Comparison

MCXi Basic vs MathCode Academy

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

MCXi Basic

This application provides a development environment for a dialect of the BASIC programming language, designed to be flexible and expandable. It features a command-line interface similar to Dartmouth BASIC, where program lines require numbering.

Highlights
  • BASIC programming language dialect
  • GW-BASIC compatibility
  • Flexible and expandable design
  • Command-line IDE
  • Numbered program lines
  • Direct mode commands
Features
Read full description

MCX Basic is a BASIC interpreter for iPhone and iPad in the style of the home computers of the 1980s. Type numbered program lines, type RUN, and your program prints, draws, moves sprites and plays music. WRITE AND RUN • A console like a home computer's: direct commands, numbered lines, LIST in colour, AUTO and RENUM. • A key bar above the keyboard gives Esc, the arrow keys, Space, Return and F1–F10, so programs and games can be played by touch. Hardware keyboards work too. • The whole language: IF … THEN … ELSE, FOR … NEXT, GOSUB, ON … GOTO, DATA and READ, DEF FN, PRINT USING, arrays, strings, integer and floating-point numbers, error handling and files. • Programs are plain text files (.bas): open them from the Files app, save, share and print them. GRAPHICS AND SOUND • Graphics screens with up to 256 colours: LINE, CIRCLE, PAINT, DRAW, PSET and POINT. • Sprites with collision detection, a colour palette, pages, and COPY to move parts of the picture. • Music with PLAY on three voices, plus SOUND and BEEP. LEARN FROM EXAMPLES • 47 sample programs that load with one tap: first steps, loops, arrays, strings, files, drawings, and games such as Snake, Bricks, Road race and Lander. Play them, then read how they work. • A help page for each of the 122 commands and functions, with an example and what it shows. • A 69-page user manual (PDF) that introduces programming in BASIC. GOOD TO KNOW • Commands for the hardware of the original machines (memory and ports, joysticks, the printer, machine code) are not included. • MCX Basic is also available for Mac.

About

MathCode Academy

Features
Read full description

MathCode Academy – Master Computational Mathematics Learn MATLAB and Fortran 95 through structured tutorials, practical numerical examples, and focused coding practice. MathCode Academy is designed for students, engineers, researchers, and developers who want to build stronger scientific programming skills. From core syntax and matrix operations to numerical methods, optimization, signal processing, and parallel computing, the app helps you learn computational mathematics step by step. MATLAB TRACK 1. Introduction and Basics 2. Vectors and Matrices 3. Control Flow Structures 4. Functions and Scripts 5. I/O and File Operations 6. Plotting and Visualization 7. Image Processing 8. Signal Processing 9. Optimization Methods 10. Statistics and Machine Learning 11. PDEs with FFT and Spectral Methods 12. Symbolic Mathematics FORTRAN 95 TRACK 1. Array Operations and Statistics 2. Matrix Multiplication and Linear Algebra 3. Gaussian Elimination and System Solving 4. Numerical Integration Methods 5. Root Finding Algorithms 6. Euler’s Method for ODEs 7. Heat Equation and Finite Differences 8. Eigenvalue Methods 9. Monte Carlo Simulations 10. Least-Squares Fitting and Regression 11. Fourier Series Analysis 12. Parallel Computing with Coarrays TUTORIAL FEATURES • Clear explanations with practical scientific computing examples • Code samples with clean formatting and easy-to-follow structure • Step-by-step learning from fundamentals to advanced numerical methods • Performance tips for efficient computational programming • In-depth coverage of mathematical algorithms and real-world computing patterns APP FEATURES • MATLAB cheatsheet for essential syntax and core concepts • MATLAB flashcards with 360 targeted cards across 12 units • Fortran 95 cheatsheet for essential syntax and core concepts • Fortran 95 flashcards with 360 targeted cards across 12 units • 4,800 coding challenges across all learning units • 200 MATLAB programming units covering core topics from basics to essentials • 200 Fortran programming units covering core topics from basics to essentials • Daily coding challenge with a new numerical problem every day • Built-in progress tracking to follow your learning journey • 12 custom themes to personalize your study experience • Support for 15 interface languages • Full offline access for learning anytime, anywhere • Ad-free, distraction-free environment WHO IT IS FOR • Scientific computing developers • Engineering students and professionals • Research scientists and mathematicians • Data analysts and computational researchers • MATLAB and Fortran learners • Anyone studying numerical methods or mathematical programming Learn scientific programming with a clear, structured path. Download MathCode Academy today and start building the computational skills you need for numerical analysis, scientific computing, engineering applications, and research-focused programming.

Screenshots

MCXi Basic4 screens
MathCode Academy4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: MCXi Basic at every 9 days against MathCode Academy's every 2 months. MCXi Basic also leads on price ($0.99 vs $6.99). On ads, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

MCXi Basic costs $0.99 and MathCode Academy $6.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

MCXi Basic ships an update every 9 days, MathCode Academy every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
MCXi Basic versus MathCode Academy: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMCXi BasicMathCode Academy
Price$0.99 — better$6.99
Rating2.0 (4 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings4 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 9 days — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaid—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.0 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size6 MB138 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAleksei NeronovSimTeCon GmbH

In-app purchases

None

MCXi Basic

No in-app purchases

None

MathCode Academy

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is MCXi Basic free?
MCXi Basic costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is MathCode Academy free?
MathCode Academy costs $6.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do MCXi Basic or MathCode Academy have ads?
Neither MCXi Basic nor MathCode Academy shows ads.
Which is updated more often, MCXi Basic or MathCode Academy?
MCXi Basic ships an update every 9 days, and MathCode Academy every 2 months. Most recently, MCXi Basic was updated on October 15, 2026 and MathCode Academy on October 24, 2026.

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