The most common question we get about Somo has never been about the tutoring. It has been "is there an app?" As of this week the answer is yes: Somo installs to your phone's home screen in one tap, opens full screen like any other app, and needs no Play Store account and no large download.
What Somo actually is
Somo is an AI tutor trained for the Kenyan CBC classroom. Ask it a question in English or Kiswahili and it works the problem step by step against the KICD curriculum, rather than producing the generic answer a general chatbot gives. It knows what a strand is, it knows what KJSEA and KPSEA assess, and it explains at the level of the grade you tell it.
| Somo | Generic chatbot | |
|---|---|---|
| Curriculum | Answers against KICD strands for the stated grade | Answers from general knowledge, any country |
| Language | English and Kiswahili, including sarufi questions in Kiswahili | English-centred |
| Method | Works step by step and asks the learner to try the next step | Hands over a finished answer |
| Cost | Free daily questions; KSH 300 a month for 30 questions a day | Varies, often needs a card |
Installing it
Open cbcedukenya.com/get-somo on your phone.
- Android: tap the single Install button. Three seconds later Somo is on the home screen.
- iPhone: open the page in Safari, tap Share, then Add to Home Screen, then Add. Apple does not allow one-tap installs from the web, so it is three taps instead.
Because there is no Play Store download, it installs fine on modest phones where storage is tight, and there is nothing to update. It is the same Somo either way; the install simply puts it where homework actually happens.
Where it fits in a revision evening
Somo is built for the moment the 40-minute evening routine stalls: a question nobody in the house can answer. It is not a substitute for structured material, and we say so plainly in our honest guide to AI revision tools: the plan comes from a revision course or the assessment hubs, and Somo unblocks the evenings in between. Families who prefer chat apps can also use Somo on WhatsApp.
Key Takeaways
- Somo now installs to the phone home screen from cbcedukenya.com/get-somo.
- Android is one tap; iPhone is Share then Add to Home Screen in Safari.
- No Play Store, no large download, suits modest phones.
- It tutors step by step against the KICD curriculum, in English or Kiswahili.
- Free to start; the paid tier is KSH 300 a month for 30 questions a day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the installed app different from the website?
No. It is the same Somo, opened full screen from its own icon. Progress and limits are the same either way.
Does it work offline?
No. Every answer is worked out fresh against the curriculum, which needs a connection. Somo is light on data, but it does need some.
Is it safe for a child to use alone?
Somo answers curriculum questions and declines the rest. Under the CBC framework we still recommend it inside a homework routine a parent can see, which is good practice for any tool.
What does the free tier include?
A daily allowance of free questions. The KSH 300 monthly plan lifts that to 30 questions a day, paid by M-Pesa, and there is no other charge.
August Complete Bundle: Every Grade
All subjects plus the Holiday Revision Pack in one download, PP1 to Grade 12. Built for the August holiday, the longest revision window before October.
⏳ Only 61 days to the national assessments on 26 October. Start now.
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