# Mathway vs MathSnap

The clearest difference is ads: MathSnap at none against Mathway's shown. MathSnap also leads on review sentiment (70% vs 51%) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.0). Mathway's advantage is rating (4.9 vs 4.5) and ratings volume (425K vs 1.4K). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Mathway sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and MathSnap sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 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 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Mathway has 425K ratings behind it against 1.4K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 51% of Mathway's written reviews are positive against 70% of MathSnap'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, MathSnap every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Mathway | MathSnap |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (425K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mathway-math-problem-solver/id467329677/reviews)** | [4.5 (1.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mathsnap-ai-math-solver/id6448665845/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **425K** | 1.4K |
| Positive reviews | 50.6% of reviews | **69.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#99** | — |
| Size | 82 MB | 48 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Chegg, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/385758166) | [42 Digital](https://appshunter.io/developer/1484108329) |

## What reviewers say

### Mathway

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

**Currently charting:** #99 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


### MathSnap

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mathsnap-ai-math-solver/id6448665845)

This AI-powered app acts as a personal tutor, helping users solve math, science, liberal arts, and economics problems. It offers step-by-step explanations, a glossary, and personalized guidance to enhance understanding and mastery of various subjects.

**Highlights:** AI problem solver via photo scan, Step-by-step explanations, Covers math, science, liberal arts, economics, Glossary for terms and concepts, Personalized AI tutor support, Word problem and geometry assistance

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PhotoBrain | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| AI Math Solutions | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| AI Math solutions | $19.99 | per year |
| PhotoBrain Yearly Subscription | $29.99 | per year |
| PhotoBrain | $39.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Access | $39.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Access | $59.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Access | $79.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Helpful app
- ⭐️ Great app
- 🤩 Accurate and correct answers
- 🧠 Tutors and explains well
- 💯 Perfect app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Needs to be free
- 🔒 Paywall limits usage
- 🐛 Doesn't always work
- 📷 Camera issues detecting questions
- 🚫 Predatory with subscriptions

**Reported bugs**

- Camera can't detect questions
- Doesn't provide answers without payment
- Subscription issues

**Requested features**

- Make the app free
- Improve camera detection
- Provide more free usage


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Mathway free?

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

### Is MathSnap free?

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

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

Mathway is rated higher. Mathway averages 4.9 out of 5 from 425K ratings, while MathSnap averages 4.5 from 1.4K ratings.

### Do Mathway or MathSnap have ads?

Mathway shows ads; MathSnap does not.

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

Mathway ships an update every 4 weeks, and MathSnap every 3 weeks. Most recently, Mathway was updated on September 24, 2026 and MathSnap on September 12, 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.*