PocketCAS lite for Mathematics vs Console for MATLAB programming
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
PocketCAS lite for Mathematics
This advanced math application assists with a wide range of mathematical problems, from basic arithmetic to calculus, algebra, and statistics. It functions as a graphing calculator replacement, aids in homework, and supports complex calculations for academic and professional use.
- 2D and 3D plotting
- Calculus functions (limits, derivatives)
- Linear algebra operations
- Equation solving
- Scripting language
- Physical units and constants
- iCloud sync
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PocketCAS is the most advanced mathematics application for iPhone and iPad. It can help you with any kind of math problem, from elementary school all the way up to calculus, algebra and statistics. It can replace your old graphing calculator, help you with your homework, and assist you in any kind of calculation for university or work. This app is an indispensable tool for every student, teacher and engineer. It makes college-level calculus and algebra easy and can help you in a wide range of cases. It provides features comparable with a TI-89 calculator and combines them with a modern, intuitive interface and incredible graphics capabilities. MATHEMATICAL CAPABILITIES - 2D Plots: Quickly create 2D cartesian, implicit, polar or parametric plots. - 3D Plots: PocketCAS draws stunning 3D plots! - Calculus: Calculate limits, derivatives, integrals and taylor expansions. - Linear Algebra: Invert and multiply matrices or calculate determinants, eigenvalues and much more! - Algebra: Perform integer and polynomial factorization and division, use permutations, and more. - Solving: PocketCAS will solve almost any equation for you. It even supports systems of linear equations and ordinary differential equations! - Scripting: PocketCAS' C-style scripting language allows you to define custom functions, use conditional expressions, loops and also supports recursion. - Physical Units: Constants and units are provided out of the box. Simply enter physical formulas with the corresponding units and convert results to the units you prefer. ADDITIONAL FUNCTIONALITY - iCloud support: Sync documents between your Mac, iPhone and iPad! - Export: Print or export plots, entries or the whole document as PDF! - Mathematical keyboard: PocketCAS' mathematical keyboard is unmatched on the App Store. - Help: All functions are explained in the built-in reference. If you're stuck, there's plenty of tutorials as well as a manual (http://pocketcas.com/manual) to get you going. And you can always contact our support (http://pocketcas.com/support) for help! - Offline computation: PocketCAS doesn't need an internet connection to calculate results. LIMITATIONS OF THE LITE VERSION PocketCAS lite is a free version of PocketCAS that will allow you to try out the interface and many features before buying PocketCAS pro. It has the following limitations: - Many advanced mathematical functions (e.g. integration, taylor expansion, eigenvalues, solving equations, etc.) are unavailable. - It will plot only two functions at a time. - Exported graphics will be watermarked. The full functionality is available in PocketCAS pro. REVIEWS "This program has an incredible amount of power for such a compact program. I teach high school math, and this program can work with all sorts of expressions, graphs, and help check my work. Definitely worth it!" "I am 8 years old and this App is awesome! It helps you learn calculus quickly. It's a work of art!" "One of three Apps I use when teaching A Level maths. Have recommended to numerous students. Excellent." "This is one of the best. The CAS capabilities are compatible to only two other apps, and this one is all offline and includes countless additional features. It's never steered me wrong and is the first thing I go to when I'm in a hurry to figure something out. If you're a student this is pretty much as good as it can get." "You will love this calculator. It's powerful to calculate everything, doesn't matter you're a high school student or college student. Specially for the people who like to solve problems with graphs!" "This app is so powerful and slick looking. It is totally amazing and what it can do."
Console for MATLAB programming
This app provides a MATLAB interpreter for iOS devices, allowing users to run code and create interactive plots entirely on-device. It's ideal for students and learners who need a functional MATLAB environment without cloud reliance.
- On-device MATLAB computation
- Interactive 2D/3D plots
- Syntax highlighting
- Offline document access
- MATLAB function support
- Plot configuration without coding
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Console allows you to run MATLAB code on iOS devices. It comes with a MATLAB interpreter that supports functions frequently used by college students or learners. Individuals who do not need specialised functions should find this app a valuable tool. Console is powered by the same MATLAB interpreter of our flagship app, SIMO. Before purchasing SIMO, you should download Console to see if this interpreter is adequate for your work. We continue to expand its capability by supporting more functions and language syntax in future updates. While other similar apps perform computation on the cloud, Console executes MATLAB code using the on-board silicon. Internet connection is not required — even the documents are offline accessible within the app. Being able to use the app without internet connectivity is a great benefit for users with non-cellular iPads. Another great benefit is that plots are interactive and responsive since they are rendered in real-time by the on-board GPU. Console has 4 key components: 1. Console Input, where you input MATLAB statements. It supports - Line numbering - Syntax highlighting for MATLAB keywords and built-in functions. - Auto-indent. 2. Console Output, where the results are displayed. It supports - Full-text search - Variable view height to fit the contents. 3. Figure, where 2D or 3D plots are displayed. It supports - Multi-touch gestures for zoom, pan, and rotate (3D plots). - Attributes (such as axis labels, ticks, limits, line colour) can be configured using the built-in tool. No coding is required. - Sharing plots as images with third party apps. - Saving plots. 4. Documents, which contains the full set of SIMO documents accessible offline. - MATLAB functions. - Tutorials on MATLAB language basics. - Searchable by document title and contents.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Console for MATLAB programming at fortnightly against PocketCAS lite for Mathematics's every 3 months. PocketCAS lite for Mathematics's advantage is ratings volume (204 vs 13) and review sentiment (91% vs 80%). On price, rating, 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for PocketCAS lite for Mathematics against 4.6 for Console for MATLAB programming. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PocketCAS lite for Mathematics has 204 ratings behind it against 13, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 91% of PocketCAS lite for Mathematics's written reviews are positive against 80% of Console for MATLAB programming's.
PocketCAS lite for Mathematics ships an update every 3 months, Console for MATLAB programming fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 16, 2026 and September 8, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | PocketCAS lite for Mathematics | Console for MATLAB programming |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (204 ratings) — better | 4.6 (13 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 90.7% of reviews — better | 80.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 204 — better | 13 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Fortnightly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 — better | 14.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 25 MB | 64 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Timing Software GmbH | Numerical Co. |
Customer experience
PocketCAS lite for Mathematics
Console for MATLAB programming
Bugs and requests
PocketCAS lite for Mathematics
Reported bugs
6 issues- App crashes when loading previously saved documents
- Crashes with no error feedback or debugging information
- Cannot plot certain mathematical functions
- Zoom scaling issues with 3D graphs (scales Z-axis incorrectly)
- Compatibility broken with iOS 6 after iOS 7 update
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- Function plotting limitations for advanced equations
Requested features
8 requests- Dark theme/dark mode for UI
- Multiple polynomials on single graph
- Inverse button functionality
- Better zoom functionality for 3D graphs
- Improved documentation and tutorials
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- More Greek characters support
- Measurement conversion capabilities
- Better control layout and cleanup
Console for MATLAB programming
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
PocketCAS lite for Mathematics
No in-app purchases
Console for MATLAB programming
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is PocketCAS lite for Mathematics free?
Is Console for MATLAB programming free?
Which has better reviews, PocketCAS lite for Mathematics or Console for MATLAB programming?
Do PocketCAS lite for Mathematics or Console for MATLAB programming have ads?
Which is updated more often, PocketCAS lite for Mathematics or Console for MATLAB programming?
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