Socratic

Free Google study app that explains homework questions from a photo

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What is Socratic?

Socratic is a free study app from Google that takes a photo or voice question and returns explanations, videos and related resources for it. It covers maths, science, history and literature, and leans on Google's own models to interpret the question and locate teaching material. Unlike apps that simply print an answer, Socratic is designed to surface the underlying concept with visual explainers and step-by-step walkthroughs gathered from across the web. It is free with no subscription, which sets it apart from most competitors here, and it works on phones, tablets and the web.

Last updated: 2026-09-20. This site only provides an index; for exact features, pricing, and licensing, see the official website.

Key features

  • Photo, voice and typed input for asking study questions
  • Explanations plus links to videos and reference material
  • Coverage of maths, science, history and literature topics
  • Concept-focused answers rather than a bare final result
  • Completely free with no subscription or lesson limits
  • Available on iOS, Android and the web, with sign-in via Google

Pros & cons

Strengths

  • Free with no paid tier, usage caps or advertising upsell
  • Explains concepts and links onward to teaching material
  • Handles photos, voice and typed questions in one app

Watch out for

  • Answer accuracy varies and some solutions are wrong
  • Less suited to advanced or university-level material
  • Feature development has slowed relative to newer study apps

Best for & use cases

homework explanations, concept revision, quick fact checking, secondary school study

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FAQ

Is Socratic really free?

Yes. It has no subscription and no usage limit, since it is a free Google product rather than a paid study service. There is no premium tier to unlock, though the app may point you toward other Google offerings.

How accurate are the answers?

They are generated and retrieved automatically, so errors happen, particularly with ambiguous or multi-step problems. Socratic is strongest when it points you to a concept or a video, and weakest when you treat a final numeric answer as authoritative.

What level of study does it suit?

It is aimed at secondary school coursework, roughly middle and high school. University students working with advanced material will usually find the coverage thin and should expect to look elsewhere.