# Formalize vs ASR

The clearest difference is price: ASR at Free against Formalize's $1.99. ASR also leads on rating (5.0 vs 2.6) and update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 9 months). Formalize's advantage is ratings volume (10 vs 1) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.0). On ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

ASR is free to download; Formalize costs $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ASR holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 2.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Formalize has 10 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Formalize ships an update every 9 months, ASR every 4 weeks. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Formalize | ASR |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $1.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [2.6 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/formalize/id1293129912/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/asr-when-machine-listens/id6468265396/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **10** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 25.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | **Every 4 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Size | 51 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ben Hambrecht](https://appshunter.io/developer/1035136614) | [Chung Kwan Chan](https://appshunter.io/developer/1665054472) |

## What reviewers say

### Formalize

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/formalize/id1293129912)

Type mathematical equations and symbols directly on your iPhone or iPad. This keyboard extension offers intuitive one-handed access to over 100 symbols, producing professionally typeset formulas. Easily export your creations as PNG or TeX to use in any app.

**Highlights:** Mathematical keyboard extension, Over 100 symbols, One-handed operation, Professionally typeset formulas, PNG export, TeX export

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### ASR

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/asr-when-machine-listens/id6468265396)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Formalize free?

Formalize costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is ASR free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Formalize or ASR?

ASR is rated higher. Formalize averages 2.6 out of 5 from 10 ratings, while ASR averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Formalize or ASR have ads?

Neither Formalize nor ASR shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Formalize or ASR?

Formalize ships an update every 9 months, and ASR every 4 weeks. Most recently, Formalize was updated on October 24, 2026 and ASR on October 24, 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.*