The best free maths solvers that show the steps

A maths solver that only gives the answer is a way to finish homework, not a way to learn it. What helps is the working: every step, in order, so you can see where yours went wrong. Most solvers now say they show steps, but some show them free and some keep them for paying users. We read each one's own page this week and wrote down what you actually get for nothing.

What to check before you rely on one

• Are the steps free, or only the answer? This is the big one.
• Do you need an account? Fine for some, a barrier for younger students and school computers.
• Can it read a photo? Handy, but typing the problem makes you read it properly.
• Will your teacher accept the method? A solver can use a method your class hasn't learned. Check it against your notes.

The solvers, compared

Photomath

Point your phone at a problem and it solves it. Photomath's page lists a $0 Basic plan that includes step-by-step explanations, with paid options at $9.99 a month or $69.99 a year (prices shown in US dollars). Best for: checking homework on a phone, quickly.

Mathway

Covers basic maths through calculus, statistics, chemistry and physics, typed or from a photo. Mathway's own FAQ says it is free to use, gives step-by-step solutions without signing up, and that an optional subscription "unlocks the full work shown for every step". So you get steps free, but not always all of them. Its page did not show the subscription price. Best for: a wide range of subjects with no account.

Wolfram|Alpha

Very powerful, and good for checking anything from algebra to university maths. The free Basic account does not include step-by-step solutions, according to its pricing page; Pro does, at $5.00 a month billed $60 a year. Best for: checking answers and exploring, rather than learning the method for free.

GeoGebra

GeoGebra's calculators and apps are free for non-commercial use, and many features work without an account (you need one to save work online). It also has a solver that gives step-by-step solutions from a photo; its page did not say whether all of that is free. Best for: geometry and graphs, where seeing the shape is half the answer.

Desmos

Not a step-by-step solver, but worth knowing: Desmos's graphing calculator is part of a free suite, and Desmos says it partners with most US state assessments and digital college entrance exams. If your exam uses it, practise with it. Best for: graphing, and getting used to the calculator you'll see on test day.

Versed step-by-step maths (ours)

Our step-by-step maths tool takes one typed line and shows the answer with every step in plain words. It is free, needs no account, and runs in your browser without sending your work anywhere. It covers order of operations, fractions (with exact arithmetic, so 0.1 + 0.2 really is 0.3), percentages, ratio, linear and quadratic equations, expanding and factorising brackets, unit conversions, and the model method for units-and-parts word problems that Singapore primary students learn. Where it doesn't fit: it can't read photos, and it doesn't do calculus or statistics. When a question is out of range it says so, rather than guessing, and offers to pass it to our free AI tutor.

Left out

Symbolab only showed prices after we registered, and Microsoft Math Solver's site returned an error page when we checked. We'd rather leave a tool out than guess.

Quick comparison

• Steps free, no account: Versed step-by-step maths; Mathway (some steps need a subscription).
• Steps free on the Basic plan: Photomath.
• Steps paid: Wolfram|Alpha (Pro, $60 a year).
• Free graphing: Desmos, GeoGebra.

How to use a solver without it doing your homework

1. Try first. Write your own working before you look.
2. Compare line by line. Find the first step where yours and the solver's differ. That's the thing to learn.
3. Do one more. Change a number and solve it again without help. If you can, you've got it.
4. Mix it up. Practising different problem types together beats ten of the same in a row; see why mixed maths practice works.

If maths homework is hard for reasons beyond the maths, like dyslexia or ADHD, our sister site has guides for parents: why a child isn't careless in maths.