Comparison

MathNotes vs Derive

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

Head to head
About

MathNotes

This app helps students with math by offering effortless note-taking, organized study materials, and an AI-powered solver for equations. It provides step-by-step explanations to ensure understanding and includes a floating calculator for simultaneous use.

Highlights
  • Effortless note-taking for equations and concepts
  • Organized study notes with categorization
  • AI Math Solver with step-by-step explanations
  • Floating calculator for simultaneous use
  • Study notes on the go
Features
Read full description

Are you a student who uses math? Well, here's something you won't want to skip! Introducing MathNotes, the app that Makes Math Easy! MathNotes is tailored for students just like you, understanding your unique needs in and outside the classroom! Here's how MathNotes makes your math a piece of Pi ;) Effortless Note-Taking: Exponentially improve your note-taking during class! Our user-friendly interface lets you jot down equations, concepts, and insights with ease, eliminating messy pen and paper notebooks. Stay Forever Organized: Tired of searching for notes? MathNotes keeps your study life organized, allowing you to categorize and find notes effortlessly. Get Answers in less than a Snap: MathNotes features our powerful AI Math Solver that cracks tricky equations in no time. Study with Confidence: Don’t let math divide you! The AI Math Solver provides step-by-step explanations, ensuring you understand the 'how' and 'why' behind every equation. Awesome Calculator: Crunch those numbers! Our calculator floats over your notes, like a leaf in the wind, allowing you to calculate and take notes simultaneously. Study Anywhere: Whether in class or on the go, MathNotes goes where you are. Study on the fly and never miss a beat. Because math waits for no one, and neither should you! Subscribe and unlock MathNotes' full potential: More features, more convenience, and more math brilliance! It all adds up to making your math easy! Subscriptions automatically renew each month 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can turn off auto-renew at any time. Need help or have suggestions? Our support team is ready and happy to assist. Email us at support@impalastudios.com. For math-related questions, uhm, yeah, have you tried the solver? It’s available with the free trial! Terms & Conditions: https://impalastudios.com/terms Privacy Policy: https://impalastudios.com/privacy MathNotes Makes Math Easy! (C) 2000 Impala Studios.

About

Derive

This app provides an infinite canvas for handwritten math and science notes. It uses AI to recognize your handwriting, offering a live tutor for step-by-step assistance directly within your notes. Organize your work into notebooks that sync across devices.

Highlights
  • Infinite canvas for note-taking
  • Handwritten math recognition
  • Live AI tutor for step-by-step help
  • Notebook and page organization
  • Cross-device syncing
  • Light, dark, and sepia themes
Read full description

Derive Notes is a canvas-first note-taking app built for math, science, and engineering students. Write equations by hand with Apple Pencil, and let Derive understand what you wrote, so your notes do more than sit on the page. HANDWRITING THAT'S ACTUALLY UNDERSTOOD Draw on an infinite canvas the way you would on paper. Derive recognizes your handwritten math as you work, turning messy strokes into clean, structured expressions you can check, reuse, and build on. A TUTOR RIGHT NEXT TO YOUR WORK Stuck on a step? Open the tutor panel and get step-by-step help tied directly to what's on your canvas. It works alongside your handwriting instead of pulling you into a separate app. BUILT FOR REAL STUDY SESSIONS - Infinite canvas with smooth, low-latency inking - Pen, eraser, and lasso tools for fast editing - Organize your work into notebooks and pages - Two-finger tap to undo, pinch to zoom - Your notebooks sync securely across your devices DESIGNED FOR FOCUS A clean, distraction-free workspace with light, dark, sepia, and high-contrast themes, so long study sessions stay comfortable. Derive Notes keeps your handwriting at the center and adds just enough intelligence to make studying faster by recognizing your math, helping you through hard steps, and keeping every page organized and in sync. Note: Derive uses trusted third-party AI providers to process handwriting and page text for recognition and tutoring. You're asked for consent in-app before these features are used. DESIGNED FOR IPAD AND APPLE PENCIL Handwriting, drawing, and the full authoring tools require an iPad with Apple Pencil. On iPhone, Derive is a companion for reading and reviewing your notebooks: browse your library, open any page, search across everything, and ask the tutor. Notes you write on iPad appear on iPhone automatically. SUBSCRIPTION Derive Pro unlocks writing and editing, handwriting recognition, and the AI tutor. Every new account starts with a 7-day free trial, and a trial or subscription is required to use Derive. If a subscription later lapses, the notebooks you already made stay readable, so your own work is never locked away. - Derive Pro Monthly: A$9.99 per month - Derive Pro Annual: A$101.99 per year - Both start with a 7-day free trial Prices are in Australian dollars and may vary by region. Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase. A subscription renews automatically unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period, and your account is charged for renewal within the 24 hours before that period ends. You can manage your subscription and turn off auto-renew in your Apple Account settings after purchase. Any unused portion of a free trial is forfeited when you buy a subscription. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Derive Terms of Service: https://derivenotes.com/terms Privacy Policy: https://derivenotes.com/privacy

Screenshots

MathNotes4 screens
Derive4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: MathNotes at 4.7 against Derive's 4.1. MathNotes also leads on monetization model (freemium vs subscription) and ratings volume (51 vs 17). Derive's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs every 11 days). On price, review sentiment, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. MathNotes sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $2.99 per month and Derive sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

MathNotes holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 51 and 17 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 33% of MathNotes's written reviews are positive against 31% of Derive's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

MathNotes ships an update every 11 days, Derive every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
MathNotes versus Derive: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMathNotesDerive
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (51 ratings) — better4.1 (17 ratings)
Positive reviews33.3% of reviews — better31.3% of reviews
Number of ratings51 — better17
Update frequencyEvery 11 daysEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemium — betterSubscription
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size61 MB74 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperImpala StudiosDerive Notes Pty Ltd

Customer experience

MathNotes

All ratings51 ratings
Positive90.2%
Neutral3.9%
Negative5.9%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive33.3%
Neutral33.3%
Negative33.3%

Derive

All ratings17 ratings
Positive70.6%
Neutral17.6%
Negative11.8%
Written reviews16 reviews
Positive31.3%
Neutral37.5%
Negative31.3%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

MathNotes

Subscriptions1
  • Premium Subscription3 Days trial$2.991 Month
6 purchases

Derive

Subscriptions6
  • Derive Pro (Monthly, student)7 Days trial$8.991 Month
  • Derive Pro (Monthly)7 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Derive Pro (Monthly, invited)1 Month trial$9.991 Month
Show 3 more
  • Derive Pro (Yearly, student)7 Days trial$75.001 Year
  • Derive Pro (Annual)7 Days trial$83.901 Year
  • Derive Pro (Annual, invited)1 Month trial$83.901 Year

Questions

Is MathNotes free?
MathNotes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Derive free?
Derive is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, MathNotes or Derive?
MathNotes is rated higher. MathNotes averages 4.7 out of 5 from 51 ratings, while Derive averages 4.1 from 17 ratings.
Do MathNotes or Derive have ads?
Neither MathNotes nor Derive shows ads.
Which is updated more often, MathNotes or Derive?
MathNotes ships an update every 11 days, and Derive every 3 days. Most recently, MathNotes was updated on October 1, 2026 and Derive on October 11, 2026.

Other comparisons