- Math solver apps at a glance
- Ten math solver apps worth a look
- Matching an app to the homework
- What the national curriculum expects from pupils
- Photo solvers, typed solvers and full knowledge engines
- A five-minute routine that turns answers into learning
- Signs a solver is doing the homework for you
- My plain advice on math solver apps
- Frequently asked questions
A math solver app reads a problem you type, photograph or upload, then returns the answer with the working laid out step by step. Some focus on algebra, some cover calculus and statistics, and some scan a whole worksheet at once. Ten options follow, in no particular order, with a note on using them to learn rather than copy.
There's a moment every parent recognises: a teenager at the kitchen table, a page of simultaneous equations and a look that says the evening's about to go badly. A good solver app can rescue that evening, as long as it's used as a teacher and not a shortcut.
The apps below are listed alphabetically and in no particular order, and each description comes from the provider's own website or app store listing, read this week. If your child prefers to talk a problem through, my collection of ChatGPT prompts for maths shows how to ask an AI for hints instead of answers.
Math solver apps at a glance
I checked the free plan column on each provider's own website or app store listing, as of Oct 2026. Yes means the page names the app, an account, a plan or a version of it as free. Trial only means a time-limited trial. Not stated means the page I read named neither, even where there's a button inviting you to start or a store download button, so check the provider's own page before you sign up.
| Tool | Type | Good for | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| AskMathAI | Browser AI maths solver | Uploading a whole PDF assignment | Yes |
| Calculator Air | Calculator and photo maths solver app | One app for sums and homework | Yes |
| FastMath | Photo maths solver app | Scanning a full worksheet at once | Not stated |
| MathPapa | Algebra calculator with lessons | Learning algebra rather than just answering | Not stated |
| Mathway | Maths problem solver | Typing or photographing any topic | Yes |
| Photomath | Maths help app | Seeing more than one method | Trial only |
| QANDA | Study app for problem solving | Help across several school subjects | Not stated |
| Symbolab | AI maths solver app | Calculus, trigonometry and matrices | Yes |
| UpStudy | AI homework helper and maths solver | Questions in many subjects plus maths | Not stated |
| Wolfram|Alpha | Computational knowledge engine | Checking answers with expert-level computation | Not stated |
Ten math solver apps worth a look
AskMathAI
Best for: Anyone with a whole assignment to check who wants to upload a photo or a full PDF in the browser and get step-by-step explanations back.
Calculator Air
Best for: iPhone and iPad users who want a scientific calculator, a photo maths solver and an AI homework helper sitting in one app.
FastMath
Best for: Pupils who'd rather photograph an entire worksheet than scan one question at a time, then ask follow-up questions about any step.
MathPapa
Best for: Secondary pupils stuck on algebra who want an algebra calculator that shows each step, plus lessons and practice to build skills.
Mathway
Best for: Learners covering everything from basic maths to calculus, statistics and linear algebra who want a solver that walks through the steps.
Photomath
Best for: Visual learners who like scanning a problem, even a word problem, and comparing more than one way to reach the same solution.
QANDA
Best for: Pupils who want one study app for problems across subjects, not just maths, from a company built around learning.
Symbolab
Best for: Older students and undergraduates who need integrals, derivatives, limits and matrix problems solved, with free solutions showing basic steps.
UpStudy
Best for: Learners who want a maths solver alongside PDF chat, quiz making and the option to ask a real tutor.
Wolfram|Alpha
Best for: University students and adults who want verified answers in maths, science and engineering, plus step-by-step solutions for many topics.
Matching an app to the homework
- Algebra that needs practice, not just answers: MathPapa.
- A full worksheet in one photo: FastMath.
- University calculus and matrices: Symbolab.
- A free solver covering many topics: Mathway.
- A whole PDF assignment: AskMathAI.
What the national curriculum expects from pupils
The Department for Education's national curriculum for mathematics aims for pupils to solve problems by breaking them down into a series of simpler steps and persevering in seeking solutions. That's a useful test for any solver app, because the best ones show exactly that kind of breakdown.
The risk is obvious: an app that hands over the final line teaches nothing about persevering. Cover the answer, look at the first step only, then try the rest yourself. If the next step still makes no sense, reveal one more line, not the whole lot.
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Photo solvers, typed solvers and full knowledge engines
Photo solvers read a picture of a printed or handwritten problem. They're quick for homework sheets, though messy handwriting and diagrams can trip them up, so always check the problem the app thinks it's solving before trusting the answer.
Typed solvers ask you to enter the equation. It's slower, but typing it out is a small lesson in itself, and you're far less likely to solve the wrong question. Knowledge engines go further still, handling science, statistics and engineering questions alongside pure maths.
Wondering what the best-known solver gives you without a subscription? See whether Photomath is free.
A five-minute routine that turns answers into learning
- Try the problem on paper first, even if you only get halfway.
- Scan or type it and read the first step only.
- Finish the problem yourself using that hint.
- Compare your working with the app's, line by line.
- Do one similar problem with no app at all.
When the sums turn into curves and plots, apps for drawing and checking graphs are compared in a roundup of graphing calculator apps.
Signs a solver is doing the homework for you
- Answers are copied straight onto the sheet. There's no working in your own words.
- Marks drop in tests. Homework looks perfect but timed work doesn't.
- Every problem gets scanned. Even the easy ones never get a first attempt.
- Steps are skipped. Nobody reads past the final answer.
Do you make maths solvers, calculators or homework help apps? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My plain advice on math solver apps
Pick a solver that shows working clearly and make the paper-first rule non-negotiable. Used that way, these apps are like having a patient tutor on hand at nine o'clock at night, and they can rebuild a child's confidence quickly.
If maths has become a battle in your house, mix in something playful too. My round-up of puzzle games that help children learn maths is a gentler way back in for younger ones.
Related: the kitchen page.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free math solver app?
Several apps on this list name a free version or free solutions on their own page, so check the free plan column before you download.
Can a math solver app read handwriting?
Many photo solvers can, but messy handwriting and diagrams cause mistakes, so always check the problem the app has read.
Is using a math solver app cheating?
It depends how it's used: copying answers is, while checking your own working step by step is a good way to learn.
Do math solver apps show the steps?
The apps here describe step-by-step solutions or explanations, though some keep the fullest explanations for subscribers.
Which topics can math solver apps handle?
Most cover arithmetic and algebra, and several go on to trigonometry, calculus, statistics and matrices.
Should children use a math solver app?
With supervision and a try-it-first rule, they can help, but they shouldn't replace practice without the app.
