# elsie vs Derive

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: elsie at none against Derive's 6. elsie also leads on iOS requirement (10.0 vs 15.0). Derive's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs every 6 weeks). On price, review sentiment, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Derive sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per month. elsie asks for nothing beyond the download.

elsie ships an update every 6 weeks, Derive every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | elsie | Derive |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.1 (21 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/derive-handwritten-math-notes/id6763991536/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **21** |
| Positive reviews | **30.0% of reviews** | 29.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Subscription |
| Size | 18 MB | 75 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Curtin University](https://appshunter.io/developer/366617505) | [Derive Notes Pty Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1895589672) |

## What reviewers say

### elsie

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/elsie/id1019411735)

This app provides Curtin University students with a mobile portal to manage their academic life. Access your timetable, academic calendar, unit outlines, assessments, exams, and university news all in one place.

**Highlights:** Timetable access, Academic calendar, Unit outlines, Assessment and exam schedules, University news and events, Campus map, Teaching contact information

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Derive

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/derive-handwritten-math-notes/id6763991536)

This app provides an infinite canvas for handwritten math and science notes. It uses AI to recognize your handwriting, offering a live tutor for step-by-step assistance directly within your notes. Organize your work into notebooks that sync across devices.

**Highlights:** Infinite canvas for note-taking, Handwritten math recognition, Live AI tutor for step-by-step help, Notebook and page organization, Cross-device syncing, Light, dark, and sepia themes

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Derive Pro (Monthly, student) | $8.99 | per month |
| Derive Pro (Monthly) | $9.99 | per month |
| Derive Pro (Monthly, invited) | $9.99 | per month |
| Derive Pro (Yearly, student) | $75.00 | per year |
| Derive Pro (Annual) | $83.90 | per year |
| Derive Pro (Annual, invited) | $83.90 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is elsie free?

elsie is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Derive free?

Derive is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do elsie or Derive have ads?

Neither elsie nor Derive shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, elsie or Derive?

elsie ships an update every 6 weeks, and Derive every 3 days. Most recently, elsie was updated on October 8, 2026 and Derive on October 15, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*