# Mathway vs Course Hero

The clearest difference is ads: Course Hero at none against Mathway's shown. Mathway's advantage is review sentiment (51% vs 28%) and rating (4.9 vs 4.7). 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 Course Hero sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Mathway holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Mathway has 425K ratings behind it against 65K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 51% of Mathway's written reviews are positive against 28% of Course Hero's.

Mathway ships an update every 4 weeks, Course Hero fortnightly. Both last shipped on September 25, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Mathway | Course Hero |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (425K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mathway-math-problem-solver/id467329677/reviews)** | [4.7 (65K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/course-hero-ai-homework-help/id922208952/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **425K** | 65K |
| Positive reviews | **50.6% of reviews** | 28.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #115 | **#99** |
| Size | 82 MB | 131 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Chegg, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/385758166) | [Learneo, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/922208951) |

## What reviewers say

### Mathway

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

**Currently charting:** #115 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


### Course Hero

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/course-hero-ai-homework-help/id922208952)

**Currently charting:** #99 Top Grossing · Education (US App Store)

Access a vast library of study materials and get instant homework help from expert tutors. Solve math problems with a quick scan or by typing them in, and receive step-by-step explanations to understand concepts better and improve your grades.

**Highlights:** AI homework help, Math solver with step-by-step solutions, Extensive library of textbook solutions, 100 million+ course-specific study materials, Offline access to saved resources, Concept explanations

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premier Subscription | $14.99 | per month |
| Course Hero Subscription | $19.99 | per month |
| Course Hero Subscription | $24.99 | per month |
| Course Hero Premier Subscription | $38.99 | per month |
| Course Hero Premier Subscription | $54.99 | per 3 months |
| Course Hero Subscription | $59.99 | per 3 months |
| Course Hero Premier Subscription | $109.99 | per year |
| Course Hero Subscription | $119.99 | per year |
| Unlock 5 | $14.99 | one-time |
| Unlocks 10 | $24.99 | one-time |
| Unlock 20 | $44.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great and explained materials
- 👍 Helpful for passing courses
- 💡 Exchanging resources is free

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Outdated and low-quality documents
- 💰 Expensive, with hidden costs
- 🤖 Reliance on AI-generated answers
- 🔒 Difficult to cancel subscription
- 🤬 Poor customer support and refund policies

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when trying to log in
- Issues with submitting and viewing questions
- Inconsistent document unlocking and access

**Requested features**

- Option to print or download documents in original format
- Ability to delete or hide personal documents
- Improve reliability of tutor responses


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Mathway free?

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

### Is Course Hero free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Mathway or Course Hero?

Mathway is rated higher. Mathway averages 4.9 out of 5 from 425K ratings, while Course Hero averages 4.7 from 65K ratings.

### Do Mathway or Course Hero have ads?

Mathway shows ads; Course Hero does not.

### Which is updated more often, Mathway or Course Hero?

Mathway ships an update every 4 weeks, and Course Hero fortnightly. Most recently, Mathway was updated on September 25, 2026 and Course Hero on September 25, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Mathway or Course Hero?

Mathway currently peaks at #115 in the App Store charts, and Course Hero at #99. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*