Short version: Socratic by Google is no longer available as a standalone app, and Google now points the old Socratic website to the homework help page for Google Lens. If you want a dedicated Socratic app alternative, look for a camera-first app that covers every subject and explains each step. Below is what actually happened, what your options are now, and how to pick a replacement.
Does Socratic still work?
No, not as a standalone app. Socratic by Google is no longer listed on the App Store or Google Play, and the socratic.org website now redirects to the homework help page for Google Lens. We could not find an official shutdown announcement from Google; users reported in October 2024 that the app showed a message saying Socratic had moved to the Google app.
So if you are asking "does Socratic not work anymore?", the short answer is that it no longer works as its own service: Google now sends Socratic visitors to Google Lens, and we found no sign of a relaunch. Your practical options are Google Lens for free lookups, or a dedicated Socratic app alternative if you want worked solutions in a study-focused app. Both are covered below.
What happened to Socratic by Google?
Socratic was founded in 2013 by Chris Pedregal and Shreyans Bhansali. Google bought it in March 2018, disclosed the acquisition in August 2019, and relaunched it the same month as Socratic by Google, a free app where you photographed or typed a question and got matched to helpful explanations.
Then the app quietly disappeared. Google did not publish a formal shutdown announcement that we could find. Users reported in October 2024 that the app showed a message saying Socratic had moved to the Google app, and the Socratic listings on the App Store and Google Play are no longer available. By spring 2025, the socratic.org website had started redirecting to the homework section of Google Lens, which it still does today.
| When | What happened |
|---|---|
| 2013 | Socratic founded, originally as an online learning community for students |
| March 2018 | Acquired by Google (not made public until August 2019) |
| August 2019 | Relaunched on iOS as Socratic by Google, an AI-powered homework app |
| October 2024 | Users report an in-app message saying Socratic has moved to the Google app; the app is no longer listed in the stores |
| Spring 2025 to now | socratic.org redirects to the Google Lens homework help page |
Is Socratic part of Google Lens now?
That is where Google sends Socratic's visitors. Google's own Lens page describes "step by step homework help" and says you can "find explainers, videos, and results from the web for math, history, chemistry, biology, physics, and more." Lens is available through the Google app. It is a reasonable free option, and it works the way Socratic did: it surfaces explanations and web results related to your question.
The difference is focus. Lens is a general-purpose visual search tool that also identifies plants, translates signs and finds products. Homework is one feature among many, so it feels less like a study app than Socratic did. That is why many former users go looking for a dedicated replacement.
What happens if you go to socratic.org now?
Typing socratic.org into a browser takes you straight to Google's Lens page, to the section on homework help. The same happens with old bookmarks and search results: we checked the home page, a subject page (socratic.org/physics) and an individual question page, and all three redirect to the Lens homework page. Nothing from the old site loads.
What happened to Socratic Q&A answers?
Alongside the app, socratic.org was also a question and answer site. Archived copies show subject pages for physics, chemistry, biology, algebra, calculus, history and more, and individual question pages where contributors wrote out answers under their own names. Those pages were labeled as reusable under a Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) license.
Those question pages now redirect to Google Lens like the rest of the site. Google has not said it moved the answers anywhere else, and we found no official archive. Many pages were saved by the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine (web.archive.org), so if you have the old link you may still be able to read the answer there. For new questions, use one of the options below, and for a subject like physics, the physics problem solver guide walks through the step-by-step method those answers used to model.
Can you still download the original Socratic app?
Not from the official stores. You may find old installation files on third-party download sites, but those copies are not supported or updated by Google, and installing apps from unofficial sources is a security risk. We don't recommend it.
What former Socratic users can do now
| Option | Best for | Keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| Google Lens (in the Google app) | Quick, free lookups of explanations and related web results | General-purpose tool; homework is one feature among many |
| A dedicated AI homework app | Step-by-step solutions to your exact question, saved for revision | Check the price model and how well it reads your handwriting |
| Your textbook, teacher and class notes | Methods that match exactly what your class expects | Slower, but the most reliable guide to how you will be graded |
These are not either/or. Plenty of students use an app to understand a method at home, then confirm the expected format with their teacher.
What made Socratic great, and what an alternative needs
- Camera-first: photograph the question instead of typing it.
- All subjects: not just math, but science, history, literature.
- Explanation-focused: understanding, not just an answer.
- Student-friendly: clean, fast, no clutter.
When you try a replacement, test it the practical way. Scan three questions you already know the answers to: one printed, one handwritten, and one from a non-math subject. Then check four things:
- Did it read the question correctly? Compare what the app shows with your page, symbol by symbol.
- Are the steps explained? A good answer says why each step happens, not just what changed.
- Can you find it again tomorrow? A saved, searchable history turns homework into revision material.
- Is the pricing clear? Know what is free, what is paid, and whether a subscription renews automatically.
If you are new to AI-generated solutions, the AI homework helper guide explains how they work, where they make mistakes, and how to use them without shortcutting your own learning.
Socratic Solve: a modern alternative built on newer AI
Socratic Solve: School Answers is an independent app. It is not made by Google and is not affiliated with Google or the former Socratic by Google app. It keeps the camera-first, all-subjects idea and takes a different approach to answers. Where the original Socratic found existing web explanations for a similar problem, Socratic Solve's AI generates a step-by-step solution to your exact question, with proper math notation, in your language (20+ supported).
| Socratic by Google | Socratic Solve | |
|---|---|---|
| Status in 2026 | Standalone app no longer available; socratic.org redirects to Google Lens | Available on the App Store and Google Play |
| Scan a question by camera | Yes | Yes, plus typed questions and photo upload |
| How answers work | Matched your question to explainers, videos and web links | AI generates a step-by-step solution to your exact question |
| Subjects | Math, science, history & more | Math, physics, chemistry, biology, history & more |
| Price | Free | Free to download with free credits; optional subscription |
Because the solution is written for your exact question, you can follow every step instead of adapting a similar example. As with any AI tool, check that the scanned question matches your page and read the steps rather than copying the final line.
Try Socratic Solve
Socratic Solve is free to download on iOS and Android. Scan a question and see the difference.
Switching takes about a minute
- Download Socratic Solve from the App Store (iPhone and iPad, iOS 16+) or Google Play (Android).
- Tap Scan Question and photograph your homework, just like you used to. You can also type a question or upload a photo.
- Read the step-by-step solution, and find every past scan in History, tagged by subject and searchable.
Your old Socratic questions don't transfer to any other app. Google's Socratic help center still has a page on viewing and deleting your Socratic data, which says you can view and delete data for Socratic searches if your Web & App Activity is on.