# Mathway vs Photo ai math

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Photo ai math at 100% against Mathway's 51%. Mathway's advantage is rating (4.9 vs 4.2) and ratings volume (425K vs 6). 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 Photo ai math sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 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 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Mathway has 425K ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 51% of Mathway's written reviews are positive against 100% of Photo ai math'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, Photo ai math fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and June 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Mathway | Photo ai math |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (425K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mathway-math-problem-solver/id467329677/reviews)** | [4.2 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photo-ai-math-homework-help/id6720742723/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **425K** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | 50.6% of reviews | **100.0% 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 | **#123** | — |
| Size | 82 MB | 150 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Chegg, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/385758166) | [Andrey Khlopotin](https://appshunter.io/developer/642150555) |

## What reviewers say

### Mathway

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

**Currently charting:** #123 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


### Photo ai math

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photo-ai-math-homework-help/id6720742723)

This app offers AI-powered math problem-solving with step-by-step solutions and a digital textbook. It includes offline calculators and a study tracker to monitor progress. Ideal for students needing help with algebra, geometry, and calculus.

**Highlights:** AI-powered step-by-step math solutions, Comprehensive digital math textbook, Offline calculators with detailed solutions, Study progress tracker, Photo recognition for math problems, Covers Algebra, Geometry, and Calculus

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Lighty Plus: Full Power | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Full access - 1 week | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Lighty Plus: 45% Discount! | $24.99 | per year |
| Lighty Plus: Month For Dollar! | $44.99 | per year |
| Lighty Plus: One Year Access | $44.99 | per year |
| Full access - 1 year | $44.99 | per year |
| Lighty Plus: Family Sharing | $69.99 | per year |
| 100 Snaps | $0.99 | one-time |
| 150 Snaps | $2.99 | one-time |
| 750 Snaps | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Mathway free?

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

### Is Photo ai math free?

Photo ai math is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Mathway or Photo ai math?

Mathway is rated higher. Mathway averages 4.9 out of 5 from 425K ratings, while Photo ai math averages 4.2 from 6 ratings.

### Do Mathway or Photo ai math have ads?

Both Mathway and Photo ai math show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Mathway or Photo ai math?

Mathway ships an update every 4 weeks, and Photo ai math fortnightly. Most recently, Mathway was updated on September 27, 2026 and Photo ai math on June 4, 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.*