# College Algebra vs MathPapa

The clearest difference is update cadence: MathPapa at every 3 weeks against College Algebra's every 7 months. MathPapa also leads on ratings volume (17K vs 602). College Algebra's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. College Algebra sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $9.99 per month and MathPapa sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for College Algebra against 4.7 for MathPapa. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: MathPapa has 17K ratings behind it against 602, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 82% of College Algebra's written reviews are positive against 78% of MathPapa's.

College Algebra ships an update every 7 months, MathPapa every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on November 5, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | College Algebra | MathPapa |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (602 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/college-algebra/id459735202/reviews)** | [4.7 (17K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mathpapa-algebra-calculator/id1024251561/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 602 | **17K** |
| Positive reviews | **81.7% of reviews** | 77.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 15 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [YourTeacher.com](https://appshunter.io/developer/340925628) | [MathPapa, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1116770141) |

## What reviewers say

### College Algebra

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/college-algebra/id459735202)

Master college algebra with a comprehensive curriculum and personalized math instruction. Access video lessons, practice problems, tests, and progress tracking to build a strong understanding of the subject.

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

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| College Algebra | $9.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 👨‍🏫 Clear, well-structured video explanations
- 📚 Comprehensive algebra curriculum coverage
- ✅ Abundant practice problems with solutions
- 🎯 Step-by-step problem walkthroughs
- 💪 Effective for learners of all ages and backgrounds

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Paywall after limited free lessons ($9.99/month)
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and app freezing
- 🐛 App stops working intermittently
- ⚠️ Misleading 'free' model with required subscription
- 🔔 Intrusive payment prompts during use

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes and stops working
- Constant loading issues requiring restart
- Payment popup appears even after purchase
- Restore purchase function resets user progress
- Keyboard blocks rating popup during answer entry

**Requested features**

- PreCalculus and Calculus course content
- Trigonometry course
- Different solution notation formats (set notation, interval notation)
- More complex college algebra problem types
- Embedded links for additional help


### MathPapa

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mathpapa-algebra-calculator/id1024251561)

This app provides step-by-step solutions to algebra problems, helping users understand how to solve equations and inequalities. It can also graph equations, factor expressions, and evaluate mathematical expressions.

**Highlights:** Step-by-step equation solving, Linear and quadratic equation solver, Linear and quadratic inequality solver, Equation graphing, Quadratic expression factoring, Order of operations, Expression evaluation

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| MathPapa Premium Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| MathPapa Pro Upgrade | $49.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Solves any expression or equation
- 👍 Provides step-by-step solutions
- 👍 Graphs functions
- 👍 Helpful for homework and understanding concepts
- 🚀 Saves time on homework

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Subscription required for step-by-step solutions
- 💰 Expensive subscription at $10/month
- 👎 Limited number of step-by-step solutions in free version
- 👎 Subscription is not affordable for some students
- 👎 Subscription model is disappointing compared to previous free version

**Reported bugs**

- Doesn't always recognize certain input formats
- Step-by-step solutions not always available even with subscription

**Requested features**

- Add history/log of past calculations
- Support for more math functions like differentiation and integration
- Ability to input expressions with exponents as expressions
- Option to display answers in different formats (decimal, fraction, mixed number)
- Ability to take a photo of a problem and have it solved


## Frequently asked questions

### Is College Algebra free?

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

### Is MathPapa free?

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

### Which has better reviews, College Algebra or MathPapa?

College Algebra is rated higher. College Algebra averages 4.8 out of 5 from 602 ratings, while MathPapa averages 4.7 from 17K ratings.

### Do College Algebra or MathPapa have ads?

Neither College Algebra nor MathPapa shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, College Algebra or MathPapa?

College Algebra ships an update every 7 months, and MathPapa every 3 weeks. Most recently, College Algebra was updated on November 5, 2026 and MathPapa on November 5, 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.*