A free Symbolab alternative with full steps
Derivative Calculator AI is free and does not ask you to create an account. You type a function, the computer-algebra engine differentiates it, and the page shows the full steps. Each step has a why explanation. A model writes that explanation when the server is configured with one; otherwise the calculator writes the reason the rule applies.
Symbolab is a different product. Its public registration page lists “Full access to solution steps” and “Full access to AI chat” under Symbolab Pro. This page does not claim that the free Symbolab solver shows nothing, and it does not claim that Pro is the only way to see an answer. It records the wording Symbolab uses for those two features.
If you need an integral or a limit as well as a derivative, those calculators are on this site and use the same pattern: a symbolic result, steps that say why, a check-answer box, and practice problems. English, Spanish, and Portuguese are the same tools, not separate products.
What each public page actually says
| Derivative Calculator AI | Symbolab | Wolfram|Alpha | Mathway | derivative-calculator.net | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open the calculator | Free, no account | Public solver | Basic plan is free to open | Homepage says it is free | Homepage says it is free |
| Full worked steps | Yes, on the free calculator | Pro list includes “Full access to solution steps” | Pricing page: Basic does not include step-by-step solutions | Homepage and premium terms disagree; see the note | Free calculator has “Show calculation steps” |
| Why a step is valid | Yes. A why explanation on each step | Pro lists “Full access to AI chat”, which is a chat product | Pro steps “explain how that answer was found” | Not described as a per-step why button | Each step applies one differentiation rule |
Mathway’s homepage says you can get step-by-step solutions without signing up, and that a subscription unlocks the full work for every step. Mathway’s premium terms describe step-by-step access as a subscription benefit. Both sentences are on mathway.com. This table does not collapse them into one yes or no. Prices are omitted because they change.
Sources checked on 31 October 2026
- Symbolab registration (Pro list)
- Wolfram|Alpha Pro pricing
- Wolfram|Alpha step-by-step
- Mathway homepage
- Mathway premium terms
- derivative-calculator.net
Open the derivative calculator · Derivative calculator comparison