Chegg Review (2026): Pricing, Features & Free Alternatives

Chegg Study remains the most recognized name in academic support. While new AI tools have entered the market, Chegg's massive database of verified textbook solutions and human-expert Q&A makes it the gold standard for accuracy.

However, for many students in 2026, the monthly subscription cost is a barrier. This review covers exactly what you get for your money, the current pricing tiers, and the best free alternatives if you are on a budget.

What Does Chegg Offer?

Chegg is more than just an answer key. It is a comprehensive learning suite split into three main pillars:

Textbook Solutions: Step-by-step guides for over 9,000 textbooks. Unlike AI, these are verified by humans to ensure the methodology is correct.
Expert Q&A: Stuck on a specific problem? Post a photo of it, and a subject matter expert will provide a custom solution, usually within 30 minutes.
Writing & Citations: Includes a plagiarism checker and instant citation generator for essays.

Chegg Pricing (2026)

Chegg operates on a monthly subscription model. As of early 2026, the pricing tiers are:

Plan	Cost	Best For
Chegg Study	~$14.95 / mo	Standard Homework Help (Q&A + Textbook Solutions)
Chegg Study Pack	~$19.95 / mo	All-in-one (Includes Math Solver + Writing Tools)

Is There a Chegg Free Trial?

Chegg occasionally offers a 7-day free trial for new accounts, but it requires a valid credit card. Be careful: it auto-renews instantly if you do not cancel 24 hours before the trial ends.

Top 5 Free Chegg Alternatives (2026)

If you cannot afford the subscription, here are the best legitimate ways to get homework help for free:

1. Brainly (Best Community)

A massive peer-to-peer network. You can view most answers for free by watching short video ads. It relies on community voting to verify accuracy.

2. Quizlet (Best for Definitions)

Teachers and students upload millions of flashcard sets. If you search for a specific questions, chances are it's already on a Quizlet card that is free to view.

3. Course Hero (Best for Documents)

While usually paid, Course Hero allows you to "Unlock" answers for free if you upload your own original study notes. (Ratio: Upload 10 documents = Get 5 Unlocks).

4. ChatGPT / Claude (Best AI)

For general math, history, or coding questions, standard AI models are now powerful enough to replace Chegg. Simply paste your question text. Note: AI can struggle with complex engineering diagrams.

5. Khan Academy (Best for Learning)

If you actually want to learn the concept (not just copy the answer), Khan Academy offers 100% free video courses on almost every subject.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I share my Chegg account?

No. Chegg is very strict about this. If their system detects logins from multiple IP addresses or locations (e.g., you and your roommate using it at the same time), they will ban the account instantly without a refund.

2. Is Chegg cheating?

Using Chegg to understand a step-by-step method for homework is study help. However, using Chegg to upload exam questions during a live test or copying answers verbatim for a graded assignment is considered academic dishonesty (plagiarism).

3. How do I cancel Chegg?

Go to My Account > Orders > Subscriptions. Click "Cancel Subscription." You must do this at least 24 hours before your renewal date to avoid being charged.

4. Does Chegg notify my university?

Chegg generally protects user privacy. However, in verified cases of "Honor Code Investigations" (e.g., a professor finds their exam questions posted online), Chegg cooperates with universities to identify users who posted or accessed that specific material.