With textbooks costing hundreds of dollars each semester and tuition on the rise, students are constantly looking for ways to save money and supplement their learning. This search often leads them to Chegg – an increasingly popular online learning platform catering to high school and college students. Chegg offers access to digital textbook rentals, expert tutoring, homework solutions, study tools, and more, all in one place.

But is Chegg’s all-in-one approach to supporting students worth all the hype? In this detailed Chegg review, we’ll find out by exploring the pros, cons, features, pricing, and overall value Chegg provides. Read on to see if Chegg’s subscription is worth it for your learning needs.

Overview of Chegg Services

Chegg started in 2005 as a textbook rental company aimed at college students. They made renting textbooks for a semester or longer much more affordable than constantly buying expensive new textbooks. Customers appreciated the hundreds of dollars in savings, and Chegg saw rapid growth.

Since then, Chegg has expanded into a comprehensive learning services platform offering many features beyond textbook rentals. Here’s an overview of their main offerings:

• Textbook rentals – Still Chegg’s core service, with free shipping and returns. They tout savings of up to 90% compared to campus bookstore prices. Over 6 million print titles and eTextbooks are available.
• Tutoring services – Chegg offers on-demand online tutoring with real tutors available 24/7. Sessions are conducted via chat, call, or screen share in over 40 subjects. Video playback is allowed for reference.
• Homework help – Chegg provides expert answers to tough homework questions. Just snap a pic of the question and get step-by-step guidance. Covers STEM subjects, business, social sciences, and more.
• Study resources – Practice questions, flashcards, citations, and writing tools are provided to supplement learning. Also, it offers free lecture notes and study guides for many college courses.
• Math solver – An AI-powered math solver from Chegg that breaks down complex math problems step-by-step to help students understand concepts. It also explains math answers.
• Course reviews – Review college course reviews from other students to help determine which classes and professors to take—over 4 million course-specific reviews.
• Scholarships – Chegg gives out $5,000 scholarships to eligible high school students and $1,000 scholarships to eligible college students. Requires a Chegg subscription to apply.

With all these offerings, Chegg is a one-stop shop for supplementing schoolwork and enhancing academics. But how well do these services work for students? Let’s analyze the pros and cons.

Pros of Using Chegg

There are many benefits students can gain from using Chegg:

Cost Savings – First and foremost is Chegg’s significant savings on textbook rentals alone. Renting textbooks can save students hundreds of dollars per year compared to purchasing them new or used. Tack on all the free or low-cost tutoring, homework help, and study resources, and the savings add up. For the budget-conscious student, the affordability factor is a significant plus.

Convenience: Having so many academic resources in one online account makes Chegg convenient. Students don’t have to track down tutoring options, dig through course syllabi for study guides, or compare textbook rental sites. Chegg brings it all together seamlessly.

Expert Guidance: Chegg has high standards when hiring tutors, subject experts, and question answerers. They only accept top performers, often requiring master’s or Ph.D. degrees and referrals. This means students get detailed explanations from actual subject matter experts. The high-quality support is invaluable.

24/7 Availability: Chegg tutors are available around the clock, which is helpful for those late-night homework crunches or last-minute paper reviews. Chegg’s on-demand model gives students the flexibility to get help whenever needed.

User-Friendly Interface: Their straightforward website and mobile apps make navigating Chegg tools and resources accessible. Intuitive menus make finding the right textbook rental or expert answer quick and straightforward. The platform is designed for maximum usability.

Cons of Using Chegg

However, there are some potential drawbacks to weigh when considering Chegg:

Cost: The subscription pricing may still be prohibitive for some families and students on a tight budget. While Chegg is generally affordable, accessible options like library textbooks or Khan Academy exist. The monthly or annual cost requires an ongoing commitment.

Question Quality: While Chegg promises to deliver high-quality support, some students occasionally complain that answers feel rushed or that tutors need to understand questions. Monitoring consistency across thousands of experts worldwide is a challenge.

Reliance on Chegg: Some professors argue students may become overly reliant on Chegg rather than developing independent critical thinking skills. Educators worry about students’ original work being influenced by Chegg’s answers. This reliance concern is controversial, though.

Honor Code Issues – Chegg’s convenient access to answers could promote academic dishonesty among students inclined to cheat. While Chegg aims to inspire learning, not cheating, some still misuse the homework help feature, for example, to copy answers.

Technical Issues: Like most tech platforms, Chegg can suffer the occasional outage, slow loading times, or app glitch. While they generally have reliable uptime, technical hiccups can disrupt access when students need it most.

Chegg Features and Pricing

Now that we’ve weighed the pros and cons let’s take a more detailed look at Chegg’s key features and pricing options for subscriptions:

Textbook Rentals

• Over 6 million titles, up to 90% savings
• Get free expedited shipping
• Print or digital eTextbook formats
• Highlight, take notes, and search text
• Return with box and label provided

Tutoring

• Live expert tutors available 24/7
• Get help in over 40 subjects like math, chemistry, essay writing
• Conduct sessions via online chat, phone call, or shared whiteboard
• Replay sessions for reference
• Schedule ongoing sessions with preferred tutors

Homework Help

• Snap a pic of any problem and get expert answers
• Guidance delivered in as quick as 2 minutes
• Step-by-step explanations help you learn
• Ask follow-up questions
• Approved by subject matter specialists

Writing Tools

• Utilize plagiarism checker, citation generator, revision tool, lab report builder, outline creator
• Improve writing skills with AI-powered feedback, rubrics, and samples
• Store your papers online for safekeeping

Flashcards & Study Guides

• Create digital flashcard decks for any topic
• Study 50+ million flashcards created by students
• Access study guides and class notes contributed by other users
• Get customized quiz questions based on your study needs

Math Solver & Calculator

• Scan math problems or equations to get step-by-step guidance
• Understand complex concepts with walkthrough explanations
• Graph equations and use built-in calculators

College Course Reviews

• Read reviews of professors and courses from university students
• Get insights on workload, grading, teaching style, level of difficulty, and more
• See grade distributions and ratings for over 4 million college classes

Scholarships

• Chegg offers $1,000 textbook scholarships for eligible high school juniors/seniors
• It also gives $5,000 and $1,000 scholarships to eligible college students

Chegg Pricing Plans:

• Chegg Study Monthly Subscription – $14.95/month
• Chegg Study Annual Subscription – $9.95/month ($119.95 billed annually)
• Chegg Study Pack (Textbooks + Study Tools) – $19.95/month
• Chegg Study Starter Pack (Limited Q&A) – $12.99/month

Additional services like tutoring have separate usage fees, often $1-$20 per session, depending on subject, length, and tutor level.

Is Chegg Worth the Cost?

Whether the subscription costs are worth it depends on each student’s specific situation and needs. The value comes from using Chegg consistently to supplement your learning and the hours it saves. The money is well spent on voracious studies or frequent homework helpers, leading to better grades. More casual users may be fine getting by with limited free options.

Chegg can be a wise investment for most learners to boost academic performance. The trick is taking advantage of all the study tools – not just the tempting Q&A homework shortcuts. Used wisely, Chegg gives students an edge by providing an affordable personal tutor, expert answers on-demand, and supplemental learning materials unavailable elsewhere.

Conclusion

After reviewing the pros, cons, features, and pricing of Chegg, the benefits justify the hype, especially for dedicated learners. The cost savings on pricey textbooks alone makes Chegg worthwhile. Add tutors, study tools, and 24/7 help to get answers while mastering concepts, and the platform becomes a powerful asset.

While Chegg has areas it can improve, such as upholding consistently high answer quality across the platform, it essentially delivers on providing.