Hands vs Outschool
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Hands
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.
- 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
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Hands-On Equations® Level 2 Continue the Fun Way to Learn Algebra! You've mastered the fundamentals. Now it's time for the next exciting step in your algebra journey! Hands-On Equations® Level 2 introduces an innovative new game piece—the white pawn, which represents the opposite of x. Using the white pawn together with the familiar blue pawn and numbered cubes, students learn elegant new strategies for solving increasingly sophisticated equations. Watch students confidently solve equations such as: 3x = –x + 4 and x – 3(–x) + 2 = 8 – 2x while enjoying the same highly visual, intuitive approach that has helped more than one million students better understand algebra. Discover More Advanced Algebra Naturally As students solve increasingly challenging equations, they intuitively apply important mathematical ideas, including: • Additive inverses • The additive property of zero • The addition property of equality As they solve these Level 2 equations, students discover how to add positive and negative numbers—without formal instruction. Rather than memorizing procedures, students develop a genuine understanding of why algebra works. Who Should Use Level 2? Hands-On Equations Level 2 is the natural continuation for students who have completed Level 1, including: • Gifted students in Grades 2 and above • Elementary students in Grades 4 and above • Middle school students • High school students who would benefit from a clearer, more visual approach to algebra • Adults who wish they had learned algebra this way the first time Experience Success. Build Confidence. As students experience continued success solving increasingly challenging equations, they develop greater confidence, deeper understanding, and an appreciation for the beauty and simplicity of algebra. If you enjoyed Hands-On Equations Level 1, you'll love discovering what you can accomplish in Level 2. For more information about Hands-On Equations, visit www.borenson.com. For app support, contact: info@borenson.com.
Outschool
Discover and enroll your child in a vast selection of live online classes taught by global educators. This app provides a convenient way for kids and teens to learn on the go, offering features like class reminders and direct communication with teachers.
- Over 140K live online classes
- Taught by global teachers
- Reminder notifications for classes
- Direct communication with teachers
- Zoom integration for learners
- Classes for ages 3-18
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Outschool empowers your child by offering over 140K classes taught by teachers around the world. Kids are free to choose what, how, and where they want to learn. Now it’s even easier to learn on the go with the Outschool App. * Never miss a class with reminder notifications * Communicate with teachers before and after class * Help your learners access Zoom on their own * Designed for kids and teens, giving you peace of mind For everything else, visit the website to get full access to your account, and stay tuned for more features in the app coming soon! About Outschool Outschool is an online learning platform that empowers kids ages 3–18 to learn on their own terms with the widest variety of teachers, topics and classes to suit any interest. We offer interactive, small-group classes that are fun and social, video classes that can be taken any time, and groups that connect learners around their favorite topics. With Outschool, learners are free to pursue their interests, connect with others around shared passions, and build confidence through progress. Since 2015, we’ve partnered with vetted, diverse, expert teachers to give kids everywhere greater access to high-quality education. Questions? Have other features you'd love to see? Let us know at appsupport@outschool.com or visit www.support.outschool.com See our privacy policy at: https://outschool.com/privacy See our terms of service: https://outschool.com/terms
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Hands at 87% against Outschool's 29%. Hands also leads on rating (4.6 vs 3.2) and in-app purchases (none vs 1). Outschool's advantage is price (Free vs $7.99) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 5 months). On ratings volume, 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
Outschool is free to download; Hands costs $7.99 up front. Outschool sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Hands asks for nothing beyond the download.
Hands holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 78 and 121 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 87% of Hands's written reviews are positive against 29% of Outschool's.
Hands ships an update every 5 months, Outschool every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Hands | Outschool |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $7.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.6 (78 ratings) — better | 3.2 (121 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 86.8% of reviews — better | 28.6% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 78 | 121 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Free with in-app purchases — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13 — better | 15.1 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 231 MB | 53 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Hands On Equations | Outschool |
Customer experience
Hands
Outschool
User reviews
Hands
From 78 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Easy to understand algebra
- 💡 Visual and verbal explanations
- 👍 Great for visual learners
- 👍 Makes algebra click
- 👍 Fun and engaging for kids
Room to improve
- 🐛 Buggy completion streaks
- 🐛 Glitchy tutorials
- 🐛 Lesson 12 equations too hard
- 🐛 Lesson 9 won't accept correct answer
- 🐛 App crashes on iOS 9
Outschool
From 121 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👨🏫 Quality teachers and educational content
- 🎓 Diverse class offerings and subjects
- 📱 Convenient access to classes on mobile devices
- 🔔 Helpful notification system for class reminders
- 👥 Safe, vetted online learning environment
Room to improve
- 💰 Expensive membership model and pricing structure
- 💳 Predatory credit/coin system with markups
- 🚫 Forced membership requirement (removed drop-in flexibility)
- 🐛 App frequently crashes and fails to load
- 🔍 Poor search and filtering functionality
Bugs and requests
Hands
Reported bugs
9 issues- 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
Show 4 moreShow fewer
- App not working for iOS 9, crashes when clicking 'value'
- Paid version has advertising
- Paid version doesn't work, crashes when entering value of x
- Volume does not work on the app, videos of little value
Requested features
4 requests- Make lessons harder
- Add more challenges
- Add video explanation after each problem
- More advanced concepts
Outschool
Reported bugs
12 issues- App crashes and force quits frequently
- Continuous loading symbols without data retrieval
- Login failures on both app and website
- App doesn't load class data properly
- Join button doesn't connect to correct Zoom class
Show 7 moreShow fewer
- Students stuck waiting for host to let them in
- App incompatible with iPhone 16 Pro Max iOS 18
- Classes not displaying in app
- Network failure errors despite good connection
- Child profile switching logs out user
- Incorrect class shown when joining
- Schedule not displaying correctly on app
Requested features
12 requests- Calendar view showing all scheduled classes
- Search and filter functionality in app
- Ability to save/favorite classes for later
- Click-through to teacher profiles
- Ability to message teachers from app
Show 7 moreShow fewer
- Teacher notifications in app
- Groups feature in app
- Ability to switch between child profiles without logging out
- Class linking and cross-referencing
- Android app version
- Teacher app version for educators
- Late enrollment option for missed class signups
In-app purchases
Hands
No in-app purchases
Outschool
- $10 in Outschool balance$14.99
Questions
Is Hands free?
Is Outschool free?
Which has better reviews, Hands or Outschool?
Do Hands or Outschool have ads?
Which is updated more often, Hands or Outschool?
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