Comparison

PocketCAS lite for Mathematics vs Symbolab

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • 2D and 3D plotting
  • Calculus functions (limits, derivatives)
  • Linear algebra operations
  • Equation solving
  • Scripting language
  • Physical units and constants
  • iCloud sync
Read full description

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."

About

Symbolab

Solve any math problem by typing it in or taking a photo. Get step-by-step solutions for subjects from pre-algebra to calculus. This AI-powered tool offers personalized learning and insights for over 300 million users.

Highlights
  • Photo math solver
  • Step-by-step solutions
  • Calculus calculator
  • Graphing calculator
  • Trigonometry solver
  • AI-powered learning
Read full description

Math Made Easy with Symbolab! Type in or snap a picture of any math problem, including tricky word problems, and get easy-to-understand step-by-step solutions. From pre-algebra to calculus, trigonometry, and more. Let us help you solve any math problem with confidence & guide you along the way! Symbolab Problem Solver is composed of over five hundred of our most powerful calculators, including: •Calculus Calculator •Graphing Calculator •Fraction Calculator •Equation Calculator •Integral Calculator •Derivative Calculator •Limit Calculator •Inequality Calculator •Trigonometry Calculator •Matrix Calculator •Functions Calculator •Series Calculator •ODE Calculator •Laplace Transform Calculator Join Our Community of Learners: Symbolab is a powerful tool for learning math, with over 300 million users. Join and experience AI-powered, personalized assessments, insights and more. Our fully automated platform, driven by advanced machine learning algorithms, ensures a seamless and straightforward learning experience. Empower Your Learning Journey: Symbolab is much more than an app – it's an entire educational platform dedicated to empowering students just like you. Deepen your knowledge with our streamlined and user-friendly interface. With our streamlined and user-friendly interface, we provide free solutions with basic steps to any math problem you throw at us. Plus, for a subscription, you’ll gain access to more advanced steps and explanations. Symbolab is your go-to companion for problem-solving and learning. Download now and embark on a journey to excel in math! Terms of Use: https://www.symbolab.com/public/terms.pdf Privacy Policy: https://www.symbolab.com/public/privacy.pdf

Screenshots

PocketCAS lite for Mathematics4 screens
Symbolab4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: PocketCAS lite for Mathematics at none against Symbolab's 8. PocketCAS lite for Mathematics also leads on review sentiment (91% vs 59%) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). Symbolab's advantage is ratings volume (26K vs 204) and update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months). On price, rating, ads and device support 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Symbolab sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $2.49 per 7 days. PocketCAS lite for Mathematics asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for PocketCAS lite for Mathematics against 4.6 for Symbolab. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Symbolab has 26K ratings behind it against 204, 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 59% of Symbolab's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PocketCAS lite for Mathematics ships an update every 3 months, Symbolab monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 16, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
PocketCAS lite for Mathematics versus Symbolab: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPocketCAS lite for MathematicsSymbolab
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (204 ratings) — better4.6 (26K ratings)
Positive reviews90.7% of reviews — better59.0% of reviews
Number of ratings20426K — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size25 MB60 MB
Age rating4++4
DeveloperTiming Software GmbHSymbolab

Customer experience

PocketCAS lite for Mathematics

All ratings204 ratings
Positive92.2%
Neutral4.4%
Negative3.4%
Written reviews151 reviews
Positive90.7%
Neutral1.3%
Negative7.9%

Symbolab

All ratings26,201 ratings
Positive89.4%
Neutral2.3%
Negative8.3%
Written reviews307 reviews
Positive59.0%
Neutral5.2%
Negative35.8%

User reviews

PocketCAS lite for Mathematics

From 204 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
  • 📊 Excellent graphing capabilities with 3D visualization
  • 💰 Free version available with substantial features
  • 🧮 Powerful mathematical computation engine
  • 📱 Convenient mobile alternative to expensive calculators

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Recent updates cause crashes on older documents
  • 💸 Expensive compared to free alternatives
  • 🔒 Limited free version functionality
  • 🎮 Clunky interface in some areas
  • ❌ Cannot plot certain advanced functions

Symbolab

From 26K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Fast and efficient
  • 👍 Easy to use
  • 💡 Helpful step-by-step solutions
  • 🚀 Accurate calculations
  • 👍 Saves time on homework and studying

Room to improve

  • 💰 Subscription required for full functionality
  • 🐛 Camera feature issues
  • 🐛 Inconsistent performance after updates
  • 💰 Expensive subscription fees
  • 🔒 Difficulty canceling subscription

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
Show 1 more
  • 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
Show 3 more
  • More Greek characters support
  • Measurement conversion capabilities
  • Better control layout and cleanup

Symbolab

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Login issues
  • Calculation errors
  • Frequent crashes
  • Connectivity problems

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add more math topics and problem types
  • Improve keyboard and input functionality
  • Provide more free features without subscription
  • Optimize app for larger screens (iPad)
  • Add ability to save and review past calculations

In-app purchases

None

PocketCAS lite for Mathematics

No in-app purchases

8 purchases

Symbolab

Subscriptions7
  • Universal Weekly Subscription$2.497 Days
  • Universal Monthly Subscription$7.991 Month
  • Universal Monthly Subscription$9.991 Month
Show 4 more
  • Universal ½-Year Subscription$24.996 Months
  • Universal ½-Year Subscription$32.996 Months
  • Universal Yearly Subscription7 Days trial$34.991 Year
  • Universal Yearly Subscription7 Days trial$39.991 Year
One-time1
  • All features with no ads$7.99

Questions

Is PocketCAS lite for Mathematics free?
PocketCAS lite for Mathematics is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Symbolab free?
Symbolab is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, PocketCAS lite for Mathematics or Symbolab?
PocketCAS lite for Mathematics is rated higher. PocketCAS lite for Mathematics averages 4.7 out of 5 from 204 ratings, while Symbolab averages 4.6 from 26K ratings.
Do PocketCAS lite for Mathematics or Symbolab have ads?
Neither PocketCAS lite for Mathematics nor Symbolab shows ads.
Which is updated more often, PocketCAS lite for Mathematics or Symbolab?
PocketCAS lite for Mathematics ships an update every 3 months, and Symbolab monthly. Most recently, PocketCAS lite for Mathematics was updated on September 16, 2026 and Symbolab on September 24, 2026.

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