Photomath
photomath.com
Camera-based math solver app with step-by-step explanations, owned by Google (not live tutoring).
Photomath is a math-solving app founded in 2014, originally based in Zagreb, Croatia. It lets users scan a math problem with a phone camera and returns the solution with steps. It is an AI and self-serve study tool rather than a live tutoring service, and was acquired by Google (completed 2023).
The app uses optical character recognition and AI to read handwritten or printed math problems and generate step-by-step solutions and explanations, covering topics from arithmetic through calculus. It is purely software-driven, with no human tutors involved.
It runs on a freemium model: scanning and basic steps are free, while Photomath Plus (around $9.99/month or $69.99/year) unlocks animated tutorials and textbook solutions. Photomath reports over 100 million downloads and is now part of Google, suiting students who want instant help understanding math steps.
Pros & cons
Pros
- Instant camera-scan math solving with step-by-step explanations
- Strong free tier; backed by Google
- Covers a wide range of math from basic to calculus
Cons
- Math only; no other subjects
- Self-serve app, not live tutoring, and raises homework-shortcut concerns
Key features
- Camera scanning of printed and handwritten problems
- Step-by-step solution breakdowns
- Animated how-to tutorials (Plus)
- Textbook problem solutions (Plus)
Key facts
- Type
- Homework Help & On-Demand Q&A
- Model
- Subscription / group classes
- Founded
- 2014
- Headquarters
- San Mateo, California, USA
- Regions served
- Global
- Subjects
- Mathematics (arithmetic through calculus)
- Pricing
- Free scanning; Photomath Plus ~$9.99/mo or $69.99/yr
- Scale
- 100M+ downloads; acquired by Google (2023)