Symbolab

Symbolab: AI Math Solver With Step-by-Step Solutions

Symbolab is an AI math solver built around a simple idea: the answer matters less than the work. Type a problem in mathematical notation, describe it in plain language, or snap a photo, and Symbolab breaks the solution down step by step across algebra, calculus, trigonometry, geometry, statistics, and physics. The engine was originally built in Tel Aviv by EqsQuest, was acquired by Course Hero in October 2020, and today operates as a business of Learneo, the parent company behind Course Hero and several other education brands.

Over time Symbolab has grown from a symbolic calculator into a fuller study environment. An interactive assistant called Chat with Symbo answers follow-up questions about any individual step, practice modules generate personalized problem sets with hints and quizzes, and a dashboard tracks progress by topic. A Chrome extension adds snip-and-solve on any web page, with companion apps on iOS and Android.

Key Features

• Step-by-step solutions across algebra, calculus, trigonometry, geometry, statistics, and physics
• Three input modes: typed math notation, natural-language descriptions, or photo capture
• Chat with Symbo, an AI assistant that explains any solution step you get stuck on
• Personalized practice problems, quizzes, and hints tied to the topics you are studying
• Built-in graphing calculator, geometry solver, worksheets, notebooks, and cheat sheets
• Chrome extension with snip-and-solve, plus iOS and Android apps

Ideal Use Case

Symbolab fits students who lose points for skipped work: check homework line by line, see exactly where a derivation went wrong, and drill weak topics with generated practice before an exam. Teachers use the worksheet and practice tools to build problem sets, and self-learners use it to work through calculus or linear algebra without a tutor on call.

How Symbolab differentiates

When Course Hero acquired Symbolab in October 2020, the engine had been used by more than 50 million students and had worked through roughly one billion questions and explanations in 2020 alone. That symbolic-math engine, refined over more than a decade, still separates Symbolab from newer chatbot-style solvers: it solves structurally rather than predicting text, which keeps multi-step algebra and calculus derivations consistent.

FAQ

Is Symbolab free? The core solver is free to use with limited step detail. A Pro subscription (around $6.99/month, cheaper on semi-annual and annual billing) unlocks full step-by-step explanations, verified solutions, and an ad-free experience.

How accurate is Symbolab? For standard symbolic problems — equations, derivatives, integrals, matrices — the dedicated math engine is reliable. As with any solver, photo recognition of messy handwriting and loosely worded word problems deserve a second look before you trust the output.

Who owns Symbolab? Symbolab was acquired by Course Hero in October 2020 and now operates under Learneo, Course Hero's parent company.

How is Symbolab different from Photomath? Photomath centers on camera-first solving for school-level math. Symbolab goes deeper into university-level topics — calculus, linear algebra, statistics — and adds practice generation, graphing, and an AI chat layer on top of its solver.

tl;dr

Symbolab is a mature, Learneo-owned AI math solver whose symbolic engine shows real step-by-step work across school and university math, with a free tier that covers basic checking and a Pro plan for full explanations.

Related

Looking for more options? Browse the Education & Learning directory or read our best AI education tools listicle. Symbolab is also tracked on Crunchbase.