Formula Box (LaTeX) vs Formalize Light
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Formula Box (LaTeX)
This app allows users to write and edit mathematical and scientific formulas using LaTeX notation. It features a smart equation solver, a public formula library, and the ability to save and organize personal formulas. Calculations can be performed offline with high precision.
- LaTeX-powered formula editor
- Smart equation solver
- Public formula library
- Personal formula collection
- Variable presets
- High-precision results
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A formula box of yourself, edit using LaTeX. FormulaBox: Your Personal Math & Science Companion FormulaBox is a powerful, intuitive mobile app designed for students, educators, engineers, and anyone who works with mathematical and scientific formulas. Whether you're solving physics problems, engineering equations, or exploring mathematical concepts, FormulaBox puts a complete computational toolkit in your pocket. Key Features: LaTeX-Powered Formula Editor: Write and edit formulas using standard LaTeX notation, with real-time rendering and an intuitive math keyboard. Perfect for everything from simple equations to complex expressions. Smart Equation Solver: Automatically solve for unknown variables in your formulas. Simply leave a variable blank, and FormulaBox computes the result using advanced symbolic and numeric methods. Public Formula Library: Access a curated collection of essential formulas from physics, mathematics, chemistry, engineering, and more. Each formula comes with descriptions and is ready to use immediately. Personal Formula Collection: Save your own formulas, organize them with tags and descriptions, and build your personal reference library that syncs across your devices. Variable Presets: Save common variable combinations as presets to quickly solve similar problems without re-entering values. High-Precision Results: Get exact symbolic results and numerical approximations with configurable precision, including support for complex numbers. Solve quadratic equations, Ohm's law, or projectile motion formulas Calculate geometric properties like volume and surface area Work with trigonometric identities and calculus expressions Create custom formulas for your specific field or projects FormulaBox combines the power of professional mathematical software with the simplicity of a mobile app, making advanced mathematics accessible to everyone. No internet connection required for core functionality – your formulas work anywhere, anytime. Your formulas and calculations stay on your device Whether you're studying for an exam, teaching a class, or solving real-world problems, FormulaBox is the essential tool for making mathematics work for you.
Formalize Light
This utility app provides a keyboard extension for typing mathematical formulas on iOS devices. It offers easy access to over 100 symbols and generates professionally typeset equations that can be converted to TeX.
- Mathematical keyboard extension
- Over 100 symbols
- One-handed access
- Professionally typeset formulas
- Convert formulas to TeX
- Insert formulas into any app
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Do you wish you could properly type math on your iPhone or iPad? With Formalize, you can! Formalize is a keyboard extension for mathematical content. It provides intuitive one-handed access to more than 100 symbols and produces professionally typeset formulas. Easily convert your formulas to PNG* or TeX and insert them anywhere, in any app! * Not available in Formalize Light
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Formalize Light at 2.3 against Formula Box (LaTeX)'s 1.3. Formalize Light also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 12 months vs every 49 months). Formula Box (LaTeX)'s advantage is review sentiment (43% vs 17%). On price, ratings volume, in-app purchases and device support 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Formalize Light holds the better App Store score, 2.3 against 1.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 4 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 43% of Formula Box (LaTeX)'s written reviews are positive against 17% of Formalize Light's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Formula Box (LaTeX) ships an update every 49 months, Formalize Light every 12 months. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.
| Parameter | Formula Box (LaTeX) | Formalize Light |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 1.3 (3 ratings) | 2.3 (4 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 42.9% of reviews — better | 16.7% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 3 | 4 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 49 months | Every 12 months — better |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 10.3 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 10 MB | 62 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | 坤宁 毛 | Ben Hambrecht |
Customer experience
Formula Box (LaTeX)
Formalize Light
In-app purchases
Formula Box (LaTeX)
No in-app purchases
Formalize Light
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Formula Box (LaTeX) free?
Is Formalize Light free?
Which has better reviews, Formula Box (LaTeX) or Formalize Light?
Do Formula Box (LaTeX) or Formalize Light have ads?
Which is updated more often, Formula Box (LaTeX) or Formalize Light?
Other comparisons
