Comparison

Chalkie was acquired. Here's where Howay fits, and where it doesn't.

Chalkie was acquired by OpenAI on 19 April 2026. If you're rethinking your AI stack as a teacher, here's an honest read: what Howay does, what Chalkie does, and which problems each tool actually solves. We're not going to pretend we're a drop-in replacement when we aren't.

Different tools for different parts of the day

Most teachers' AI workflow has two pressure points. Lesson preparation on Sundays. Marking during the week. Chalkie tackles the first. Howay tackles the second.

Chalkie

AI lesson-planning platform
Generates lessons, worksheets and resources
Used by 500,000+ teachers worldwide
Designed to save your Sunday evenings

Howay

AI writing-feedback platform
Reads photos of students' handwritten work
Returns curriculum-aligned next-step feedback
Designed to save your marking time during the week

Where the tools overlap, and where they don't

Both

Built for primary teachers
Free your time, not your judgement
AI under the hood, not pre-curated content libraries
Curriculum-aware

What Chalkie does that Howay doesn't

Generates lesson plans, worksheets, slides
Curriculum mapping across weeks or half-terms
Resource sharing between teachers

What Howay does that Chalkie doesn't

Reads handwritten student work from a photograph
Gives child-facing feedback, not just teacher-facing summaries
Curriculum-aligned next steps for each individual piece
Feedback-led, not grade-led. We surface curriculum standards, not scores.

If you're searching for a Chalkie alternative

Be honest with yourself about what you used Chalkie for. The right next tool depends on it.

If you used Chalkie for lesson planning, Howay isn't your replacement. We'd rather say so now than disappoint you in week two. There are several other AI lesson-planning tools, and a quick search will surface them.

If marking is the part of your week you most want help with, Chalkie isn't really built for that, and you may not have realised AI could touch it. Howay can. Photograph a child's writing, get curriculum-aligned feedback and next steps in minutes. Free to start, designed by a teacher co-founder.

You don't have to choose

Howay and Chalkie sit on different days of your teaching week. If you stay on Chalkie for planning, you can add Howay alongside for marking. They don't compete. They complement.

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Source: ETIH EdTech News, April 2026.