Course Hero

Course Hero is an online learning platform with course-specific study materials contributed by students and educators. Its library includes practice problems, study guides, videos, class notes, and textbook solutions with explanations verified by educators. Learners can also get homework help from expert tutors at any time. Generative AI provides step-by-step explanations based on tutor answers and library materials; AI-generated content is labeled and may be inaccurate or offensive, and learners can check answers with human tutors. The free Basic membership lets users browse study documents, pay per homework question, and earn unlocks by contributing original study materials. Earned unlocks can open documents, textbook solutions, and Q&As for 30 days. Premier costs $9.95 a month and includes 30 monthly unlocks and up to 40 tutor questions, depending on membership. Premier Plus includes QuillBot Premium and Symbolab alongside Course Hero access. The Chrome extension lets users highlight web text and ask questions through a right-click menu or panel. Course Hero is available on the web, Android, iOS, and as an extension, and supports students and educators sharing resources and collaborating on instruction.

Course Hero combines a course-specific study library with tutor support, textbook explanations, and labeled AI responses. Basic is free, while Premier adds monthly unlocks and tutor questions for $9.95 a month.

Course Hero may suit students looking for course-related study materials, explanations, and tutor help. Its resource-sharing and instruction collaboration also make it relevant to educators.

Overview

Course Hero is a study platform built around materials shared by students and educators, with textbook explanations, AI help, and tutor support. It suits students looking for course-specific help across several subjects, as well as educators who share resources and collaborate on instruction. Its breadth is useful, but recurring access to resources and tutor help comes with a paid membership.

Key features

A course-focused library

Study guides, class notes, videos, practice problems, and textbook solutions give learners several ways to review a course. Textbook Solutions add step-by-step explanations verified by educators, a particular strength for students who need to understand how a solution is reached rather than just locate study material. Broad subject coverage is a useful starting point, though the benefit depends on having resources that match the course.

Tutor and AI help

Expert tutors provide homework help 24/7, while generative AI creates step-by-step explanations from tutor answers and Course Hero materials. AI responses are labeled, and Course Hero warns they may be inaccurate or offensive. The option to verify an answer with a human tutor is a sensible safeguard, but learners should not treat an AI explanation as authoritative on its own.

Ways to access resources

Basic members can browse study documents, pay per homework-help question, or earn unlocks by uploading original study materials. Those unlocks open documents, textbook solutions, and Q&As for 30 days, so contributing can provide temporary access without a subscription. The Chrome extension also lets users highlight web text and ask questions through a right-click menu or panel, which is convenient for bringing a question into the study workflow.

Pricing

Basic: free, billed as a no-cost membership. It includes browsing study documents, pay-per-question homework help, and the ability to earn unlocks by contributing materials. This is the sensible choice for occasional use or learners willing to contribute, but it does not include the recurring monthly unlock allowance or bundled tutor and textbook access of Premier.

Premier: $9.95 a month, billed as low as $9.95 per month. It includes 30 course-specific resources per month, Ask AI, expert tutors, and textbook solutions. Premier members receive 30 unlocks monthly and up to 40 tutor questions depending on membership. The monthly allotment makes it more suitable for regular study than Basic, but learners with heavier needs should account for those limits. There is no free trial.

Premier Plus includes QuillBot Premium and Symbolab alongside Course Hero access, making it the relevant bundle for learners who also want those tools. No price is stated for Premier Plus, so it should be treated as custom pricing.

Platforms

Course Hero is available on web, Android, iOS, and as a browser extension. It works best with Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Safari, or Edge. Mobile apps and image question input give students flexible ways to access help, while the extension is specifically useful for asking about highlighted web text.

Who it's for

Choose Course Hero if you want a mix of course materials, educator-verified worked textbook solutions, AI explanations, and access to human tutors in one study service. It is also relevant to educators who share resources and collaborate on instruction. It is less compelling for a student who needs frequent access beyond monthly unlock and tutor-question limits, or who only wants a narrowly focused solving tool.

Pros and cons

• Pros: A varied, course-specific library combines notes, guides, videos, practice problems, and textbook explanations, giving students more than one route to review material.
• Pros: Step-by-step textbook solutions verified by educators and 24/7 tutor help pair worked explanations with a human support option.
• Pros: Basic members can earn 30-day unlocks by contributing original study materials, offering a route to resources without a subscription.
• Cons: Premier's 30 monthly unlocks and up to 40 tutor questions, depending on membership, put a ceiling on recurring use.
• Cons: AI responses may be inaccurate or offensive, so students need to verify them rather than rely on them uncritically.

Alternatives

For a broader category comparison, browse Homework Help Software.

Gauth is a freemium option with a free AI-powered math-solutions plan, a free trial, and a paid Gauth PLUS membership for more expert interactions; choose it when that math-focused offering fits better than Course Hero's course library.

Gionth is a free Android, iOS, and web option; its maker says it was created by teachers, developers, and technology enthusiasts.

SnapSolve is an Android freemium alternative with a free plan offering 20 daily solves, photo, text, and voice input, and 7+ subjects; choose it if that capped mobile solving plan suits your needs.

StudyBru is free while in beta, requires no credit card, and runs on Android, iOS, and web.

OpenTutor offers free downloads and use on Android, iOS, and web, with a paid ad-free version mentioned but no price or terms stated.

Homework Rabbit is a freemium alternative on Android and web.

Questi is a freemium iOS and web option with an Addon T plan at $3.27 a month; consider it if that paid add-on model fits better.

Solvely is a freemium alternative available on Android, as an extension, on iOS, and on web, with a free trial.

Verdict

Course Hero is best for students who want course-specific study materials and worked explanations with both AI and human help close at hand. Its strongest reason to choose it is the combination of a varied library, educator-verified textbook solutions, and 24/7 tutor support. Look elsewhere if you need more monthly access than Premier's limits allow or want only a focused solving tool.