Tool profile
Photomath: cost, fit and limits
Photomath is a math homework app that reads a problem from the phone camera or typed input and returns step-by-step solutions, visual aids and alternative solving methods for students working through algebra and other school math.
What to know first
Photomath lists a free Basic plan, a monthly plan at $9.99 and an annual plan at $69.99 labeled Best Value, both of which start with a trial. The page lists the same features under all three plans, so the paid price buys something the page does not itemize. The homepage describes scanning, a smart calculator and explanations but does not call any of them AI.
Photomath at a glance
| Maker | Not stated on the vendor pages, Not stated on the vendor pages |
|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes |
| Entry price | $9.99 per month |
| API access | No |
| Category | Best AI Homework Helpers in 2026, rank 2 of 12 |
| Website | photomath.com |
Who Photomath is best for
Middle and high school math students
Scanning a textbook problem and reading the explained steps works for algebra homework where the student wants to see why a line follows the previous one.
Parents checking a child's work
Step-by-step explanations and extra how and why tips let a parent who forgot the method follow the working before helping with the next question.
Students who like to compare methods
The page lists solving a problem with multiple methods, which helps a learner whose class teaches one approach but whose textbook shows another.
Photomath plans and pricing
| Plan | Price | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | $0 | Step-by-step explanations, custom visual aids and extra how and why tips, with no payment needed to start. |
| Monthly | $9.99 billed monthly | Lists the same features as Basic on the page and shows a Start trial button for new subscribers. |
| Annually | $69.99 billed annually | Lists the same features as Basic and is labeled Best Value, with a Start trial button. |
Checked November 2026.
What Photomath does
- Camera scanning
- The phone camera reads a printed or handwritten problem and turns it into a worked solution. Photo input is the main entry point, which saves typing equations with exponents and fractions.
- Step-by-step solutions
- Each solution is split into steps, and the page adds extra how and why tips that explain the reason for a move, so the output reads closer to a worked example than a bare answer.
- Multiple solving methods
- A problem can be solved more than one way on the page's description, which helps when a teacher requires a specific method such as factoring instead of the quadratic formula.
- Smart calculator
- A calculator sits next to the scanner for typed input. The page describes it only as smart, so the range of supported topics beyond the listed math problems was not stated.
- Custom visual aids
- Graphs and visual aids are generated for the problem. They support geometry and function questions, where a picture of the curve explains more than another line of algebra.
How Photomath handles your data
The Photomath homepage does not state whether scanned images or typed problems are kept, used to improve the product or used to train models, and it gives no hosting region or certification. The company name and country were not stated on the page opened, and the privacy policy URL tried returned an error, so data handling could not be read. Because the app takes photos, a parent or school should find the current policy in the app store listing and check how images and any account data are handled before a child uses it.
Where Photomath falls short in practice
- Paid features not itemized. All three plans list the same features on the page, so a buyer cannot tell what the $9.99 monthly or $69.99 annual price adds beyond the free Basic plan.
- No AI described. The page never names an AI feature. Students who want a chat tutor to ask follow-up questions in plain language will not find one described there.
- Math only. The features listed cover math problems. A student with chemistry, history or essay homework needs a second tool, since nothing on the page covers other subjects.
Works with
Alternatives to Photomath
Photomath: common questions
Is Photomath free to use?
The pricing section lists a Basic plan at $0 with step-by-step explanations, custom visual aids and extra tips. Paid plans are $9.99 billed monthly and $69.99 billed annually, both with a trial button. Because the page lists identical features for all three plans, the paid benefit is not itemized there.
How much does Photomath cost per year?
The annual plan is $69.99 billed once a year and is labeled Best Value, against $9.99 per month if billed monthly, which comes to $119.88 over twelve months. The page shows USD. Both paid plans show a Start trial button, so test the trial before committing to the annual charge.
Does Photomath use AI?
The homepage describes camera scanning, a smart calculator and step-by-step solutions without using the word AI for any of them. We therefore list no AI feature for Photomath. If a buyer needs conversational AI help, the page offers nothing of the kind, so compare it with chat-based tutors.
Can Photomath solve problems with more than one method?
Yes, the feature list includes solving with multiple methods. That helps when a class requires a specific approach, such as completing the square, and the textbook solution uses another. The page does not state which topics offer several methods, so check a sample problem from your own course.
Who makes Photomath and where is it based?
The homepage we opened does not state the legal entity or the country, and the privacy policy URL returned an error. We therefore write that it is not stated on the vendor pages. A parent who needs that detail for a school form should read the app store listing or the in-app legal screen.