# Hands vs Critical Thinking Activities

The clearest difference is price: Critical Thinking Activities at $1.99 against Hands's $7.99. Hands's advantage is update cadence (every 5 months vs every 26 months). On ads, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Hands costs $7.99 and Critical Thinking Activities $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Hands ships an update every 5 months, Critical Thinking Activities every 26 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hands | Critical Thinking Activities |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $7.99 | **$1.99** |
| Rating | **[4.6 (78 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hands-on-equations-level-2/id520038983/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **78** | — |
| Positive reviews | 86.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 months** | Every 26 months |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Size | 231 MB | 20 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13** | 13.2 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Hands On Equations](https://appshunter.io/developer/505948225) | [Ventura Educational Systems](https://appshunter.io/developer/371324172) |

## What reviewers say

### Hands

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hands-on-equations-level-2/id520038983)

This app introduces algebra concepts for students who have completed Level 1. It teaches how to solve equations involving a white pawn representing an unknown value and its opposite. Engaging video lessons and interactive exercises enhance understanding and build confidence in solving algebraic problems.

**Highlights:** Solve equations with unknown values, Learn about opposite values, Interactive video introductions, Practice with examples and exercises, Visual representation of algebraic concepts, Build confidence in algebra

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to understand algebra
- 💡 Visual and verbal explanations
- 👍 Great for visual learners
- 👍 Makes algebra click
- 👍 Fun and engaging for kids

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy completion streaks
- 🐛 Glitchy tutorials
- 🐛 Lesson 12 equations too hard
- 🐛 Lesson 9 won't accept correct answer
- 🐛 App crashes on iOS 9

**Reported bugs**

- Bug in number wheel slows completion streaks
- Tutorials have too much jargon
- Lesson 12 equations too hard
- Lesson 8 tutorials have too much jargon
- Lesson 9 glitch, won't accept correct answer

**Requested features**

- Make lessons harder
- Add more challenges
- Add video explanation after each problem
- More advanced concepts


### Critical Thinking Activities

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/critical-thinking-activities/id1493209960)

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Hands free?

Hands costs $7.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Critical Thinking Activities free?

Critical Thinking Activities costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Hands or Critical Thinking Activities have ads?

Neither Hands nor Critical Thinking Activities shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Hands or Critical Thinking Activities?

Hands ships an update every 5 months, and Critical Thinking Activities every 26 months. Most recently, Hands was updated on October 23, 2026 and Critical Thinking Activities on October 18, 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.*