# Hands vs Critical Thinking Activities

The clearest difference is update cadence: Hands at every 3 months against Critical Thinking Activities's every 26 months. Hands also leads on iOS requirement (9.0 vs 13.2). Critical Thinking Activities's advantage is price ($1.99 vs $7.99). On ads, in-app purchases and device support 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 3 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 | **[4.0 (27 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hands-on-equations-3/id541865643/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **27** | — |
| Positive reviews | 75.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 26 months |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Size | 188 MB | 20 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 13.2 |
| Devices | iPad | **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-3/id541865643)

This app offers a challenging introduction to algebra for students who have completed introductory levels. It introduces negative numbers and new game pieces to solve more complex equations, enhancing self-esteem and understanding.

**Highlights:** Solves equations with negative numbers, Introduces new game pieces for algebraic concepts, Video introductions for each lesson, Includes examples and exercises, Enhances self-esteem through success

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### 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 3 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.*