Partial Sums Addition vs Hands
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Partial Sums Addition
This app teaches and reinforces the partial sums addition method. It offers an interactive interface with customizable settings, allowing users to solve random or custom addition problems with varying numbers of digits and addends. The app provides immediate feedback and aligns numbers automatically for focused learning.
- Partial sums addition method teaching
- Interactive and customizable interface
- Random and custom addition problems
- Adjustable number of digits and addends
- Automatic number alignment
- Immediate feedback on answers
- Color and animation speed customization
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Partial Sums Addition helps students learn and practice the partial sums addition method step by step. The app gives students a visual way to add numbers by working with each place value separately. The partial sums are then combined to find the final answer. Students can solve randomly generated problems or enter their own addition problems. The number of digits can be adjusted for different skill levels. The Partial Sums Method: In the partial sums method, each place value is added separately from left to right. For example, in 764 + 340, the partial sums are 1000, 100, and 4. These are then added together to get the final answer: 1104. Wired.com: “Esa Helttula’s apps are all fantastic for math learning and practice, and aren’t cluttered with mini-games, incentives, or annoying music.” Teacher endorsement: “The math apps by Esa Helttula allow students to practice and reinforce the specific computation strategies taught in class, with as much or as little scaffolding as necessary. They also provide individualized feedback to each student, with an immediacy that is not always possible through pencil and paper practice.” — R. Zeni, Ecole Sandy Hill Elementary, Abbotsford, BC, Canada Easy to Use: The numbers are aligned automatically so students can focus on solving each column. After the student solves the operation for each column, the correct answer moves into the right place. If the student presses the wrong button, the answer appears above the keyboard but does not move. Features: - Step-by-step partial sums addition practice - Add 2 or 3 numbers - Each number can have 2–3 digits - Randomly generated or manually entered problems - Current operation for each column can be hidden - Operands of the current operation can be highlighted - Customizable interface colors - Adjustable animation speed - Custom interfaces for iPhone and iPad Other iDevBooks Math Apps: Other iDevBooks math apps include Column Addition, Long Multiplication, Long Division, Column Subtraction, Visual Multiplication Table, Partial Differences Subtraction, Partial Products Multiplication, Partial Quotients Division, Decimal Rounding, and more. Feedback: New ideas to make this app better are welcome. Please visit idevbooks.com to give feedback. Privacy: This app has no ads, no in-app purchases, and does not transmit user data during operation. The app also does not contain links to other apps or to the web.
Hands
This app offers a challenging introduction to algebra for students who have completed introductory levels. It introduces negative numbers and new game pieces to solve more complex equations, enhancing self-esteem and understanding.
- Solves equations with negative numbers
- Introduces new game pieces for algebraic concepts
- Video introductions for each lesson
- Includes examples and exercises
- Enhances self-esteem through success
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"Great intro to Algebra!" This Hands-On Equations Level 3 app is intended for students who have already completed Level 1 and 2 of Hands-On Equations and who would like the challenge of more sophisticated equations involving negative numbers. In Level 3, the student solves equations such as 4x – (-4) = -8 and 3(-x) + 2 = -10 + x, which contain negative constants. The green numbered cube, which represents the opposite of the red numbered cube, is introduced at this level. Since the red and green number cubes are opposite of each other, when they are together on the same side of the balance, their value is zero and may therefore be removed without affecting the balance. A video introduction is provided for each lesson. (See the sample YouTube video at http://youtu.be/VFYQ47EAqZw.) Each video introduction is followed by two examples and ten exercises. It is essential for the student to view the lesson video prior to attempting the examples and exercises for that lesson. Hands-On Equations is the ideal introduction to algebra for elementary and middle school students. Not only will students have fun and be fascinated with the program, their sense of self-esteem will be dramatically enhanced as they experience success with sophisticated algebraic equations. High school students struggling with algebra will likely experience success and understanding for the first time as they work with this app. More information on Hands-On Equations can be found at www.borenson.com and on YouTube.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Partial Sums Addition at 5.0 against Hands's 4.0. Partial Sums Addition also leads on price ($3.99 vs $7.99). Hands's advantage is review sentiment (75% vs 50%) and update cadence (every 3 months vs every 9 months). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model 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
Partial Sums Addition costs $3.99 and Hands $7.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Partial Sums Addition holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hands has 26 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 50% of Partial Sums Addition's written reviews are positive against 75% of Hands's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Partial Sums Addition ships an update every 9 months, Hands every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Partial Sums Addition | Hands |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $3.99 — better | $7.99 |
| Rating | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better | 4.0 (26 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | 75.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 2 | 26 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | Every 3 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad — better | iPad |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | 9.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 1 MB | 188 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Esa Helttula | Hands On Equations |
Customer experience
Partial Sums Addition
Hands
In-app purchases
Partial Sums Addition
No in-app purchases
Hands
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Partial Sums Addition free?
Is Hands free?
Which has better reviews, Partial Sums Addition or Hands?
Do Partial Sums Addition or Hands have ads?
Which is updated more often, Partial Sums Addition or Hands?
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