# Mathway vs SmartSolve

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Mathway at 425K against SmartSolve's 3.6K. Mathway also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.6) and chart position (#107 vs unranked). SmartSolve's advantage is review sentiment (66% vs 51%) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). On price, update cadence, ads 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 SmartSolve sells 13 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 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Mathway has 425K ratings behind it against 3.6K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 51% of Mathway's written reviews are positive against 66% of SmartSolve'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, SmartSolve fortnightly. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Mathway | SmartSolve |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (425K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mathway-math-problem-solver/id467329677/reviews)** | [4.6 (3.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartsolve-tutor-and-math-help/id6475809834/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **425K** | 3.6K |
| Positive reviews | 50.6% of reviews | **66.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#107** | — |
| Size | 82 MB | 173 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Chegg, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/385758166) | [Niknea LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1725265570) |

## What reviewers say

### Mathway

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

**Currently charting:** #107 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


### SmartSolve

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartsolve-tutor-and-math-help/id6475809834)

This AI-powered app offers instant solutions to academic and coding problems by scanning them. It also enhances language skills, rewrites text, and provides coding assistance and trivia challenges.

**Highlights:** Scan and solve math problems with step-by-step explanations, Instant solutions for math equations, Enhance language skills with grammar hints and translation, Advanced text rewriting and paraphrasing, Learn and optimize coding with explanations, Engage in trivia to test knowledge

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Subscription | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Subscription | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Subscription | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Subscription | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Subscription | $12.99 | per month |
| Monthly Subscription | $12.99 | per month |
| Monthly Subscription | $14.99 | per month |
| Monthly Subscription | $14.99 | per month |
| Monthly Subscription | $19.99 | per month |
| 6 Months Subscription | $59.99 | per 6 months |
| Annual Subscription | $59.99 | per year |
| 6 Months Subscription | $59.99 | per 6 months |
| Annual Subscription | $99.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and accurate
- 👍 Helpful for homework and learning
- 💡 Explains solutions well
- 🚀 Easy to use

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inaccurate answers
- 🔒 Difficult to cancel subscription
- 🔒 Charges without authorization
- 🔒 Unresponsive customer support

**Reported bugs**

- Subscription page doesn't load properly
- App crashes or freezes
- Incorrect solutions provided

**Requested features**

- More free questions per day
- Ability to scan and solve handwritten/image-based problems


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Mathway free?

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

### Is SmartSolve free?

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

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

Mathway is rated higher. Mathway averages 4.9 out of 5 from 425K ratings, while SmartSolve averages 4.6 from 3.6K ratings.

### Do Mathway or SmartSolve have ads?

Both Mathway and SmartSolve show ads.

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

Mathway ships an update every 4 weeks, and SmartSolve fortnightly. Most recently, Mathway was updated on September 24, 2026 and SmartSolve on September 24, 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.*