Comparison

Desmos Graphing Calculator vs Gradescope

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

Head to head
About

Desmos Graphing Calculator

Explore mathematical concepts by graphing any equation, from simple lines to complex series. This powerful tool allows for interactive exploration with sliders, data tables, and animations. It also includes a scientific calculator and supports inequalities and accessibility features.

Highlights
  • Graph any equation (polar, cartesian, parametric)
  • Interactive sliders for function transformations
  • Input and plot data with tables
  • Animate graphs
  • Scientific calculator functionality
  • Plot inequalities
  • Accessibility features
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Explore math with the fast and powerful Desmos Graphing Calculator. Plot any equation, from lines and parabolas to derivatives and Fourier series. Add sliders to demonstrate function transformations, create tables to input and plot data, animate your graphs, and more—all for free. Features: Graphing: Plot polar, cartesian, or parametric graphs. There’s no limit to how many expressions you can graph at one time—and you don’t even need to enter expressions in y= form! Sliders: Adjust values interactively to build intuition, or animate any parameter to visualize its effect on the graph. Tables: Input and plot data, or create an input-output table for any function. Statistics: Find best-fit lines, parabolas, and more. Zooming: Scale the axes independently or at the same time with the pinch of two fingers, or edit the window size manually to get the perfect window. Points of Interest: Touch a curve to show maximums, minimums, and points of intersection. Tap the gray points of interest to see their coordinates. Hold and drag along a curve to see the coordinates change under your finger. Scientific Calculator: Just type in any equation you want to solve and Desmos will show you the answer. It can handle square roots, logs, absolute value, and more. Inequalities: Plot Cartesian and polar inequalities. Accessibility: Read and edit math using a screen reader or a refreshable Braille display, and use audio trace to explore graphs and data through sound. Offline: No internet access required. Visit www.desmos.com to learn more and to see the free browser version of our calculator.

About

Gradescope

Easily upload assignments for courses using this app. Submit files from your device or scan your work directly. Assign pages for variable-length assignments and resubmit if needed before the deadline.

Highlights
  • Upload assignments
  • Scan documents with camera
  • Select existing files
  • Assign pages for variable-length assignments
  • Resubmit assignments
  • View submitted and graded assignments
Features
Read full description

Students, upload your assignments to Gradescope more easily than ever before! If your instructor uses Gradescope for your assignments, you can now upload your submission with our mobile app. After installing and opening the app, login to see your Gradescope courses and assignments. To upload a submission, click on the assignment in the “Not Submitted” tab and either “Select File” to select an existing file from your device or “Scan” all pages of your completed work using your iPhone’s camera. Once you submit your file(s), for templated assignments, you’re all set. For variable-length assignments, “Assign pages” to indicate where your answer for each question appears within your submission. It’s that easy! After confirming, your assignment then moves to the “Submitted” tab. If needed, you can resubmit your assignment until the due date your instructor set has passed. Once it is graded and grades are published for the assignment, it then moves to the “Graded” tab. Note: For V1 of the app, you will be directed to our mobile website for any advanced functionality, including viewing feedback and submitting timed, programming, or online assignments. Stay tuned for future updates that will allow you to do even more with our mobile app!

Screenshots

Desmos Graphing Calculator4 screens
Gradescope4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Desmos Graphing Calculator at 81% against Gradescope's 9%. Desmos Graphing Calculator also leads on rating (4.3 vs 1.4) and chart position (#114 vs unranked). Gradescope's advantage is iOS requirement (13.4 vs 16.0). On price, update cadence, 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Desmos Graphing Calculator holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 1.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.3K and 269 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 81% of Desmos Graphing Calculator's written reviews are positive against 9% of Gradescope's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
Desmos Graphing Calculator versus Gradescope: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDesmos Graphing CalculatorGradescope
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.3 (1.3K ratings) — better1.4 (269 ratings)
Positive reviews80.8% of reviews — better8.7% of reviews
Number of ratings1.3K — better269
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
Best chart rank#114 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS16.013.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size18 MB37 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDesmosTurnitin

Customer experience

Desmos Graphing Calculator

All ratings1,290 ratings
Positive82.5%
Neutral3.8%
Negative13.7%
Written reviews355 reviews
Positive80.8%
Neutral5.6%
Negative13.5%

Gradescope

All ratings259 ratings
Positive7.3%
Neutral3.5%
Negative89.2%
Written reviews104 reviews
Positive8.7%
Neutral6.7%
Negative84.6%

User reviews

Desmos Graphing Calculator

From 1.3K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Insane tool for FREE!
  • 🚀 Best mobile graphing app
  • 👍 Awesome for algebra and calculus
  • 👍 Genuinely an awesome resource
  • 👍 Makes math easier

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Crashes and bugs
  • 🐛 Glitches with certain features
  • 🐛 Loses saved data
  • 🐛 Keyboard issues
  • 🐛 Zooming and panning problems

Gradescope

From 269 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Quick and effective submission process
  • 👍 Clean and well-designed app
  • 📸 Convenient scanning and photo upload

Room to improve

  • 🔑 Frequent log-in issues and lack of session persistence
  • 📱 Suboptimal iPad and tablet experience
  • 🐛 Buggy scanning and submission functionality
  • 🤔 Lack of key features like viewing graded assignments

Bugs and requests

Desmos Graphing Calculator

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Crashes when using certain functions
  • Graphs not displaying properly
  • Login issues
  • Compatibility problems with older devices

Requested features

5 requests
  • Dark mode
  • Copy and paste functionality
  • Ability to save and load graphs
  • Improved handling of complex numbers and polar equations
  • More customization options

Gradescope

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Camera flash issues during scanning
  • Photos not uploading in correct order
  • Inconsistent download button behavior

Requested features

3 requests
  • Ability to sort assignments by due date
  • Integration of tools for instructors
  • Improved iPad and tablet optimization

In-app purchases

None

Desmos Graphing Calculator

No in-app purchases

None

Gradescope

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Desmos Graphing Calculator free?
Desmos Graphing Calculator is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Gradescope free?
Gradescope is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Desmos Graphing Calculator or Gradescope?
Desmos Graphing Calculator is rated higher. Desmos Graphing Calculator averages 4.3 out of 5 from 1.3K ratings, while Gradescope averages 1.4 from 269 ratings.
Do Desmos Graphing Calculator or Gradescope have ads?
Neither Desmos Graphing Calculator nor Gradescope shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Desmos Graphing Calculator or Gradescope?
Desmos Graphing Calculator ships an update every 2 months, and Gradescope every 2 months. Most recently, Desmos Graphing Calculator was updated on October 21, 2026 and Gradescope on October 22, 2026.

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