Photomath

Photomath is the world's most downloaded math education app with over 220 million downloads, used by students from elementary school through university to scan and solve math problems using their smartphone camera. Point the camera at any printed or handwritten math problem — arithmetic, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, calculus, statistics — and Photomath recognizes the problem, solves it step-by-step, and explains each step in plain language.

The step-by-step explanation is the educational differentiator that separates Photomath from answer-only solutions: rather than just providing the final answer, it shows every intermediate step with explanations of the mathematical principle applied. A student working through algebra can see exactly where they went wrong and understand the correct approach, not just copy a final number. Multiple solution methods are often provided where applicable — for example, showing both factoring and the quadratic formula for solving a quadratic equation.

Photomath Basic (free) covers scanning and core solving with step-by-step solutions. Photomath Plus ($9.99/month or $59.99/year) adds detailed word problem explanations, animated tutorials, and a broader curriculum library including AP-level content. The main legitimate concern is academic integrity: the app makes it trivially easy for students to complete homework without engaging with the material, and many educators restrict its use during assessed work. Used as a tutoring and verification tool, it is genuinely educational; used to bypass learning, it undermines the purpose of mathematics education.