# Math. vs IXL

The clearest difference is monetization model: IXL at free with in-app purchases against Math.'s subscription. IXL also leads on ratings volume (205K vs 1.6K) and chart position (#55 vs unranked). Math.'s advantage is review sentiment (74% vs 39%) and rating (4.7 vs 4.3). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Math. sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and IXL sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Math. holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: IXL has 205K ratings behind it against 1.6K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 74% of Math.'s written reviews are positive against 39% of IXL's.

Math. ships an update every 3 months, IXL every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Math. | IXL |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (1.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/math/id469234810/reviews)** | [4.3 (205K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ixl-math-english-and-more/id693689912/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1.6K | **205K** |
| Positive reviews | **73.6% of reviews** | 39.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | — | **#55** |
| Size | 14 MB | 175 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [YourTeacher.com](https://appshunter.io/developer/340925628) | [IXL Learning](https://appshunter.io/developer/693689915) |

## What reviewers say

### Math.

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/math/id469234810)

Access a comprehensive library of math courses with video lessons, interactive practice, and self-tests. Get personalized help for all levels, from elementary school to college and standardized test preparation. Offers a 3-day free trial.

**Highlights:** Extensive course library, Video lessons, Interactive practice, Self-tests, Standardized test prep, Homework help

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlimited Math Lessons | $9.99 | per month |
| Unlimited Access Pass | $9.99 | one-time |
| Pre-Algebra | $9.99 | one-time |
| Algebra 1 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Geometry | $9.99 | one-time |
| College Pre-Algebra | $9.99 | one-time |
| Intermediate Algebra | $9.99 | one-time |
| College Algebra | $9.99 | one-time |
| 5th Grade Math | $9.99 | one-time |
| 6th Grade Math | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Helpful for learning math
- 👍 Explains concepts well
- 💡 Useful for test preparation
- 🚀 Effective for improving math skills

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Subscription model is expensive
- 🐛 App crashes or freezes
- 🐛 Audio/video issues
- 💰 Paid access to each topic is frustrating

**Reported bugs**

- Screen rotation issues
- Lessons not accessible after payment
- Inconsistent performance across devices

**Requested features**

- Offline mode for videos
- Ability to work out problems within the app
- Progress tracking and bookmarking
- Broader range of math topics covered


### IXL

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ixl-math-english-and-more/id693689912)

**Currently charting:** #55 Top Free · Education (US App Store)

Personalized learning for K-12 students across math, English, science, social studies, and Spanish. Offers adaptive practice, immediate feedback, and engaging games to accelerate achievement and build confidence.

**Highlights:** Personalized K-12 curriculum, Adaptive skill-building, Immediate feedback and explanations, Interactive math and English games, Video tutorials, Real-time diagnostic assessments, Handwriting recognition

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| IXL - Math, English, and Science | $19.99 | per month |
| IXL - Math and English | $19.99 | per month |
| IXL - All Access | $23.95 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Comprehensive learning content
- 🚀 Wide range of skills covered
- 👍 Personalized learning experience
- 👍 Interactive and engaging questions
- 👍 Detailed step-by-step explanations

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔻 Harsh point deduction system
- 🔻 Lack of background knowledge support
- 🔻 Monotonous and demotivating
- 🐛 Bugs and glitches in the app
- 🔻 Frustrating for students with learning disabilities

**Reported bugs**

- Incorrect marking of right answers as wrong
- Inconsistent point deduction for mistakes
- Synchronization issues with student accounts
- Laggy performance and crashes
- Inaccurate time tracking

**Requested features**

- Revamp the point system to be less harsh
- Provide more engaging and interactive learning experiences
- Improve the quality and clarity of explanations
- Introduce more motivational features like rewards and bonuses
- Optimize the app to reduce bugs and glitches


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Math. free?

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

### Is IXL free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Math. or IXL?

Math. is rated higher. Math. averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.6K ratings, while IXL averages 4.3 from 205K ratings.

### Do Math. or IXL have ads?

Neither Math. nor IXL shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Math. or IXL?

Math. ships an update every 3 months, and IXL every 6 weeks. Most recently, Math. was updated on September 22, 2026 and IXL 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.*