Socratic by Google

Socratic is a free homework-help app that Google acquired in 2018 and relaunched under its own brand. The concept is simple: point your phone camera at a question — a math problem, a science term, a history prompt — and Socratic uses AI and optical character recognition to identify it, then surfaces step-by-step explanations, definitions, and curated links to explainer videos and articles.

What distinguishes it from a plain search or from Photomath is breadth and intent. Photomath is laser-focused on solving and showing steps for math equations; Socratic covers math, science, chemistry, biology, history, and English, and it deliberately frames results around understanding the underlying concept rather than just handing over an answer. Content is pulled from vetted educational sources plus Google’s own knowledge.

Worth knowing: Socratic has been in maintenance mode for a while. It still works well, but Google has not shipped major updates in some time, and general assistants like Gemini now overlap heavily with what it does.

Key Features

• Photo and voice question capture with OCR
• Step-by-step math solutions with shown work
• Concept explanations across science, history, and English
• Curated links to videos and articles from trusted sources
• Visual study guides for many topics
• Free, ad-free experience on iOS and Android

Pricing

• Free: Full access with no subscription, in-app purchases, or ads

Best For

Middle- and high-school students who want a quick, free way to understand a homework question across a range of subjects — and who prefer an app that nudges toward the concept rather than only spitting out the answer.

Limitations

The app is mobile-only and has not seen meaningful updates in years, so its recognition and coverage can lag newer tools. For heavy math work, Photomath handles complex equations and step detail better, and for open-ended help, Google’s own Gemini or ChatGPT are now more capable. Treat Socratic as a fast lookup aid, not a complete tutor.