A student stuck on a homework problem about parabola transformations can type the equation, drag a slider and watch the curve move. That is the core use of Desmos Graphing Calculator, a free Android app from Desmos Inc. It plots polar, cartesian and parametric graphs, and it has no ads or in-app purchases.
Who the slider-driven approach fits
The app suits students and teachers who want to see how a change in one value affects a graph. Sliders let you adjust a value by hand or animate a parameter, which makes function transformations easy to demonstrate.
The developer frames the app around learning by doing. Google Play gives it an Everyone content rating, and the catalog tags it under education.
Plotting, tables and points of interest in practice
You can plot polar, cartesian or parametric graphs, and the developer says there is no limit on how many expressions appear at once. Equations do not have to be in y= form. Inequalities, both cartesian and polar, are supported too.
Tables take your own data or generate input-output pairs for a function, and the statistics tools find best-fit lines and parabolas. Touching a curve shows maximums, minimums and intersections, and dragging a finger along it updates the coordinates. Pinching zooms the axes together or separately, or you can set the window size by hand.
The app also works as a scientific calculator that handles square roots, logs and absolute value.
Offline use, no ads and requirements
Desmos works without an internet connection, and it is free with no ads or in-app purchases. It needs Android 10 or newer. The current version is 7.59.0.0, updated October 23, 2026.
A web version exists at desmos.com for use on a computer.
Desmos Graphing Calculator pros and cons
Pros
- Free, with no ads and no in-app purchases
- Works offline once installed
- Sliders can be animated to show how a parameter changes a graph
- Supports polar, parametric and cartesian graphs plus inequalities
- Rated 4.6 on Google Play from 36.5 thousand ratings
Cons
- Requires Android 10 or newer
- Release notes for the current version are not included in the app's page
- Download size varies by device
Is Desmos Graphing Calculator safe?
Desmos Inc publishes the app and points to desmos.com as its website. Install it from Google Play, which is the only place we point you to. It shows no ads and asks for no in-app purchases. Details about permissions and data handling are not covered here, so read the Google Play page before installing.
How to install Desmos Graphing Calculator
- Press the Google Play button on this page.
- Check the listing in the Play Store and press Install.
- Open Desmos Graphing Calculator when the install finishes. Updates arrive through Google Play.
