Mathway: snap the problem, get the answer, from middle school to college calculus
Mathway is an AI math solver that answers problems you type, photograph or dictate out loud, from basic fractions to integrals and statistics. Answers come free and unlimited, while the full step-by-step reasoning sits behind a Premium subscription. Owned by Chegg, the app claims billions of solved problems across the web, iOS and Android. The mobile app is also localized in several languages beyond English.
- Free unlimited answers across ten subject areas
- Camera scanning of handwritten or printed problems
- Voice input for dictating equations
- Runs on the web, iOS and Android
- Detailed step-by-step reasoning locked behind Premium
- Internet connection required at all times
- Occasional slips on very advanced problems
Keyboard, camera or voice, three ways to hand Mathway a problem
Solving starts with picking a subject, from basic math to graphing, then entering the exercise. The built-in math keyboard handles roots, matrices and integrals, the camera scans printed or handwritten problems, and the microphone even takes a dictated equation. In practice, you photograph problem 4 on the worksheet and the solution appears before you have found your eraser.
The free tier stops at the final answer. Unrolling every step of the reasoning, the way a teacher would at the board, takes a subscription. That trade-off has held for years, and checking homework answers still costs nothing.
From seventh grade fractions to college calculus
Ten subject areas are covered, from pre-algebra to linear algebra, chemistry included. That breadth keeps the app in most conversations about AI study tools for students, where plenty of solvers stop at high school algebra.
| Subject area | Topics handled |
|---|---|
| Basic math and pre-algebra | Fractions, decimals, roots, factors |
| Algebra | Equations, systems, logarithms, matrices |
| Trigonometry and precalculus | Identities, vectors, complex numbers, sequences |
| Calculus | Limits, derivatives, integrals |
| Statistics | Probability, permutations, combinations |
| Chemistry and graphing | Chemical equations, function plotting |
Free answers, paid steps and Mathway's Chegg chapter
Chegg, the American homework help giant, bought Mathway in 2020. The project predates that deal by a long stretch, and the Android package still carries the name of Bagatrix, the original publisher (a fossil only Play Store URL readers ever spot).
Money-wise, answers stay free without limits. Premium, which opens up step-by-step solutions, is listed at $9.99 a month or $39.99 a year by several trackers, with some variation depending on the store you buy through, and a live tutoring add-on exists on mobile. These figures drift from one school year to the next, so treat the official subscription page as the only current reference.
Frequently asked questions
Is Mathway free?
Yes, answers are free and unlimited on the website and the mobile apps. Only the detailed solution steps sit behind the Premium subscription, billed monthly or yearly. For checking a homework result, the free tier handles the vast majority of cases.
Mathway or Photomath, which one should you pick?
Mathway covers the wider range, taking in linear algebra, statistics, finite math and chemistry, while Photomath is strongest at scanning school exercises. Slant's community comparison ranks Mathway ahead of its rival among Android math apps. Both keep full step-by-step explanations behind a paid plan.
How accurate is Mathway?
Reliable on standard exercises from middle school through early college, according to independent reviews. Slips can still happen on very complex or unusually worded problems, so double-checking a sensitive result remains wise. Think of it as a checker and explainer rather than an infallible oracle.
How do you cancel a Mathway subscription?
Cancellation happens anytime from your Mathway account settings, or through App Store and Google Play subscription management if you purchased there. Auto-renewal stops while Premium access runs until the end of the paid period. Fees already charged are generally not refunded.
Verdict: Billions of solved problems make the case on their own; from a seventh grader stuck on fractions to a college student sanity-checking an integral, anyone doing math homework gets a pocket checker here, with the step-by-step plan waiting for the day the how matters as much as the answer.
