Photomath
Camera-based math solver app, owned by Google since 2022, step-by-step homework help.
On the record
Checkpoint: Google's next public statement (or silence) on Photomath's role in the Gemini education lineup
The call
Photomath has the users but not the roadmap; its fate now depends on whether Google gives it a job in the Gemini era or lets it fade like Socratic.
Photomath is a smartphone app that solves math problems by taking a photo and showing step-by-step solutions. The thing that made it special, solving problems from photos, can now be done just as well by Google's Gemini AI and ChatGPT's math tutor, both of which launched in 2026, so there is nothing unique about Photomath's method or data to keep it alive. The only thing that could save it is if Google decides to keep Photomath as a separate tutoring service on top of Gemini instead of folding it into Google's search and camera tools, but Google's history with similar apps suggests it will probably do the folding instead.
Why
01
AI pressure: ChatGPT visual math tutor and Google's own Gemini Deep Think. ChatGPT now solves photographed math problems step by step; Gemini does the same inside Google's own products, cutting the reason to open Photomath. Could AI do the core job? Yes, likely.
02
Bigger players: Google (parent company). Google folded Photomath's app listing into its own publisher account in 2024 and is building Gemini/Lens homework tools that could replace it outright. Could a giant copy it? Yes, easily.
03
What protects it. 300 million plus downloads and a trusted brand name among students and parents.
What would change this call
Google publicly names Photomath as a distinct branded layer in the Gemini education stack. Would show Google intends to preserve Photomath rather than absorb it.
Photomath.com traffic and app store ranking trend over the next four quarters. Continued decline would confirm users are shifting to Gemini or ChatGPT instead.
Whether Google repeats the Socratic pattern by quietly folding Photomath features into Lens or Search. Would confirm Photomath is being absorbed rather than run as a standalone product.
Photomath.com traffic and app store ranking trend over the next four quarters. Continued decline would confirm users are shifting to Gemini or ChatGPT instead.
Whether Google repeats the Socratic pattern by quietly folding Photomath features into Lens or Search. Would confirm Photomath is being absorbed rather than run as a standalone product.
Key numbers
- 100M+ Play Store installs, 3.1M+ reviews
- Website traffic down ~11% month over month
- Photomath Plus subscription: $9.99/month
Named risks
- Google could silently absorb Photomath's engine into Gemini/Lens rather than sustain it as a distinct brand.
- Core scan-and-solve workflow now natively replicated by ChatGPT and Gemini, eroding differentiation.
- Google's prior homework-help app Socratic was deprioritized, setting a precedent for Photomath's fate.
- Website traffic declining (~345K monthly visits mid-2025, down 11% MoM) signals weakening standalone pull.
- No verified post-acquisition revenue or headcount disclosure makes Photomath's standalone health unmeasurable.
Rivals, as read in July 2026
| Rival | Direction | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Google Gemini (parent's own model) | gaining on | Gemini Deep Think hit IMO gold-medal math performance by mid-2025, replicating Photomath's core value |
| ChatGPT (OpenAI) | gaining on | Shipped interactive visual math and science tutor around March 2026, overlapping camera-to-steps workflow |
| Gauth (ByteDance) | gaining on | Adds live human-tutor escalation and broader subject coverage, actively marketed against Photomath in 2025-2026 |
| Mathway (Chegg/Learneo) | contesting | Broader STEM subject support competes head-to-head as of 2026 despite paywalled steps |
| Symbolab (Learneo) | contesting | Positioned as stronger for advanced/college-level math as of June 2026 |
| Microsoft Math Solver | losing to | Reviewers note reduced active development versus newer AI-chat entrants as of 2026 |
Questions people ask
- Is Photomath owned by Google?
- Yes. Google acquired Photomath in May 2022, the EU cleared the deal in March 2023, and by February 2024 Photomath's iOS and Android app-store listings were migrated onto Google's own publisher account, making it a fully Google-owned app.
- Will ChatGPT or Gemini replace Photomath?
- The risk is high. As of March 2026 ChatGPT shipped an interactive visual math tutor, and Google's own Gemini Deep Think hit IMO gold-medal math performance by mid-2025, both natively replicating Photomath's scan-and-solve camera workflow.
- Is Photomath profitable?
- Unknown. Google has never disclosed separate financials since the 2023 acquisition closed. Pre-acquisition broker estimates conflict wildly, ranging from about $6.7M to $91.2M in revenue, neither verified by company disclosure.
- Who are Photomath's biggest competitors?
- Mathway (Chegg/Learneo), Gauth (ByteDance-owned, adds live human tutors), Symbolab (Learneo), and Microsoft Math Solver all compete in scan-and-solve math help as of 2026, alongside generalist ChatGPT and Gemini.
- How many downloads does Photomath have?
- Google Play listed 100M+ installs with 3.1M+ reviews as of February 19, 2026, while third-party estimates put lifetime cumulative downloads at roughly 300-350M+ by 2025-2026.
- How does Photomath make money?
- Photomath runs a freemium model: free scan-and-solve with basic explanations, plus a Photomath Plus subscription at $9.99 per month or $69.99 per year unlocking animated step tutorials and deeper explanations, confirmed as of February 29, 2024.
Timeline
- 2026-03ChatGPT ships interactive visual math and science tutor feature, overlapping Photomath's core workflow
- 2026-02-19Photomath Play Store listing shows 100M+ installs, 3.1M+ reviews
- 2026-01Apple reportedly signs multi-year Gemini-powered Siri partnership, rolling out with iOS 27
- 2025-06Google's Gemini Deep Think reaches IMO gold-medal standard math performance
- 2024-02-29Photomath app-store listings migrated onto Google's own publisher account
- 2023-03-27European Commission unconditionally clears Google's acquisition of Photomath
- 2022-05Google announces acquisition of Photomath, cited as response to ChatGPT
- 2021-02Photomath raises $23M Series B led by Menlo Ventures
- 2014Photomath founded, built on Microblink's text-recognition technology
Revision history
22 July 2026
First assessed. Protection under test. The text above is fixed as of this date and is not edited afterwards.
In the same band
Sources
- Photomath (2026-06-24)
- Commission clears acquisition of Photomath by Google (2023-03-27)
- Photomath is officially Google's latest app on the Play Store (2024-02-29)
- Photomath, Apps on Google Play (2026-02-19)
- Reviews, Features, Pricing, Guides, and Alternatives (2026-05-21)
- Revenue, Competitors, Alternatives (2022-03-21)
- Redefining the Future of Scientific Research, Google DeepMind (2026-07-08)
- Products, Competitors, Financials, Employees, Headquarters Locations (2026-03-11)
- Photomath UI Breakdown
- Microblink (2026-07-20)
- Photomath: European EdTech's €500M Exit (2025-07-25)
- Features, Pricing & Alternatives (2026-07-07)