# Pre vs Mathway

The clearest difference is ads: Pre at none against Mathway's shown. Pre also leads on review sentiment (67% vs 51%) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). Mathway's advantage is update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 6 months) and ratings volume (425K vs 357). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Pre sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $9.99 per month and Mathway sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Mathway holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Mathway has 425K ratings behind it against 357, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 67% of Pre's written reviews are positive against 51% of Mathway's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Pre ships an update every 6 months, Mathway every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 8, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pre | Mathway |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (357 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pre-algebra/id459734695/reviews) | **[4.9 (425K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mathway-math-problem-solver/id467329677/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 357 | **425K** |
| Positive reviews | **66.7% of reviews** | 50.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Every 4 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#98** |
| Size | 15 MB | 82 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [YourTeacher.com](https://appshunter.io/developer/340925628) | [Chegg, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/385758166) |

## What reviewers say

### Pre

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pre-algebra/id459734695)

Access a comprehensive Pre-Algebra curriculum with video lessons, guided practice, and assessments. Track your learning progress and reinforce knowledge with chapter reviews and a final exam. A free trial is available.

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

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Get full access to Pre-Algebra | $9.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to learn from
- 👍 Short videos make learning easy
- 👍 Simple and good layout
- 👍 Outstanding app
- 👍 Helps significantly with pre-algebra

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App freezes and needs reinstallation
- 🐛 Opening app requires charger plugged in
- 🐛 Multiple choice answers don't show up
- 🐛 Doesn't explain commutative and associative properties well
- 🐛 Describing alternative PEMDAS methods as wrong is not ideal

**Reported bugs**

- App freezes
- Opening app without charger plugged in displays blank page
- Multiple choice answers don't show up on screen
- Daughter's progress and grades disappeared
- App is blank and not working

**Requested features**

- Algebra 2 content
- Better explanation of commutative and associative properties
- Side-by-side comparison of properties
- Allow writing on the screen
- More fraction problems


### Mathway

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mathway-math-problem-solver/id467329677)

**Currently charting:** #98 Top Grossing · Education (US App Store)

Solve math problems instantly by taking a photo or typing your question. Get step-by-step solutions for algebra, graphing, calculus, and more. Understand complex math concepts with unlimited access to answers.

**Highlights:** Math problem solver, Homework scanner, Step-by-step solutions, Algebra solver, Graphing calculator, Calculus solver

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Steps (Monthly) | $9.99 | per month |
| Steps (Monthly) | $9.99 | per month |
| Steps (Monthly) | $9.99 | per month |
| Steps (Monthly) | $19.99 | per month |
| Steps (Annual) | $39.99 | per year |
| Steps (Annual) | $39.99 | per year |
| Steps (Annual) | $39.99 | per year |
| Steps (Annual) | $79.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Reliable and accurate
- 👍 Helpful for math homework and studying
- 🚀 Fast and efficient
- 👍 Explains step-by-step solutions
- 👍 Supports wide range of math topics

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Subscription required for full features
- 🐛 Inconsistent performance, crashes
- 🔍 Difficulty cropping/uploading photos
- 🔍 Limited free features, paywall

**Reported bugs**

- Camera issues, unable to focus on problems
- Subscription issues, unable to access paid features

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- Ability to copy/paste equations
- Improved free version with step-by-step solutions


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pre free?

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

### Is Mathway free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Pre or Mathway?

Mathway is rated higher. Pre averages 4.7 out of 5 from 357 ratings, while Mathway averages 4.9 from 425K ratings.

### Do Pre or Mathway have ads?

Mathway shows ads; Pre does not.

### Which is updated more often, Pre or Mathway?

Pre ships an update every 6 months, and Mathway every 4 weeks. Most recently, Pre was updated on September 8, 2026 and Mathway on September 25, 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.*