Photomath, Mathway, and other math-solving apps are everywhere. Teachers often dislike them, but students seem to love them. Well, some students do.
Photomath says it wants to strengthen both comprehension and confidence in today’s students.
Mathway promotes itself as the number one math problem solver and a private tutor in your pocket.
I’m a math tutor, so I decided to test both apps myself to see if they actually help students learn.
In this review, I answer two questions:
Do the free versions of Photomath and Mathway actually help you learn math?
Is one app more useful than the other?
I spent over a day testing both apps in different situations. Here’s what I found.
I started with a trig question. Photomath recognized my handwriting and gave a brief prompt to calculate the answer. It mentioned using the trigonometric value table or the unit circle but didn’t provide one unless you upgrade.
Many students try to memorize trig values, which I don’t recommend. It’s better to understand the unit circle.
Mathway also recognized my handwriting and told me to simplify the expression. It didn’t show any steps or explanation.
Mathway gave the correct answer to a function problem but didn’t offer much explanation. It gave a basic definition of a function. Clicking on “inverse” gave a definition of multiplicative inverse, not the inverse of a function.
You would need to go to the Mathway website to get more information, which I did.
If you don’t already know what an inverse is, this might not be very helpful.
Photomath had a ready solution for one book problem. But for the next question, there was no solution.
Mathway also couldn’t recognize the second problem.
It was able to calculate the surface area of an irregular shape after I entered the values manually. But it didn’t explain how to do it.
Photomath recognized the textbook and gave both a regular and expert solution. It told you which log rule to use and showed the factoring steps. I don’t usually teach students to factor that way, but it still got the job done.
(I have a separate video that explains factoring in a way I think is clearer and faster.)
At one point, I considered trying the paid version of Mathway and writing it off as a business expense.
But here’s the thing. Just because an app can solve a problem doesn’t mean you will be able to solve a similar one on your own.
It really depends on the mindset of the person using the app. These tools are good for getting through problems quickly.
If you’re aiming to build real understanding, these apps may not be the best route.
Students build comprehension and confidence by learning to think through problems. When an app does all the thinking, that opportunity is lost.
There is one case where I do think apps like these are helpful. If you’re doing homework and there’s no answer key, the app can help confirm if you’re on the right track.
As you solve more difficult problems and check your answers, it’s possible to build confidence that way. Especially in algebra, Photomath stands out for showing all the steps from start to finish.
The paid version of Mathway might also be helpful. If you’ve tried it, let me know in the comments how it worked for you.
This wraps up my review of Photomath, Mathway, and similar math-solving apps.
I don’t think a tutor should just solve problems and ask students to copy the steps. That might be fine for one example, but not for every problem.
I’m all for using tech to support math learning. I often use tools like Desmos, a scientific calculator, GeoGebra, or Polypad to help students understand concepts more clearly.
If you found this helpful, give the video a like and consider subscribing to my channel. See you in the next one!
