# Algebra vs Mathemagics

The clearest difference is price: Algebra at Free against Mathemagics's $2.99. Algebra also leads on ratings volume (1.3K vs 79). Mathemagics's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10). On rating, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Algebra is free to download; Mathemagics costs $2.99 up front. Algebra sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Mathemagics asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Algebra against 4.7 for Mathemagics. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Algebra has 1.3K ratings behind it against 79, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 84% of Algebra's written reviews are positive against 86% of Mathemagics's.

Algebra ships an update every 4 months, Mathemagics every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Algebra | Mathemagics |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $2.99 |
| Rating | [4.7 (1.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/algebra/id406783021/reviews) | [4.7 (79 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mathemagics-algebra-practice/id500955086/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.3K** | 79 |
| Positive reviews | 83.7% of reviews | **85.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 months** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Size | 15 MB | 29 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [YourTeacher.com](https://appshunter.io/developer/340925628) | [Blue Lightning Labs](https://appshunter.io/developer/306586850) |

## What reviewers say

### Algebra

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/algebra/id406783021)

Master pre-algebra through college algebra with comprehensive video lessons, practice exercises, and assessments. Get personalized math instruction to build a strong foundation and track your academic progress.

**Highlights:** Video instruction, Guided practice, Tests and quizzes, Diagnostic assessments, Worksheets and notes, Progress tracking, Chapter reviews

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Algebra 1 and Algebra 2 | $9.99 | per month |
| Place Value | $4.99 | one-time |
| Adding Integers & Subtracting Integers | $4.99 | one-time |
| Two-Step Equations - Alg | $4.99 | one-time |
| Equations with Fractions | $4.99 | one-time |
| Algebra Word Problems | $4.99 | one-time |
| Rational Expressions | $4.99 | one-time |
| Multiplying Dividing Rational Expressions | $4.99 | one-time |
| Simplifying Radicals | $4.99 | one-time |
| Multiplying Radicals | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to understand
- 🚀 Comprehensive lessons
- 💡 Helpful visuals and examples
- 👍 Excellent explanations
- 👍 Logical design

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Subscription required for full access
- 💰 Expensive monthly fee
- 🐛 Occasional freezing/crashing issues
- 🔇 Monotonous instructor voice

**Reported bugs**

- Progress/scores getting deleted
- Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions

**Requested features**

- Add more practice problems and word questions
- Provide a scratch pad/workspace within the app
- Expand to cover more advanced algebra topics
- Offer a one-time purchase option instead of subscription


### Mathemagics

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mathemagics-algebra-practice/id500955086)

Master algebra with rare, lightning-fast calculation techniques. Learn through animated lessons and practice with endless, randomly generated problems. Prepare for standardized tests and improve mental math skills.

**Highlights:** Learn rare algebra techniques, Animated step-by-step lessons, Practice with random questions, Gain achievements, Improve calculation speed, Test preparation for SAT, ACT, GRE, GMAT

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🧠 Effective mental math tricks and shortcuts
- 📚 Clear, easy-to-follow step-by-step lessons
- ⚡ Helps improve calculation speed significantly
- 🎓 Great for test prep (GMAT, SAT, MCAT)
- 🎮 Fun and engaging learning experience

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔤 Font too small and hard to read
- 🎨 Poor color contrast (light grey on grid paper)
- 🐛 Crashes on older devices (iPhone 4S)
- ⚠️ Limited content - only about 10 tricks
- 📖 Not suitable for complete beginners

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on iPhone 4S after update
- Lesson steps disappear after updates
- Lessons fail to load or load incompletely
- Incorrect answers in practice problems (10% and 1% calculations)
- Wrong answer choices for basic calculations

**Requested features**

- Explanations of why tricks work mathematically
- More advanced equation types and variations
- Scrap paper or writing area for practice problems
- Ability to input custom numbers for real-life practice
- iCloud sync across devices


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Algebra free?

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

### Is Mathemagics free?

Mathemagics costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Algebra or Mathemagics?

Algebra and Mathemagics are both rated 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1.3K and 79 ratings respectively.

### Do Algebra or Mathemagics have ads?

Neither Algebra nor Mathemagics shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Algebra or Mathemagics?

Algebra ships an update every 4 months, and Mathemagics every 5 months. Most recently, Algebra was updated on October 17, 2026 and Mathemagics on October 15, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*