Symbolab
AI math solver with step-by-step solutions across 500+ calculators.
About
Symbolab is a math answer engine that solves problems step by step rather than just returning answers. It covers pre-algebra through advanced calculus, plus matrices, vectors, geometry, trigonometry, statistics, and chemistry, with more than 500 specialized calculators behind a smart solver. Students can type equations, use an on-screen scientific keyboard, snap a photo of a handwritten problem, or write in plain language, and the platform breaks each solution into line-by-line derivations.
It began in 2011 as a mathematical semantic search engine built by Israeli startup EqsQuest, founded by Michal Avny, Adam Arnon, and Lev Alyshayev. Course Hero acquired the company in October 2020, and it now operates under Course Hero's parent Learneo. The product spans web, iOS, Android, a Chrome extension that solves problems on any website, a graphing calculator, practice problem generators, and a developer API.
Independent reviews confirm the core promise is real: students consistently say the step walkthroughs genuinely help with calculus and algebra homework. The main frictions are that full step-by-step detail and unlimited practice sit behind the paid tier, and the AI chat tutor for Pro users gets mixed reviews on usefulness. Coverage is available in 13 languages.
What it can do
- Step-by-step solutions across 500+ math calculators
- Photo scanning of handwritten math problems
- Interactive 2D and 3D graphing calculator
- Practice problem and quiz generators with feedback
- Geometry proof solver
- Chrome extension solving problems on any website
- Developer API
- Available in 13 languages
Setup
- Go to symbolab.com or install the iOS/Android app, no login required for basic solving.
- Type an equation, use the scientific keyboard, or snap a photo of the problem.
- Review the solution and expand the step-by-step breakdown.
- Use the graphing calculator or practice generator to reinforce the concept.
- Upgrade to Symbolab Plus for unlimited steps, practice, and the AI chat tutor.
Prerequisites
A math problem; optional free account for notebooks and history.
Use cases
Works with
Trust score — 8/10
Scored 8/10 (verified tier, metrics-v1). Evidence: launched 2011 by EqsQuest (Avny, Arnon, Alyshayev); acquired by Course Hero Oct 2020 (Wikipedia); 500+ calculators, 13 languages (Wikipedia, Chrome Web Store). Docs corroboration: step-by-step solver, photo scanning, and graphing capabilities corroborated by myengineeringbuddy.com and gizmodo.com reviews. Strengths: 14-year track record, Wikipedia-documented history, consistently positive user reviews on the core step-by-step promise, huge solved-problem library. Docked for: (1) full step detail and unlimited practice are paywalled; (2) the AI chat tutor gets mixed reviews; (3) occasional solution errors noted by reviewers. License: proprietary commercial SaaS.
How the trust score is built
Full methodology →- Adoption · stars/downloads, log-scaled vs peers
- 9.0/10
- Maintenance · recency, releases, issue load
- 8.0/10
- Openness · license + docs
- 6.0/10
- Manual review · sanity read + red-flag check
- 8.0/10
- · Launched 2011 by EqsQuest (Avny, Arnon, Alyshayev); acquired by Course Hero Oct 2020 (Wikipedia)
- · 500+ calculators, 13 languages; Chrome extension, mobile photo scanning, developer API (Wikipedia; chromewebstore)
- · Consistently positive user reviews on step-by-step solver; full steps and AI chat are paywalled (myengineeringbuddy.com; gizmodo.com)
Sources
Every fact above was checked against these sources. Where a claim comes from the provider and couldn't be independently verified, the text says so.