingual classrooms.
Best Use Case
Kahoot works best for quick, high-energy reviews or as a formative assessment tool to instantly check what students understand.
I’ve tested Kahoot to wrap up lessons by spotting common misconceptions—if half the class misses a question, you can pause, explain, and reset.
It’s also great for breaking up lectures and keeping students engaged, especially when they start zoning out. It’s not a deep learning tool, but it’s a solid way to get instant feedback and make sure the basics stick.
Why Educators Love It?
- Increases student participation through gamified content
- Simple to use and set up
- Gives feedback quickly
Pricing
- Free Plan: Limited to basic features and access
- Paid Plans: Starting at $3.99/month for more features
Canva for Education (Design & Presentation Tool)
Canva for Educators makes it easy to create sharp, professional-looking materials without wasting time.
It’s free, packed with templates for everything from lesson plans to class posters, and super easy to use—even if you haven’t made a design before.
You can collaborate with students, create group projects, and share designs instantly. It’s simple, fast, and makes your work look like you spent hours when it only took minutes.
Key Features
- Access to premium fonts and graphics for free.
- Save projects directly as PDFs or PowerPoints.
- Create interactive whiteboard activities easily.
- Built-in tools for video creation and editing.
Best Use Case
It helps you create quick, professional-looking visuals for class agendas, newsletters, or project templates that grab attention without wasting hours.
My friend, a middle school teacher, uses it for student projects such as digital posters and presentations. His students pick it up fast, and the results look elegant.
You will love how this AI for teachers makes being creative easier without the Adobe-level learning curve.
Why Educators Love It?
- Simple, easy-to-use design tools without needing graphic design experience
- Free access to premium features for educators
- Collaboration features for team projects and lesson planning
Pricing
- Free Plan: Full access to design tools
- Paid Plans: Starting at $5/month for more features and premium assets
Turnitin (Plagiarism Detection)
Turnitin’s plagiarism tool helps you catch copied content in student papers quickly. It gives you clear, easy-to-read reports that show where students might have reused work.
You get to spot problems before they snowball while also making sure your grading stays fair and consistent. It’s a simple way to keep assignments honest without wasting time.
Key Features
- Checks for similarities across various databases.
- Highlights exact matches and paraphrased text.
- Identifies potential AI-generated content.
- Integrates with LMS.
Best Use Case
Turnitin’s plagiarism detection is best for essays, research papers, or class discussions where original student work is critical. When I personally tested it, I saw it flag entire sentences and research sections.
It even caught reused academic text and even improperly cited work, but sometimes it also flags common phrases, which can be frustrating. Therefore, you should always cross-check flagged content for context before taking action.
Why Educators Love It?
- Provides detailed originality reports with match breakdown.
- Excludes properly cited work from similarity checks.
- Gives percentage-based similarity scores for papers.
- Enables custom settings to fine-tune plagiarism checks
Pricing
- Custom pricing based on institutional needs
Quizlet (Study Tool)
Quizlet’s AI tools for teachers are perfect for improving the study process. You can upload your class notes, and it automatically converts them into flashcards, quizzes, and study guides.
I’ve seen teachers use it to help students review before tests, and it’s clear that it makes studying more interactive. It’s a great tool to make sure students are interacting with the content, not just passively reading.
Key Features
- Automatically generates quizzes from uploaded notes
- Integrates with classroom material for easy study sessions
- Supports different study modes (e.g., matching, writing, etc.)
- Provides AI-powered analysis of weak areas for targeted practice
- Audio support for pronunciation practice
Best Use Case
It’s perfect for creating flashcards that students can use for repeated practice, helping them retain information better.
I used it with my kids to prepare for their history quizzes—it was easy to convert their class notes into practice tests, and they stayed focused.
Why Educators Love It?
- Helps students prepare for exams with engaging study tools
- Flexible for various subjects and grade levels
- Let teachers track progress
Pricing
- No free plan but you can get a 7 days trial at no cost.
- Quizlet Plus: $7.99/month
Duolingo (Language Learning Platform)
Duolingo is the app that makes language learning feel less like a chore and more like a game. Its mix of reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills keeps students engaged and helps them pick up practical communication fast.
Plus, Duo the Owl’s reminders and challenges are oddly effective at keeping learners on track.
Beyond languages, Duolingo ABC helps young learners (ages 3–8) develop literacy with phonics-based lessons and stories. While Duolingo Math takes the same fun approach to help students sharpen their math skills.
Key Features
- Interactive lessons with speech recognition
- Gamified experience with levels and rewards
- Bite-sized lessons for flexible learning
- Wide range of languages (over 30 languages)
- AI-powered personalized learning paths based on progress
Best Use Case
Duolingo is best used by teachers to keep students actively practicing language skills at home. My friend, who teaches middle school, French, uses it to assign bite-sized lessons that students can complete as homework.
It’s a win-win because the gamified format motivates students, and the built-in tracking helps her see who’s progressing and where they’re struggling.
Why Educators Love It?
- Makes language learning engaging and interactive
- Adaptable to each student’s learning pace
- Perfect for students with varying levels of proficiency
- Free to use with the option for a premium upgrade
Pricing
- Free Plan: Full access to basic lessons and features
- Paid Plan: Start at $2.47/month
Socrative (Formative Assessment Tool)
Socrative helps teachers instantly assess student understanding through real-time quizzes, polls, and activities. You can see responses live, adjust your teaching on the spot, and even turn assessments into fun games like Space Race.
Quizzes are auto-graded so you can save hours, and the tool works perfectly across devices for in-class or remote learning. Even more, you can create multiple rooms for different classes to keep everything organized while allowing students to access content with a simple code or shareable link.
Key Features
- Launch up to 30 quizzes or polls simultaneously.
- Track learning gaps instantly with live student responses.
- Auto-grade quizzes for instant results and save time.
- Import class rosters easily with CSV or Excel files.
- Create up to 20 rooms for organized class management.
Best Use Case
Socrative artificial intelligence for teachers helps them pinpoint where students are struggling in real time using live quizzes, polls, and games.
I tried it with my team during product training and immediately saw which topics needed revisiting based on their live responses. The ability to adjust your approach on the spot, paired with instant grading, makes it a practical tool for any learning environment.
Why Educators Love It?
- Easy to set up and use
- Ideal for quick, informal assessments
- Helps to find gaps in student understanding
Pricing
- Free Plan: Basic features, limited question types, and reports
- Pro Plan: $9.99/month for additional features like advanced reports and unlimited questions
Perplexity AI (Research & Content Assistant)
Perplexity AI is your teaching assistant for research and planning. You can quickly search for relevant studies, plan quizzes, or refine tricky concepts without endless Googling.
Plus, it cites sources, so you know exactly where the info comes from. It’s one of my recommended AI websites for teachers that save time and focus on teaching, not scrambling for materials.
If you’re using its paid version, you can even review unlimited files, and generate visuals with DALL-E and SDXL.
Key Features
- Generate summaries of research articles and papers
- Answer complex questions with context
- Provide references and citations for research
- AI-powered knowledge extraction
- Text generation based on specific prompts
Best Use Case
Perplexity AI eases lesson prep and research for teachers, especially when time is tight. Out of curiosity, I tested it myself while brainstorming content and it impressed me with how quickly it found accurate, source-backed info.
It’s a game-changer for anyone juggling multiple tasks and needing reliable results fast.
Why Educators Love It?
- Saves time on research and content creation
- Makes complex research easily digestible
- Helps students access quality sources for their assignments
- Great for quick fact-checking and content generation
Pricing
- Free Plan: Limited access to features
- Pro Plan: $20/month for full access to advanced features and capabilities
Miro (Virtual Whiteboard Tool)
Miro is perfect for teachers who want a simple way to manage classroom collaboration or lessons.
You can upload maps or templates, lock them in place, and let students move icons or add input directly on the board—great for group work or visual projects.
Its drag-and-drop interface is easy to use with sticky notes, flowcharts, and templates for everything from lesson plans to class projects.
It’s synchronized so everyone can participate. And it integrates with Google Drive, making it seamless to share and build resources.
Key Features
- Unlimited canvas for brainstorming and organizing ideas
- Pre-built templates for various subjects and purposes
- Sticky notes, shapes, and text features for organizing thoughts
- Integration with Google Drive, Slack, and other AI productivity tools
Best Use Case
Miro is perfect for group discussions and interactive learning sessions. My cousin, who’s a history teacher, once told me how Miro helped him easily teach history lessons to his students.
He uploaded historical maps and let students place event markers thus making lessons dynamic and hands-on.
Why Educators Love It?
- Enhances student collaboration in remote or hybrid environments
- Great for visual learners
- Easy to use and highly customizable
- Facilitates real-time collaboration and ideation
Pricing
- Free Plan: Limited to three boards and essential features
- Paid Plans: Starting at $8/month for unlimited boards and advanced features
Screencast-O-Matic (Screen Recording Tool)
Screencast-O-Matic now ScreenPal lets you create personalized video lessons with screen recording and webcam integration. You can embed quizzes directly into videos, track student engagement with heatmaps, and give feedback based on quiz results.
Also, you can use its built-in editor to refine your videos and add automated captions for accessibility.
It works seamlessly with Google Classroom and Canvas, so sharing and managing content is effortless. It’s a straightforward way to flip your classroom, engage students, and save prep time.
Key Features
- Multi-device support: desktop, Chromebook, mobile apps
- Video hosting with privacy controls for student safety
- Exportable analytics for tracking class performance
- Polls and ratings for student engagement
- COPPA and FERPA compliance for data protection
Best Use Case
The best use case for ScreenPal is creating video lessons that save time and increase student involvement. You can use it to record step-by-step lab demonstrations with quizzes embedded to check comprehension.
I tested it to make educational videos, and its easy editing tools and captions made the process seamless. For teachers, it’s a straightforward way to deliver personalized, accessible lessons that keep students actively involved.
Why Educators Love It?
- Quick video creation and editing for instructional content
- Ideal for creating asynchronous learning materials
- Easy to use with no complex setup required
Pricing
- Free Plan: Basic screen recording and video editing
- Premium Plan: $3/month for advanced editing tools.
Notion AI (AI Productivity Tool)
Notion AI is an all-in-one tool for teachers to simplify planning and stay organized. It can summarize lecture notes, generate quiz questions, or create lesson outlines in seconds.
You can use it to track assignments, analyze student data, and organize resources with minimal effort. Its ability to reformat content and integrate it with databases makes it a powerful assistant for managing the chaos of teaching while keeping everything clear and accessible.
Key Features
- Generate clear summaries of complex topics quickly
- Create tailored templates for assignments and projects
- Highlight key points from notes or study materials
- Brainstorm lesson ideas and creative teaching strategies
- Organize resources into searchable, cross-referenced databases
Best Use Case
You can make the best use of Notion’s AI for teachers by organizing lesson plans and simplifying grading with its ability to summarize notes, create quizzes, and track assignments in one place.
I use it to break down dense textbook chapters into important points and generate quizzes directly from the material. For educators, it’s a powerful way to save time and focus more on teaching.
Why Educators Love It?
- Helps keep all teaching resources in one organized space
- AI-powered suggestions for improving efficiency
- Customizable for individual teaching styles and workflows
- Great for collaborative planning with other educators
Pricing
- Free Plan: Access to basic features
- Paid Plans: Starting at $10 per seat per month
Otter.ai (AI Transcription Tool)
Otter.ai helps teachers make classes more accessible and organized. It transcribes lectures live, turning spoken words into detailed, searchable notes that students can highlight or comment on.
It even captures slides during virtual lessons, pairing them with notes for full context.
After class, it generates summaries, saving time and helping students focus on key points without getting overwhelmed. It’s a simple way to ensure every student stays engaged and on track.
Key Features
- Automated slide capture during virtual sessions
- Highlight and comment directly in transcribed notes
- Generate automatic summaries after lectures
- Searchable transcripts for quick content access
- Students can tag peers and ask questions in notes
Best Use Case
Otter.ai best makes lectures accessible and organized by providing real-time transcription and automatic note-taking.
Now, I always use it to transcribe live sessions and share instant summaries, ensuring nothing important is missed. For you, it’s a reliable way to improve learning and make classes more inclusive.
Why Educators Love It?
- Saves time by automating note-taking and transcription
- Helps students review lessons and stay engaged
- Ideal for keeping accurate records of discussions and lectures
Pricing
- Free Plan: 600 minutes of transcription per month
- Pro Plan: $8.33/month for more transcription minutes, file exports, and integrations
Quick Comparison of The Best AI Tools for Teachers
How to Choose the Right AI Tool?
Choosing an AI tool means finding one that meets your specific needs, not just one that looks appealing. Here’s how to choose the best option for your teaching challenges.
Assessing Specific Teaching Challenges
Consider what eats up your time or frustrates you most during the week. Automate them through AI.
But remember, AI websites for teachers are most effective when they address repetitive, high-value tasks that free you up for meaningful work.
Therefore, you should automate these first like grading and lesson planning. They are not only time-consuming but mentally draining.
A 2023 study revealed that teachers spend 2 hours per day/10 hours per week on non-teaching administrative work, much of it repetitive.
When you automate them, you will have more time for personalized instruction, class discussions, or simply leaving school on time. For example, instead of spending hours grading essays, let AI handle basic grammar corrections, so you can focus on deeper feedback about ideas and structure.
If lesson planning is your struggle, use ChatGPT to generate lesson frameworks and activities based on your grade level and subject matter. Similarly, if creating quizzes takes you an entire evening, tools like Kahoot! can cut that time down to minutes, giving you back your energy for the next day’s class.
Budget Considerations
Free AI tools for educators are appealing, but they come with limits. Grammarly’s free plan is fine for spotting typos, but the premium version gives deeper feedback on clarity and tone.
Similarly, ChatGPT’s free version is useful for basic prompts, but GPT-4 on the paid plan ($20/month) is much better for more nuanced lesson plans or detailed student feedback. When picking a tool, I calculate how much time the tool saves and what time is worth.
If a $15/month tool saves you 5 hours of work, you’re essentially paying $3 per hour saved.
To me, that’s a steal.
You can also test free versions first but don’t shy away from paying if the tool genuinely improves your workflow.
Compatibility with Existing Tools
AI tools that don’t integrate with your current platforms (e.g., Google Classroom, Moodle) can disrupt your workflow instead of improving it. Therefore, before committing, check:
- File formats. Can the tool’s output (videos, reports, etc.) be easily shared across systems? For instance, Zebracat exports videos directly into LMS-friendly formats.
- APIs. Some advanced tools offer API integration, which enables automated data sharing between systems. Thus reducing repetitive tasks like manual data entry. For example, with API support, grade reports or attendance data from the AI tool can sync directly with Google Classroom or Moodle.
- Student access. If students need to sign up for yet another account, they’ll hate it. So will you when they forget their passwords. Good tools let students log in with what they’re already using—Google Workspace, Microsoft, or whatever system your school has. No extra logins. No extra pain.
That’s why before committing, ask: Does it integrate with my grading system, LMS, or email setup? If not, it might not be worth it.
Free vs. Paid Tools
The free vs. paid debate often ignores the hidden cost of "free" tools—your time.
Free versions usually have limitations that require workarounds or extra effort. Paid tools, on the other hand, are built to scale. For example:
- Grammarly Premium gives tone and clarity suggestions that are great for ESL students.
- Kahoot!’s paid plans allow for question randomization and detailed reports, perfect for larger classes.
- Canva for Education gives premium templates for free to verified teachers, which isn’t technically a paid plan but feels like one.
That said, don’t pay just because you think you should. The tool should solve a real problem that always frustrates you.
You can do this with the help of cost-benefit analysis math. Simply calculate…
- How much time are you saving each week by using this tool? If a paid tool reduces grading time or gives you more efficient ways to teach, that’s an investment worth considering.
- Look at the price tag. Does the time saved justify the monthly fee? If you're spending hours on workarounds with free tools, a small monthly fee might be a bargain.
- Think about the tool’s long-term impact on students. Will this improve engagement, help students perform better, or make your teaching more effective over time? If so, it's worth it.
Future of AI in Education (2025 and Beyond)
AI is changing education, but not in the way you might expect.
In the next few years, AI tutors will be more common, offering live personalized support. These tutors will help students work through problems at their own pace, focusing on areas where they need the most help.
But, it’s important to note that AI still can’t replace the emotional intelligence or mentorship a teacher provides. It will be a supplement, not a substitute.
Moreover, virtual reality (VR) will take education to the next level, especially in subjects like history and science.
Using them, students will experience what they’re learning, like walking through ancient civilizations or exploring the human body. But VR's cost and tech barriers will limit its widespread use for now.
Further, AI in LMS will continue to improve. These systems will use AI to track progress and offer personalized recommendations, making it easier for teachers to manage their classrooms.
They’ll even predict which students might be at risk of falling behind.
In the end, AI will make the education system better by providing targeted, data-driven support to students, but it can’t replicate the intuition, empathy, or mentorship that only human teachers offer.
Final Words
AI is undeniably shaping the future of education, but its true value comes when it integrates naturally into a teacher’s workflow. Personalized learning, VR environments, and AI tutors are exciting, but without the right tools, they often struggle to fit into day-to-day teaching practices.
That's where having the right platform makes all the difference. Among them, Zebracat is one of them.
It makes it easy to convert lessons into interesting, LMS-ready videos and frees teachers to take care of human interaction and understanding.
If you're looking to implement AI in your classroom without the tech headaches, it provides a simple, practical solution that fits your workflow.
So sign up for the Zebracat now and test it yourself!
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Hey there, I’m Jenny. I’ve been in marketing for almost 10 years, and I love marketing tech, AI, and automation. I’ve built several YouTube and TikTok channels—some hits, some misses. I joined Zebracat after being a user myself, ready to share my learnings with the world!
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