Education · head to head
Photomath vs Udemy
Photomath
Education
Camera based maths solver that shows step by step working, owned by Google since 2022
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Photomath full free step by step solutions make it straightforward for a student to submit copied working without doing the reasoning themselves, which is a real concern for teachers assigning homework.; Udemy course quality varies significantly as Udemy allows anyone to create and sell courses without vetting
- They diverge on capability: Photomath covers Camera scanning, Udemy covers Video courses.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Photomath and Udemy actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Education).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Photomath
- Camera scanning
- Step by step solutions
- Built-in calculator
- Word problem support
- Animated explanations
- Textbook alignment
Only in Udemy
- Video courses
- Quizzes
- Assignments
- Certificates
- Mobile learning
- Offline viewing
- Q&A
- Reviews
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Photomath
- A student checking their own worked answer against the app steps to find where a method went wrongnot Udemy
- A parent who cannot help with unfamiliar high school maths and needs a worked explanation rather than just an answernot Udemy
- A student working through word problems in a subject not covered by the free tier who needs the Plus subscriptionnot Udemy
- A school evaluating whether to recommend or restrict the app given the ease of copying a full worked solutionnot Udemy
Udemy
- Skill buildingnot Photomath
- Career transitionnot Photomath
- Professional developmentnot Photomath
- Team trainingnot Photomath
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Photomath
- Full free step by step solutions make it straightforward for a student to submit copied working without doing the reasoning themselves, which is a real concern for teachers assigning homework.
- Word problems, a common school assessment format, are gated behind the Plus subscription, so the free tier is weaker on exactly the problem type many students struggle with most.
- Camera recognition of messy handwriting or complex notation such as matrices or multi-line proofs is unreliable, and misreads produce confidently wrong steps.
- Since the 2022 Google acquisition, the product sits inside a company whose primary business is advertising and data, which is a relevant factor for schools with strict student data policies.
- It solves problems rather than teaching underlying concepts from scratch, so a student with no foundational understanding gets a worked answer but not necessarily comprehension.
Udemy
- Course quality varies significantly as Udemy allows anyone to create and sell courses without vetting
- No formal credentials or degrees offered, unlike Coursera and edX which offer institution-branded certificates
- Courses are self-paced with no instructor interaction or support, making structured learning difficult for some students
Pricing, plan by plan
Photomath
Free- Photomath Plus$9.99/month
- Step by step solutions for most problem types free and unlimited on the base app
- Plus unlocks word problems, animated explanations and deeper steps
- Plus available at roughly $59.99 billed annually as a cheaper alternative to monthly
Udemy
Free- Personal$19/month
- 11,000+ courses access
- Team$360/year
- For 5-20 people
Which should you pick?
Choose Photomath if
- You need camera scanning.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on iOS, Android.
- You also want step by step solutions.
Choose Udemy if
- You need video courses.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want quizzes.
Questions people ask
- Is Photomath or Udemy better?
- Neither clearly leads. Photomath starts at Free and Udemy at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Photomath or Udemy?
- Photomath starts at Free and Udemy at Free.
- Does Photomath or Udemy run on more platforms?
- Photomath runs on iOS, Android. Udemy runs on Web, iOS, Android.
- Can I use Photomath for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Photomath best used for?
- Photomath is most often used for a student checking their own worked answer against the app steps to find where a method went wrong, a parent who cannot help with unfamiliar high school maths and needs a worked explanation rather than just an answer, a student working through word problems in a subject not covered by the free tier who needs the plus subscription, a school evaluating whether to recommend or restrict the app given the ease of copying a full worked solution. Of those, a student checking their own worked answer against the app steps to find where a method went wrong and a parent who cannot help with unfamiliar high school maths and needs a worked explanation rather than just an answer are not what Udemy is typically brought in for.
- What can Photomath do that Udemy cannot?
- Photomath covers Camera scanning, Step by step solutions, Built-in calculator, Word problem support. Udemy covers Video courses, Quizzes, Assignments, Certificates.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Photomath: Is Photomath free?
Basic step by step solutions for most maths problem types are free and unlimited. Word problems, animated explanations and some textbook-specific solutions require Photomath Plus.
Udemy: Does Udemy offer team/business pricing?
Yes, Udemy's Team plan costs $360 per user annually for groups of 5 to 20 people, in addition to individual Personal plan at $19/month.
SourcePhotomath: Who owns Photomath now?
Google acquired Photomath in 2022. It operates as a standalone app but is owned by Google.
Photomath: Does it just give the answer or show working?
It shows step by step working for the method used, not only the final answer, on both free and Plus tiers, with Plus adding more detail.
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