Overview

AskSia solves problems in math, science, engineering, business, and computer science, showing the steps rather than only the answer. Students can enter a question by typing, pasting, taking a photo, or speaking; LaTeX input supports mathematical notation. Document uploads are also supported, which can help when a question is part of a longer assignment.

After a solution, students can request another method, practice problems, or flashcards. More than 184 topic-specific solvers extend the service beyond a single general-purpose homework tool. AskSia says it is an independent company, not affiliated with or endorsed by any university. Its service agreement prohibits cheating and plagiarism and recommends not using the platform during tests or exams.

Key features

Worked solutions and follow-up practice

Step-by-step explanations make AskSia more useful for understanding a process than a solver that returns only a result. Alternate methods give students another way to approach a problem, while practice questions and flashcards support review. These are study aids, not a substitute for doing assessed work independently.

Extension and course materials

The Chrome extension supports Canvas, Blackboard, Brightspace, Moodle, Everytime, CyberCampus, Echo360, and Panopto. It is read-only: it does not write to the LMS, and AskSia does not receive the user's LMS password. Synced course materials are encrypted with TLS 1.3 in transit and AES-256 at rest, are not used to train AI, and can be deleted. That makes the extension more considerate of course-account access than a tool that needs to modify coursework, though students should still follow their institution’s rules.

Exports

The web app can export to PDF, DOCX, Notion, and Google Docs. That is practical for keeping solutions and study materials in a document or notes workflow, while the listed exports apply to the web app.

Pricing

AskSia is freemium. The Free plan costs 0.00 USD per free and includes daily problem solves, step-by-step solutions, and photo input. Document uploads and hints or guided mode are also supported. No paid plan price or terms are available to compare.

Platforms

AskSia is available on Android, iOS, macOS, Windows, and the web, as well as through a Chrome extension. Mobile coverage on both major phone platforms and desktop access make it suitable for students who switch devices; LMS integrations are provided through the extension.

Who it's for

AskSia is aimed at high school students and students in their first two university years who want explanations across several subjects, then practice or review materials. It is less appropriate for anyone seeking a tool to complete tests or submit work dishonestly: the service explicitly forbids cheating and plagiarism.

Pros and cons

Pros: Multiple input methods, including photos, speech, and LaTeX, reduce the effort of entering different kinds of problems.
Pros: Alternate solutions, practice problems, and flashcards extend a solve into further study.
Pros: The extension is read-only and protects synced materials with encryption, while allowing deletion.
Cons: The free plan’s daily solve allowance is unspecified, making it hard to judge whether it will cover regular study.
Cons: The listed document exports are for the web app, so students using another platform should not assume the same workflow.

Alternatives

For a math-focused phone app, Photomath is a narrower option: its free Basic plan offers step-by-step explanations, while custom visual aids and extra “how” and “why” tips are excluded. Mathway suits students who want solver and calculator access across Android, iOS, web, and Windows; step-by-step solutions are available, with an optional subscription unlocking them.

ShowYourWork may suit students who value explanations and practice problems on a capped monthly generation allowance: its free plan includes three generations per month, with referrals adding three. Cymath is a more focused choice for step-by-step math solutions, with a free plan and a Plus plan at 5.00 USD per month that is ad-free and includes detailed sub-steps on most problems.

Solvely is another freemium homework-help alternative available on Android, iOS, web, and as an extension. Sovi.AI is a freemium option for students who want to see current plan details before upgrading. StudyX offers a wider study-tool mix, including AI notes, flashcards, quizzes, live transcription, and AI chat. Kedovo AI is a web-only alternative with a free Learner plan capped at five practice questions per chapter, ten AI chat queries per day, and one sample paper per month.

For more choices, see AI Homework Helpers or AI Summarizers.

Verdict

AskSia is a strong fit for high school and early-university students who want worked explanations in multiple subjects and practical ways to continue studying afterward. Its flexible inputs, follow-up tools, and read-only LMS extension are compelling reasons to choose it. Look elsewhere if you need a clearly stated free-use quota or a solver built specifically around one subject.

	AskSia	SciSummary
Free plan	Yes
Free trial		Yes
Paid from	Free	$0.33/mo
Platforms	Android, extension, iOS, macOS, Web, Windows	api, Web
Free plan	Yes	No
Document upload	Yes
Step-by-step solutions	Yes
Image question input	Yes
Document uploads	Yes
Hints or guided mode	Yes
Mobile app coverage	both
Webpage summaries		Yes
File upload		Yes
Webpage summarization		Yes
Output formats		both
API access		Yes

AskSia vs SciSummary

AskSia

SciSummary