# SymEditor vs ivySCI

The clearest difference is review sentiment: ivySCI at 80% against SymEditor's 0%. ivySCI also leads on rating (4.6 vs 4.0) and update cadence (fortnightly vs monthly). SymEditor's advantage is iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.5). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SymEditor sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and ivySCI sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ivySCI holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 9 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of SymEditor's written reviews are positive against 80% of ivySCI's.

SymEditor ships an update monthly, ivySCI fortnightly. Both last shipped on November 3, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | SymEditor | ivySCI |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/symeditor-formula-editor/id1494664746/reviews) | **[4.6 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ivysci/id1600901406/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **9** |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | **80.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 10 MB | 66 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 15.5 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Beijing Xingxinghai Technology Co., Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1144065046) | [Nanjing IvyScience Information Technology Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1600901408) |

## What reviewers say

### SymEditor

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/symeditor-formula-editor/id1494664746)

This application provides a visual and interactive way to create complex mathematical and scientific formulas. It supports a wide range of symbols and functions, and allows for easy sharing and integration with document editing software.

**Highlights:** Interactive visual formula editing, Support for multiple symbols and functions, LaTeX, Png, Svg, and MathML export, Integration with Word and WPS, LaTeX command and code editing, System and hardware keyboard support

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly membership | $1.99 | per month |
| Half year membership | $9.49 | per 6 months |
| Year membership | $16.49 | per year |


### ivySCI

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ivysci/id1600901406)

This app helps researchers manage and read scientific papers efficiently. It automatically extracts metadata, offers AI-assisted reading and proofreading, and allows for easy note-taking and citation integration with word processors.

**Highlights:** Automatic PDF metadata identification, AI-assisted reading and Q&A, Built-in translation and dictionary, Reference extraction and download, Image extraction and side-by-side viewing, Cloud-synced notes across devices, Word processor citation plugin

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ivySCI VIP Monthly Service | $2.99 | per month |
| Annual VIP Subscription | $29.99 | per year |
| Annual AI Pro Subscription | $39.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SymEditor free?

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

### Is ivySCI free?

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

### Which has better reviews, SymEditor or ivySCI?

ivySCI is rated higher. SymEditor averages 4.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while ivySCI averages 4.6 from 9 ratings.

### Do SymEditor or ivySCI have ads?

Neither SymEditor nor ivySCI shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SymEditor or ivySCI?

SymEditor ships an update monthly, and ivySCI fortnightly. Most recently, SymEditor was updated on November 3, 2026 and ivySCI 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.*