Chegg started in 2005 as a textbook rental service — the name is a portmanteau of “chicken” and “egg,” referencing the age-old dilemma students face when they need experience to get a job but need a job to get experience. The company has since transformed into a comprehensive student services platform, though textbooks remain part of its business.
Chegg Study is the company’s flagship product. It provides step-by-step solutions to textbook problems, expert Q&A where students can submit questions and get answers from subject matter experts, and practice problems with explanations. The solution database covers millions of textbook problems across math, science, engineering, business, and other fields.
Beyond homework help, Chegg offers writing tools (grammar and plagiarism checks), math solving tools, flashcards, and a tutoring service connecting students with live tutors. The platform also provides internship matching and scholarship search tools, extending its reach beyond academics into career preparation.
Chegg went public in 2013 and grew rapidly during the pandemic as students shifted to remote learning. However, the company has faced challenges from AI chatbots that can answer homework questions for free, leading to subscriber declines starting in 2023. Chegg has responded by integrating AI into its own products and shifting toward more personalized, AI-powered study assistance to stay competitive in an increasingly crowded market.
