Comparison

Mental Math Tricks vs Arcana

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

Head to head
About

Mental Math Tricks

Master mental math techniques to calculate faster than a calculator. Learn proven tricks for multiplication, division, percentages, and more through clear explanations, practice drills, and timed challenges. Track your progress and build a consistent learning habit.

Highlights
  • 30 proven mental math tricks
  • Techniques for multiplication, division, percentages, fractions, and more
  • Step-by-step explanations and 'why it works' sections
  • Infinite auto-generated practice problems
  • Timed challenges and daily challenges
  • Progress tracking with speed graphs and day streaks
Read full description

MathMind teaches you real mental math techniques - not gimmicks, not drills you'll forget tomorrow. Learn the same shortcuts used by mathematicians, chess players, and memory athletes to calculate faster than a calculator. 30 PROVEN TRICKS, 7 CATEGORIES: Master techniques across every major area of mental arithmetic: - Multiplication: square numbers ending in 5, multiply by 11, multiply two-digit numbers instantly - Division: divisibility rules, divide by 5, divide by 25 - Squares and roots: square any two-digit number, estimate square roots - Percentages: the percentage flip trick, tips in seconds, compound growth - Fractions: convert, compare, and calculate - Addition and subtraction: round-and-adjust, left-to-right addition - Advanced: day of the week for any date, digit sums, cube estimation THREE WAYS TO LEARN: LEARN - Each trick has a clear explanation, worked examples with step-by-step walkthroughs, and a "Why does this work?" section that shows the underlying math. PRACTICE - Drill any trick with infinite auto-generated problems. Track your accuracy, streak, and solve time as you improve. CHALLENGE - Timed tests across all tricks you've learned. Compete against your own best. Take the Daily Challenge - the same problems for everyone, every day. BUILT FOR REAL PROGRESS: - Speed graphs: watch your solve time drop week by week - Day streaks: build a consistent practice habit - Category breakdown: see exactly where you're strong and where to focus - Combo multipliers: chain correct answers for bonus scoring - Haptic feedback and smooth animations HONEST PRICING: MathMind is free to download with 5 foundational tricks unlocked. Unlock all 30 tricks with a single one-time purchase - no subscriptions, no ads, no data collection, ever. PRIVACY FIRST: Your progress stays on your device. MathMind has no accounts, no sign-ups, no analytics, no trackers, no ads. Nothing leaves your phone, unless you manually share it. Whether you're a student preparing for exams, a professional who wants to run mental calculations in meetings, or just someone who enjoys training their brain - MathMind gives you the tools to think faster. Download and start learning in seconds!

About

Arcana

Features
Read full description

Arcana teaches mental math the way a good language app teaches a language: one technique at a time, practised until it's fast, and brought back just before you'd forget it. Every technique is a spell. Multiply any number by 11 in your head. Square 65 in two seconds. Work out a 15% tip before the waiter comes back. Name the day of the week for any date in history. Each spell starts with a worked example, one step at a time, then one you fill in with help, then a drill that adapts to you, so every problem is just hard enough. FROM TIMES TABLES TO MATHEMAGIC Eight ranked realms, 58 spells in one continuous ladder: • Initiate: number bonds, adding through ten, and the times tables with a trick for each • Novice: × 11, squares ending in 5, left-to-right adding and subtracting, × 25 • Apprentice: 2-digit × 1-digit, numbers near 100, the teens • Scribe: the Trachtenberg digit rules for × 3 to × 12, and checking answers by casting out nines and elevens • Alchemist: squaring any 2-digit number, the criss-cross method, factoring • Oracle: dividing in your head, fractions, and the cycle of the sevenths • Sorcerer: 3-digit × 2-digit, cubes, and squares of up to five digits • Mathemagician: the day of the week for any date, cube roots and square roots on demand Plus two side tracks: Everyday (percentages, tips, discounts, sales tax, the rule of 72) and Estimation. BUILT TO STICK • Spaced repetition decides when each spell comes back, so you keep what you learn without cramming. • Grades come from your answers and your speed. Nobody self-rates. • Miss one and you see the trick worked step by step on that exact problem. • Rank trials at the end of each realm. Already know your tables? Test out and skip ahead. • Speed duels: 60 seconds against your own best. • A daily goal, a streak, and streak freezes that forgive a missed day. PRIVATE AND OFFLINE No account, no ads, no tracking. Everything stays on your iPhone and works without a connection. ARCANA PRO Initiate and Novice, the first three Everyday spells, and reviews and duels for everything you've learned are free, for good. Arcana Pro opens the other six realms, every rank trial and both side tracks. Family Sharing is included. • Yearly: $24.99 a year, with a 7-day free trial for new subscribers • Lifetime: $49.99, once Prices are in US dollars and vary by country. Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase, or when the free trial ends. The subscription renews automatically unless it is cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period, and your account is charged for renewal within 24 hours before the end of the period. Manage or cancel it any time in your Apple Account settings. Terms of Use: https://almasappsllc.github.io/arcana-terms.html Privacy Policy: https://almasappsllc.github.io/arcana-privacy.html

Screenshots

Mental Math Tricks4 screens
Arcana4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Arcana at every 9 days against Mental Math Tricks's every 4 months. Mental Math Tricks's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). On price, 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. Mental Math Tricks sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and Arcana sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $24.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Mental Math Tricks ships an update every 4 months, Arcana every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Mental Math Tricks versus Arcana: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMental Math TricksArcana
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 9 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.1 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size38 MB2 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRouba KiprianosMOHAMMAD HASSAN GARSHASB

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Mental Math Tricks

One-time2
  • Standard Unlock$2.99
  • Pro Unlock$4.99
2 purchases

Arcana

Subscriptions1
  • Arcana Pro (Yearly)7 Days trial$24.991 Year
One-time1
  • Arcana Pro (Lifetime)$49.99

Questions

Is Mental Math Tricks free?
Mental Math Tricks is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Arcana free?
Arcana is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Mental Math Tricks or Arcana have ads?
Neither Mental Math Tricks nor Arcana shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Mental Math Tricks or Arcana?
Mental Math Tricks ships an update every 4 months, and Arcana every 9 days. Most recently, Mental Math Tricks was updated on November 5, 2026 and Arcana on November 1, 2026.

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