StudySoup
StudySoup is a self-serve study-resource marketplace where college students access class-specific notes, textbook solutions, and exam-prep videos, with content supplied by a paid notetaker community under a freemium subscription model.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What StudySoup does
StudySoup, founded in 2012 and headquartered in San Francisco, operates a two-sided study-resource marketplace for college and university students in the United States. The platform enables students to register for free and access class-specific study guides curated from top-performing classmates who participate in the company's Notetaker Program, paying these content contributors for their notes. The product portfolio has expanded beyond static notes to include three complementary offerings: Study Guides (class-curated notes), Textbook Solutions (step-by-step homework help), and two video products — AnswerED (step-by-step exam-prep walkthroughs that explain both answers and reasoning) and PreparED (curriculum overview videos). The platform is built as a self-serve, direct-to-consumer web application at studysoup.com, supplemented by a Discord community channel and YouTube livestream programming such as Chemistry Rockstar.
The company employs a freemium subscription revenue model. Registration and limited content access are free; paid subscribers receive unlimited access to the full content library under a monthly billing cadence. Distribution is exclusively self-serve through the website, with organic SEO for school-specific and textbook-specific search queries, plus blog content, serving as primary acquisition channels. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. The business is privately held under the legal entity StudySoup Inc and has raised approximately $2.1 million in disclosed capital across five funding events between 2014 and 2017, including a $1.7 million round in 2015 led by Lighter Capital with participation from 1776 Ventures, 500 Global, and Canyon Creek Capital, and a $106,349 debt round from Lighter Capital in January 2017. Co-founders Jeff Silverman (CTO) and Cody Eliason (COO) lead a team of 1-10 employees.
StudySoup firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- StudySoup
- Legal name
- StudySoup Inc
- Website
- https://studysoup.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- StudySoup is a self-serve study-resource marketplace where college students access class-specific notes, textbook solutions, and exam-prep videos, with content supplied by a paid notetaker community under a freemium subscription model.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
StudySoup industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Online Education Platform
- NAICS
- Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691), Educational Support Services (61171), Educational Support Services (611710)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)
- akta.pro primary industry
- General Homework Help (Multi-Subject) (EDANADAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Note-Taking, Reading & Comprehension Strategies (EDANADAC), Exam Prep & Standards-Aligned Review Courseware (Within Curriculum) (EDAFACAO)
Keywords
Where StudySoup is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
StudySoup business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Subscription Access: Students pay for unlimited access to comprehensive study tools including study guides, textbook solutions, and exam prep videos. The platform offers a freemium model where registration is free, with paid access to full content library.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Monthly | Free registration with limited access |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
StudySoup product offering
Product offeringCore offering
StudySoup is a freemium online study platform that gives college and university students access to class-specific study guides, step-by-step textbook solutions, and on-demand exam preparation videos. Students can register for free and pay a monthly subscription for unlimited access to the full content library, which combines user-contributed notes from high-performing notetakers with internally produced video explanations (AnswerED and PreparED).
Product overview
StudySoup is a study assistance platform offering multiple complementary tools for college and university students. The core portfolio consists of Study Guides (custom curated notetaker content for specific classes), Textbook Solutions (step-by-step homework help), AnswerED Videos (exam prep video walkthroughs), and PreparED (video overviews of complex subjects). Students can access notes and study guides by class, find textbook solutions for difficult problems, and watch video content for visual learning. The platform also runs a Notetaker Program enabling students to monetize their note-taking by contributing content. Together, these products provide a comprehensive homework help and exam preparation ecosystem.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Study Guides Custom curated notes and study guides created by student notetakers for specific classes, providing class-specific academic study materials for college students.
- Textbook Solutions Step-by-step solutions to difficult textbook problems, providing detailed explanations and homework help for college students.
- AnswerED Videos Exam preparation video content featuring step-by-step walkthroughs that explain not just the answer but the reasoning behind it, designed for visual learners.
- PreparED Videos Video overview content that breaks down complex subjects and core curriculum topics, providing video explanations for first-time learning, clarification, or exam review.
Companies that use StudySoup
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
StudySoup technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
StudySoup partnerships and signals
Strategic signalRecent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
StudySoup competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- StuDocu: Student-to-student marketplace for sharing lecture notes, summaries, and study guides, primarily in Europe. Closely mirrors StudySoup's notetaker-driven content model and target audience.
- OneClass: Subscription platform providing class-specific notes, study guides, and textbook solutions to university students. Directly comparable in offering, audience, and freemium monetization model.
- Quizlet: Widely used study-tools platform offering flashcards, study guides, and practice tests across K-12 and higher education. Competes for the same student study-help wallet share, especially on free/freemium tiers.
- Course Hero: Subscription study platform where students upload and access class-specific study materials, including notes, textbook solutions, and practice problems. The closest direct competitor to StudySoup's notes/study guides model.
- Brainly: Community-driven homework help platform where students ask and answer subject questions. Directly competes with StudySoup's textbook solutions and homework help offerings with a global footprint.
Broad incumbents
- Bartleby: Study and homework help service offering textbook solutions, writing help, and tutoring. Operates at larger scale and overlaps with StudySoup's textbook-solutions and tutoring-adjacent offerings.
- Khan Academy: Free educational content platform with extensive video lessons and practice exercises. A free alternative that competes for student study time, though it is non-commercial and broadly educational.
- Chegg: Public education platform offering textbook solutions, study help, and tutoring to college students. Overlaps directly with StudySoup's Textbook Solutions and study tools but operates at much larger scale and broader scope.
Others
- Scribd: Subscription document and audiobook library that includes user-uploaded study notes and textbooks. Tangentially related as an alternative source for study materials among college students.
Emerging players
- Numerade: Video-first STEM homework help platform with step-by-step walkthroughs. Competes with StudySoup's AnswerED video content, especially in chemistry and physics verticals.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
StudySoup social profiles
Digital presenceStudySoup financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
StudySoup leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
StudySoup funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds5 records
Investors5 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
StudySoup M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about StudySoup
What does StudySoup do?
StudySoup is a freemium online study platform that gives college and university students access to class-specific study guides, step-by-step textbook solutions, and on-demand exam preparation videos. Students can register for free and pay a monthly subscription for unlimited access to the full content library, which combines user-contributed notes from high-performing notetakers with internally produced video explanations (AnswerED and PreparED).
Is StudySoup a public or private company?
StudySoup is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was StudySoup founded?
StudySoup was founded in 2012. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is StudySoup based?
StudySoup is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does StudySoup make money?
One revenue line is on record: subscription Access.
Who are StudySoup's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are StuDocu, OneClass, Quizlet, Course Hero and Brainly. Broad incumbents are Bartleby, Khan Academy and Chegg. Scribd is listed as an others. Numerade is listed as an emerging player.
Does StudySoup have an API?
No public API is recorded for StudySoup.
What industry is StudySoup in?
StudySoup's product category is Online Education Platform. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDANADAA, General Homework Help (Multi-Subject), with a secondary code of EDANADAC, Note-Taking, Reading & Comprehension Strategies. Its NAICS code is 611691 and its SIC code is 8200.