# iGearbox vs Mathemagics

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Mathemagics at 86% against iGearbox's 20%. Mathemagics also leads on rating (4.7 vs 3.0) and update cadence (every 5 months vs every 55 months). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

iGearbox costs $4.99 and Mathemagics $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Mathemagics holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Mathemagics has 78 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 20% of iGearbox's written reviews are positive against 86% of Mathemagics's.

iGearbox ships an update every 55 months, Mathemagics every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and August 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | iGearbox | Mathemagics |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $4.99 | **$2.99** |
| Rating | [3.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/igearbox/id451320370/reviews) | **[4.7 (78 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mathemagics-algebra-practice/id500955086/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 6 | **78** |
| Positive reviews | 20.0% of reviews | **85.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 55 months | **Every 5 months** |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Size | 12 MB | 29 MB |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Motionics LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/424498959) | [Blue Lightning Labs](https://appshunter.io/developer/306586850) |

## What reviewers say

### iGearbox

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/igearbox/id451320370)

This app provides interactive tools to calculate gearbox ratios for regular and planetary gearboxes. It features a drag-and-drop design environment for gear trains and a dynamic graphic simulation for planetary gear sets, aiding in understanding and calculation.

**Highlights:** Interactive gear train design, Planetary gear set simulation, Ratio and speed calculations, Multiple gear train configurations, Dynamic component motion animations, Symbolic ratio equations, Dropbox data upload

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### 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 iGearbox free?

iGearbox costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Mathemagics free?

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

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

Mathemagics is rated higher. iGearbox averages 3.0 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while Mathemagics averages 4.7 from 78 ratings.

### Do iGearbox or Mathemagics have ads?

Neither iGearbox nor Mathemagics shows ads.

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

iGearbox ships an update every 55 months, and Mathemagics every 5 months. Most recently, iGearbox was updated on September 22, 2026 and Mathemagics on August 28, 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.*