# Mental Calculation vs Light Up the Cave

The clearest difference is rating: Light Up the Cave at 5.0 against Mental Calculation's 3.8. Light Up the Cave also leads on ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). Mental Calculation's advantage is update cadence (every 3 months vs every 35 months) and ratings volume (22 vs 1). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Light Up the Cave holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Mental Calculation has 22 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Mental Calculation ships an update every 3 months, Light Up the Cave every 35 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Mental Calculation | Light Up the Cave |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.8 (22 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mental-calculation-mathybot/id1468698300/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/light-up-the-cave/id1471647543/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **22** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 81.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 35 months |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | **Free** |
| Size | 14 MB | 42 MB |
| Requires iOS | 12.1 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Jaime C. Carriedo](https://appshunter.io/developer/785723408) | [Smithsonian Institution](https://appshunter.io/developer/370564865) |

## What reviewers say

### Mental Calculation

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mental-calculation-mathybot/id1468698300)

Practice basic arithmetic operations like addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Engage in challenges against the AI or another player, choosing difficulty levels to improve your math skills with fun.

**Highlights:** Addition and subtraction practice, Times tables and division, Challenge MathyBot mode, Two-player mode, Selectable difficulty levels, Customizable operations

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Light Up the Cave

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/light-up-the-cave/id1471647543)

Explore different light sources within a simulated dark cave environment. This educational tool is designed to align with grade 1 physical science curriculum, focusing on how we can illuminate our surroundings.

**Highlights:** Cave light source simulation, Grade 1 physical science alignment, Interactive learning tool, Exploration of illumination methods

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Mental Calculation free?

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

### Is Light Up the Cave free?

Light Up the Cave is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Mental Calculation or Light Up the Cave?

Light Up the Cave is rated higher. Mental Calculation averages 3.8 out of 5 from 22 ratings, while Light Up the Cave averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Mental Calculation or Light Up the Cave have ads?

Mental Calculation shows ads; Light Up the Cave does not.

### Which is updated more often, Mental Calculation or Light Up the Cave?

Mental Calculation ships an update every 3 months, and Light Up the Cave every 35 months. Most recently, Mental Calculation was updated on November 6, 2026 and Light Up the Cave on November 3, 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.*