# Mathway vs PhotoMath Solver AI

The clearest difference is rating: Mathway at 4.9 against PhotoMath Solver AI's 4.4. Mathway also leads on ratings volume (425K vs 13K) and chart position (#106 vs unranked). PhotoMath Solver AI's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Mathway sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and PhotoMath Solver AI sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $4.49 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Mathway holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Mathway has 425K ratings behind it against 13K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 51% of Mathway's written reviews are positive against 55% of PhotoMath Solver AI's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Mathway ships an update every 4 weeks, PhotoMath Solver AI every 6 weeks. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Mathway | PhotoMath Solver AI |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (425K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mathway-math-problem-solver/id467329677/reviews)** | [4.4 (13K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photomath-solver-ai-mathbox/id1487886467/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **425K** | 13K |
| Positive reviews | 50.6% of reviews | **54.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 weeks** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | **#106** | — |
| Size | 82 MB | 46 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 17.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Chegg, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/385758166) | [RLAM FZCO](https://appshunter.io/developer/1712678414) |

## What reviewers say

### Mathway

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

**Currently charting:** #106 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


### PhotoMath Solver AI

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photomath-solver-ai-mathbox/id1487886467)

Instantly solve and learn any math problem by taking a photo. Get step-by-step solutions and clear explanations for algebra, calculus, and more. This AI-powered tutor helps students of all levels understand math concepts better and faster.

**Highlights:** Photo math problem solver, Step-by-step AI explanations, Handles typed and handwritten problems, Supports all math levels, History for saved problems, Export solutions as PDF, Graph plotting

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Math Scanner Algera Solver | $4.49 | per 7 days |
| Math Homework Solver 1 week | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Math Solver App 1 week | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| Math Physics Science AI Solver | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| Math Homework Solver  Discount | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Math Homework Solver 1W | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Math Homework Solver 3 months | $14.99 | per 3 months |
| Math Homework Solution 1 month | $17.99 | per month |
| Math AI Help 1 Year - Discount | $29.99 | per year |
| Math Homework Solution 1 year | $69.99 | per year |
| Math Homework Solver Unlimited | $39.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Helpful for solving math problems
- 🚀 Provides step-by-step solutions
- 💡 Useful for online/self-learning students

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inconsistent accuracy in solutions
- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 🔒 Issues with restoring purchases and accessing content

**Reported bugs**

- Camera issues leading to poor image quality
- Repeated prompts to leave a review
- Subscription issues and inability to cancel

**Requested features**

- Show step-by-step work instead of just the answer
- Support for more advanced math concepts like calculus
- Ability to input text-based word problems


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Mathway free?

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

### Is PhotoMath Solver AI free?

PhotoMath Solver AI is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Mathway or PhotoMath Solver AI?

Mathway is rated higher. Mathway averages 4.9 out of 5 from 425K ratings, while PhotoMath Solver AI averages 4.4 from 13K ratings.

### Do Mathway or PhotoMath Solver AI have ads?

Mathway shows ads; PhotoMath Solver AI does not.

### Which is updated more often, Mathway or PhotoMath Solver AI?

Mathway ships an update every 4 weeks, and PhotoMath Solver AI every 6 weeks. Most recently, Mathway was updated on September 24, 2026 and PhotoMath Solver AI on September 24, 2026.

---

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