Photomath

Photomath is an educational technology mobile app, owned by Google. It features a computer algebra system with an augmented optical character recognition system, designed for use with a smartphone's camera to scan and recognize mathematical equations; the app then displays step-by-step explanations onscreen.^[5]

Photomath
Developers	Photomath, Inc.
Initial release	2014 (2014)
Stable release(s) [±]
Android 8.46.0 / 25 September 2025; 27 days ago (2025-09-25)[1][2] iOS 8.45.0 / 25 September 2025; 27 days ago (2025-09-25)[3]
Written in	Java (Android/Windows)
Operating system	Android, iOS
Available in	32 languages[4]
Type	Education Technology
License	Freeware, proprietary
Website	photomath.com

The app is based on a text recognition engine developed by Microblink, a company based in London and Croatia and led by founder Damir Sabol, which also includes the developers of both Photomath and Photopay.^[6][7] Photomath LLC was legally registered in San Mateo, California. In 2021, Photomath announced $23 million in Series B funding led by Menlo Ventures,^[8][9] with contributions from GSV Ventures, Learn Capital, Cherubic Ventures, and Goodwater Capital.^[10]

In May 2022, Google announced it would acquire the company for an undisclosed amount. After review by the European Commission, the deal received approval in March 2023^[11] and concluded in June. This takeover represented the largest startup acquisition in Croatian history, with Photomath being the nation's leading app at that time. This acquisition was cited as a strategic move by Google in response to ChatGPT.^[12] Upon Photomath's dissolution, Sabol transitioned to the role of Director of Software Engineering at Google.^[13] As of February 29, 2024, Google has integrated the app into its Play Store publisher portfolio.^[14]

Description

Photomath utilizes the camera of a user's smartphone or tablet to scan and identify mathematical problems.^[5] Upon recognition, the app displays the steps to solve the problem. The app presents these steps through various methods and approaches, elucidating the problem-solving process in a step-by-step manner to educate users.

Starting in 2016, the app expanded its capabilities to include handwriting recognition, alongside printed text, allowing students to scan both textbooks and handwritten mathematical notes.^[15][16]

In 2017, Photomath was recognized by The Tech Edvocate as one of the top 20 teaching and learning applications.^[17][18]

While Photomath is predominantly free, it also provides a subscription-based service, ‘Photomath Plus’, which enhances functionality with features like solving mathematical word problems and providing solutions to textbook exercises.^[19][20][21]

As of 2021, Photomath boasts over 220 million downloads globally, with its official website reporting the resolution of 2.2 billion problems monthly and adoption by over 1 million educators.^[22][23]