Hands vs 2nd Grade Math School Edition
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Hands
Explore place value, addition, and subtraction with regrouping through interactive simulations. This app models the decimal place value system using virtual "Bean Sticks" for hands-on learning and concept development.
- Place value exploration
- Addition and subtraction with regrouping
- Decimal place value system modeling
- Interactive virtual manipulatives
- Concept development through interaction
- Number naming and expanded notation
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Hands-On Math: Bean Sticks is an interactive learning environment where students explore and discover place value, and addition and subtraction with regrouping. Bean Sticks are used to model the decimal place value system. Math manipulatives such as Bean Sticks allow students to experience and develop math concepts through interaction and discovery. Concept development is the foundation of mathematical understanding. Hands-On Math: Bean Sticks simulates the use of a popular math manipulative used to teach place value and addition and subtraction with regrouping. Bean Sticks are one of the best ways to help students place value. Using this app students place Bean Sticks on an interactive Playground to represent numbers. Bean Sticks can be regrouped or exchanged by dragging a virtual manipulative from one column to the next. Using Hands-On Math: Bean Sticks students can develop the following important mathematical concepts: * Place value concepts * Regrouping in the ones, tens and hundreds places * Basic operations: addition and subtraction * Naming numbers * Expanded notation * Reading and writing numbers If you are interested in teaching place value you may also be interested in our app titled Hands-On Math: Base Ten Blocks. It is similar to this app but uses Base Ten Blocks to model the decimal place value system.
2nd Grade Math School Edition
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2nd Grade Math School Edition covers all common core standards for 2nd grade math with fun, entertaining animations to keep your students engaged. Score reports are provided and supports Apple Schoolwork. The app does not collect, retain, or share personal information and contains no advertising or third-party analytics. "The French mathematician Jacques S. Hadamard found, in a study of 100 leading mathematicians], that the majority of them were primarily visual in their approach. Some [including Einstein] went further back to sensations of a kinesthetic kind." Scientific American, Sept., 1984, p. 56. Preview Base 10, Add & Subtract, Word Problems on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvEGKu7n_PA Preview Measurements, Graphs, Geometry on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFCbtBgaZ5w 5 star EducationAppStore review: https://web.archive.org/web/20230609201057/https://www.educationalappstore.com/app/2nd-grade-math-math-galaxy Math Galaxy’s Second Grade Math covers all Common Core math standards for second grade as listed below. The concepts are presented in bite-size pieces with an unlimited supply of practice problems and numbers chosen randomly. Illustrations are used throughout to reinforce the concepts. There are review sections and you can be guided through problems step-by-step or just give the final answer. Now also supports Apple Schoolwork. NUMBER AND OPERATIONS IN BASE 10 (2.NBT) Understand place value. (2.NBT.A.1-4) Place Value Blocks Place Names Expanded Notation Comparing Numbers Use place value understanding and properties of operations to add and subtract. (2.NBT.B.5-9) Addition Tables Addition in 10-Frames Addition on the Number Line 1-Digit Addition 2-Digit Addition 3-Digit Addition Alternative Addition Number Families Subtraction in 10-Frames Subtraction on the Number Line 1-Digit Subtraction 2-Digit Subtraction 3-Digit Subtraction Borrowing Across 0s Missing Number Alternative Subtraction Add and Subtract to 100 OPERATIONS AND ALGEBRAIC THINKING (2.OA) Represent and solve problems involving addition and subtraction 1-Step Word Problems (2.OA.1) Multi-Step Word Problems (2.OA.1) Work with equal groups of objects to gain foundations for multiplication Skip Counting (2.OA.A.4) Equal Groups (2.OA.A.4) Arrays (2.OA.A.4) Repeated Addition 2.OA.A.4) Multiplication Tables Up To 5 (2.OA.C.3-4) Multiplication Tables - All (2.OA.C.3-4) MEASUREMENT AND DATA (2.MD) Measure and estimate lengths in standard units. Measuring with Objects. (2.MD.A.1) Measuring Inches & Centimeters (2.MD.A.1-3 Measuring in Standard Units Measuring in Metric Units Work with time and money. Time - Clock Problems (2.MD.C.7) Time - Word Problems (2.MD.C.7) Math Games - Time Riddles (2.MDC..7) Math Games - Money Riddles (2.MD.C.8) Math Games - The MoneyTrail (2.MDC..8) Represent and interpret data. Measuring in Standard Units (2.MD.D.9) Measuring in Metric Units (2.MD.D.9) Pictographs (2.MDD..10) Reading Bar Graphs (2.MDD..10) Drawing Bar Graphs (2.MD.10) GEOMETRY (2.G) Reason with shapes and their attributes. Shapes - Terminology (2.G.A.1) Classify Shapes (2.G.A.1) Area & Perimeter (2.G.A.2-3) Missing Number Area & Perimeter Squares & Rectangles Complex Areas Fractions (2.G.A.3) MATH GAMES Labyrinth (Search mazes for treasure) Snakes & Ladders (Addition, Subtraction & Multiplication) Bridge the Swamp Time Riddles Money Riddles The Money Trail Time - Matching Digital & Analog Money Classifying Shapes Word Problems Counting by 1s to 10s Add & Subtract to 100
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Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Hands at $2.99 against 2nd Grade Math School Edition's $12.99. Hands also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). 2nd Grade Math School Edition's advantage is update cadence (every 6 months vs every 35 months) and device support (3 vs 1). On ads and in-app purchases 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
Hands costs $2.99 and 2nd Grade Math School Edition $12.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Hands ships an update every 35 months, 2nd Grade Math School Edition every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Hands | 2nd Grade Math School Edition |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2.99 — better | $12.99 |
| Rating | 2.0 (1 ratings) — better | — |
| Number of ratings | 1 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 35 months | Every 6 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Devices | iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 41 MB | 236 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Ventura Educational Systems | Math Galaxy |
In-app purchases
Hands
No in-app purchases
2nd Grade Math School Edition
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Hands free?
Is 2nd Grade Math School Edition free?
Do Hands or 2nd Grade Math School Edition have ads?
Which is updated more often, Hands or 2nd Grade Math School Edition?
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