Socratic Solve
Disclosure: Socratic Solve is our app; we've tried to compare every app on the same criteria and note where others are stronger. Claims about other apps come from their own sites and App Store listings, checked in September 2026.
How we compared the apps
We looked at the same six things for each app:
- Subjects: math only, or science, history and other subjects too.
- Scan by photo: whether you can photograph a printed or handwritten question instead of typing it.
- Step-by-step: whether the app shows the working, and whether those steps are free or paid.
- Free tier: what you get without paying, as stated by the developer.
- Paid price: the regular subscription price, as of September 2026, from the US App Store or the official site. Prices can vary by region.
- Platforms: iPhone, Android and web.
We did not score accuracy, since results depend heavily on the question. Try two apps on the same problem set and compare.
Homework helper app comparison table
| App | Subjects | Scan by photo | Step-by-step | Free tier | Paid price (US) | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Socratic Solve | All subjects | Yes, printed or handwritten | Yes | Free credits to start | In-app: $6.99/week, $14.99/month, $49.99/year | iPhone, iPad, Android |
| Photomath | Math only | Yes | Yes, free for symbolic math | Yes, core features free | Plus: $9.99/month, $69.99/year | iOS, Android |
| Gauth | All subjects | Yes | Yes | Not stated | Plus: $11.99/month, $31.99/quarter, $99.99/year | iOS, Android |
| Mathway | Math only | Yes | Paid | Answers, with ads | Steps: $9.99/month, $39.99/year | iOS, Android, web |
| Symbolab | Math only | Yes | Basic steps free, advanced paid | Yes, basic steps | In-app from $7.99/month, $34.99/year | iOS, Android, web |
| Brainly | All subjects (K-12) | Yes | Yes | Limited features | Plus: $9.99/month, $39.99/year. Tutor: $29.99/month, $95.99/year | iOS, Android |
| Chegg Study | All subjects (80) | Yes, to ask experts | Yes | Not stated | In-app purchases from $15.99 | iOS, Android |
| Khan Academy | All subjects | No | Hints on exercises | Everything free | Khanmigo: $4/month, $44/year | iOS, Android, web |
| Google Lens | All subjects | Yes | Yes, for math, physics and word problems | Free | Free | Google app (iOS), Android, Chrome |
"Not stated" means the developer's own pages did not say when we checked, not that the feature is missing.
1. Socratic Solve: best for step-by-step explanations in every subject
Best for: students who take several subjects and want one app that explains the working, keeps a searchable record, and works in their own language.
Socratic Solve scans printed or handwritten questions with the camera, or you can type a question or upload a photo. It returns a step-by-step solution with rendered math notation, so fractions, exponents and matrices look like they do in your textbook. It covers math (algebra, geometry, trigonometry, logarithms, linear algebra and calculus), physics, chemistry, biology, history and more. Every solve is saved to a searchable history tagged by subject, handy before a test. The app is available in 20+ languages.
Limitations: it's a newer app, and its App Store rating is 4.8 from only 5 ratings, so there's far less public feedback than for the big names below. Free credits get you started, but regular use needs a subscription (App Store in-app purchases: $6.99 a week, $14.99 a month or $49.99 a year). There are no human tutors. Socratic Solve is independent and not affiliated with Google or the former Socratic by Google app.
2. Photomath: best for free step-by-step math
Best for: math students who want to see every step without paying.
Photomath, from Google, scans handwritten, printed or on-screen math, including word problems, and explains it step by step, with multiple solution methods. Google's help center says core features with step-by-step solutions to symbolic math "will always remain free of cost." Photomath Plus adds animated tutorials, deeper explanations and textbook solutions for $9.99 a month or $69.99 a year. It is rated 4.8 from about 733,000 ratings on the US App Store.
Limitations: math only. If your problem set is chemistry or history, you need a second app. Some word problem and textbook depth sits behind Plus.
3. Gauth: best for all subjects with expert backup
Best for: students who want AI explanations plus the option to ask a human expert.
Gauth covers math, biology, physics, chemistry and other subjects with step-by-step explanations. Its listing describes an AI Live Tutor with voice and a whiteboard, a tool that turns notes into quizzes and flashcards, and "24/7 expert academic support". Gauth Plus costs $11.99 a month, $31.99 a quarter or $99.99 a year, and the developer notes that prices may vary by region. It is rated 4.8 from about 1.5 million ratings.
Limitations: unlimited detailed explanations are a Plus feature, and Gauth does not publish its free limits.
4. Mathway: best for quick math answers across levels
Best for: checking a final answer in algebra, graphing or calculus quickly.
Mathway, owned by Chegg, lets you point your camera or type a problem. Answers are free, and step-by-step solutions are the paid feature: Step-by-Step Access costs $9.99 a month or $39.99 a year under Mathway's published terms (the App Store also lists higher in-app price points). It is rated 4.9 from about 425,000 ratings.
Limitations: math only, steps are paid, and the free app shows ads. Mathway's terms say a subscription "limits" ads rather than removing them.
5. Symbolab: best for advanced math and calculators
Best for: high school and college math, especially calculus and beyond.
Symbolab (Eqsquest Ltd, part of Learneo) lets you type or snap any math problem, including word problems, from pre-algebra to calculus. It also has more than 500 calculators, from integrals and matrices to differential equations. Free use includes basic steps; a subscription unlocks advanced steps. In-app prices start at $7.99 a month or $34.99 a year, and it is rated 4.6 from about 26,000 ratings.
Limitations: math only, advanced steps are paid, and removing ads is a paid in-app purchase.
6. Brainly: best for K-12 families who want live tutors
Best for: parents of K-12 students who want AI help with a path to a real tutor.
Brainly now presents itself as a personal tutor: "Real human tutors. Smart AI." Students snap a photo or type a question for step-by-step explanations across math, science, history, English and more. Brainly is free with limited features. Brainly Plus costs $9.99 a month or $39.99 a year, and Brainly Tutor, which adds live human tutors, costs $29.99 a month or $95.99 a year (App Store in-app prices). The listing offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. It is rated 4.7 from about 284,000 ratings.
Limitations: live tutors need the most expensive plan, and the Android app shows ads.
7. Chegg Study: best for textbook solutions and expert Q&A
Best for: college students working from specific textbooks.
Chegg Study covers 80 subjects with a library of over 60 million solved homework questions and step-by-step textbook solutions. You can snap a question and send it to Chegg's experts, with an average response time of 46 minutes according to Chegg's own listing. On the US App Store, Chegg Study in-app purchases start at $15.99. It is rated 4.7 from about 205,000 ratings.
Limitations: it's a subscription product with no free tier stated, and expert answers are not immediate.
8. Khan Academy: best free way to actually learn the topic
Best for: students who want to learn the concept behind the homework, for free.
Khan Academy, a nonprofit, offers videos and practice exercises with instant feedback and step-by-step hints across math, science, economics, humanities and computing. All of it is free. Its AI tutor, Khanmigo, costs $4 a month or $44 a year for learners and parents, and is free for teachers. The Khan Academy app is rated 4.6 from about 112,000 ratings.
Limitations: it's not a snap-and-solve app; there is no photo scan in the app, so it won't solve the exact question on your worksheet. Some features are web only.
9. Google Lens: best free quick lookup
Best for: a fast, free search when you're stuck on a question in any subject.
Google Lens lets you photograph a problem and "find explainers, videos, and results from the web" for math, history, chemistry, biology, physics and more. The Google app adds step-by-step guides for math, physics and word problems. Lens is free, lives inside the Google app on iPhone, and works on Android and in Chrome. Google's former Socratic app is no longer available in the App Store or Google Play, and socratic.org now redirects to Google Lens homework help (more in our Socratic app alternative guide).
Limitations: it's a general camera search, not a homework app, so there's no subject history or homework workflow. Results come from the web and vary in quality.
Other options: ChatGPT and newer AI homework apps
ChatGPT (OpenAI) is free to download, accepts photo uploads and handles every subject, and many students use it for homework. It's a general chatbot, not a dedicated homework tool. In-app purchases start at $8.00 (ChatGPT Go). It's rated 4.8 from about 10.7 million ratings.
Several newer apps also scan homework across subjects: Solvely (photo to step-by-step breakdowns, Pro $12.99 a month in-app), Answer.AI (AI tutor with step-by-step breakdowns, Pro $9.99 a month in-app), Quizard AI (focused on multiple-choice and short-answer questions) and Question.AI (a general chatbot with homework features). All are free to try with paid upgrades.
Looking for Microsoft Math Solver? Microsoft retired it on July 7, 2025, after discontinuing the mobile apps earlier, and now points users to Math Assistant in OneNote.
Which homework helper app should you choose?
- You take several subjects and want one app: Socratic Solve, Gauth or Brainly. Socratic Solve if a searchable, subject-tagged history or a language other than English matters to you.
- You only need math and don't want to pay: Photomath for free steps. If you want a Photomath alternative for advanced math, Symbolab has free basic steps and a big calculator library.
- You want a human to check your work: Brainly Tutor for live tutors, Chegg Study or Gauth for expert answers.
- You're in college: Chegg Study for textbook solutions, Symbolab for calculus and beyond.
- You want to learn, not just finish: Khan Academy, free. Pair it with a scan app to check your answers.
- You need something free right now: Google Lens or Khan Academy.
Whatever you pick, use it to learn: read the steps, close the app, and redo the problem on paper. Our guide to checking your homework answers works with any of them. Follow your school's academic integrity policy.
Try Socratic Solve free
Scan a question in any subject and get a step-by-step explanation. Free credits to start on iPhone, iPad and Android.
