Mathway vs Desmos Test Mode
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Mathway
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.
- Math problem solver
- Homework scanner
- Step-by-step solutions
- Algebra solver
- Graphing calculator
- Calculus solver
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Mathway is the world’s smartest math calculator for algebra, graphing, calculus and more! Mathway gives you unlimited access to math solutions that can help you understand complex concepts. Simply point your camera and snap a photo or type your math homework question for step-by-step answers. If a premium subscription option is selected: • Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase • Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period • Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period, at the same monthly or annual rate selected at the beginning of the subscription • Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Account Settings after purchase Terms of Use: https://www.mathway.com/terms Privacy Policy: https://www.mathway.com/privacy
Desmos Test Mode
This app provides restricted versions of graphing and scientific calculators designed to meet exam requirements. It allows users to practice for specific state or national assessments by selecting the appropriate test mode. Full, unrestricted calculator features are available in separate applications.
- Exam-compliant calculator modes
- Graphing capabilities
- Scientific calculator functions
- Data tables and statistics
- Interactive sliders
- Points of interest on graphs
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** These are restricted versions of the Desmos Calculators that comply with exam requirements. To prepare for specific state or national assessments, select the corresponding test from the menu in the app. Find out whether Desmos is used for your test at www.desmos.com/testing. If you’d like to use full, unrestricted versions of the calculators, download the Scientific or Graphing Calculator apps or visit www.desmos.com. ** At Desmos, we imagine a world of universal math literacy where math is accessible and enjoyable for all students. To that end, we’ve built simple yet powerful calculators. They’re intuitive, beautiful, and completely free. - - - Graphing Calculator Features: Graphing: Plot polar, Cartesian, and parametric graphs. There’s no limit to how many expressions you can graph at one time—and you don’t even need to enter expressions in y= form! Sliders: Adjust values interactively to build intuition, or animate any parameter to visualize its effect on the graph. Tables: Input and plot data, or create an input-output table for any function. Statistics: Use regressions to find the lines (or other curves!) that best fit your data. Zooming: Scale the axes independently or at the same time with the pinch of two fingers, or edit the window size manually to get the perfect view of your graph. Points of Interest: Touch a curve to show its maximum and minimum values, intercepts, and points of intersection with other curves. Tap any of these points of interest to see their coordinates. Hold and drag along a curve to see the coordinates change under your finger as you trace. - - - Scientific Calculator Features: Variables: Assign values to variables that you can use in other expressions. Since all of your work is held in the expressions list, you can compute a value once and use it in many places simultaneously. Take advantage of the “ans” key, which always stores the value of the previous expression. Arithmetic: Beyond the four basic operations, the scientific calculator also supports exponentiation, radicals, absolute value, logarithms, rounding, and percentages. Trigonometry: Evaluate the fundamental trigonometric functions and their inverses using either radians or degrees for angle measure. Statistics: Compute the mean and standard deviation (sample or population) of a list of data. Combinatorics: Count combinations and permutations and calculate factorials. - - - Four-Function Calculator Features: Simple and Beautiful: Just the basics done right. Add, subtract, multiply, divide, and take square roots. Multiple Expressions: Unlike many four-function calculators, all of your previous work remains visible on the screen. The special “ans” key always holds the value of the previous computation (and updates automatically!), so you never have to remember or copy a result.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Mathway at 4.9 against Desmos Test Mode's 1.6. Mathway also leads on review sentiment (51% vs 17%) and ratings volume (425K vs 368). Desmos Test Mode's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 12) and ads (none vs shown). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Mathway sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Desmos Test Mode asks for nothing beyond the download.
Mathway holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 1.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Mathway has 425K ratings behind it against 368, 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 17% of Desmos Test Mode's.
Mathway ships an update every 4 weeks, Desmos Test Mode every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 10, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Mathway | Desmos Test Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.9 (425K ratings) — better | 1.6 (368 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 50.6% of reviews — better | 16.5% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 425K — better | 368 |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks — better | Every 4 months |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Best chart rank | #107 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 16.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 82 MB | 6 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Chegg, Inc. | Desmos |
Customer experience
Mathway
Desmos Test Mode
User reviews
Mathway
From 425K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Reliable and accurate
- 👍 Helpful for math homework and studying
- 🚀 Fast and efficient
- 👍 Explains step-by-step solutions
- 👍 Supports wide range of math topics
Room to improve
- 💰 Subscription required for full features
- 🐛 Inconsistent performance, crashes
- 🔍 Difficulty cropping/uploading photos
- 🔍 Limited free features, paywall
Desmos Test Mode
From 368 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Useful app for tests
- 🔒 Secure calculator mode
- 👍 Free alternative to expensive calculators
Room to improve
- 🐛 Buggy and unstable
- 🔒 Overly restrictive app lock
- 👎 Poor user interface and usability
Bugs and requests
Mathway
Reported bugs
2 issues- Camera issues, unable to focus on problems
- Subscription issues, unable to access paid features
Requested features
3 requests- Dark mode option
- Ability to copy/paste equations
- Improved free version with step-by-step solutions
Desmos Test Mode
Reported bugs
3 issues- App crashes and freezes during use
- Unexpected phone behavior and lockouts
- Compatibility issues across different devices and OS versions
Requested features
3 requests- Add customization options for the calculator interface
- Improve compatibility with older devices
- Provide more flexible calculator modes during tests
In-app purchases
Mathway
- Steps (Monthly)3 variants$9.991 Month
- Steps (Monthly)3 Days trial$9.991 Month
- Steps (Monthly)7 Days trial2 variants$9.991 Month
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- Steps (Monthly)$19.991 Month
- Steps (Annual)$39.991 Year
- Steps (Annual)3 Days trial$39.991 Year
- Steps (Annual)7 Days trial2 variants$39.991 Year
- Steps (Annual)$79.991 Year
Desmos Test Mode
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Mathway free?
Is Desmos Test Mode free?
Which has better reviews, Mathway or Desmos Test Mode?
Do Mathway or Desmos Test Mode have ads?
Which is updated more often, Mathway or Desmos Test Mode?
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