# Pickles vs MathGate

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Pickles at none against MathGate's 1. Pickles also leads on update cadence (weekly vs fortnightly). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. MathGate sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Pickles asks for nothing beyond the download.

Pickles ships an update weekly, MathGate fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 2, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pickles | MathGate |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pickles-math-for-screen-time/id6773467789/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1** | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 14 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Tomas Vesely](https://appshunter.io/developer/1526921816) | [Eric Fortuna](https://appshunter.io/developer/1813759172) |

## What reviewers say

### Pickles

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pickles-math-for-screen-time/id6773467789)

This app allows parents to set screen time limits by requiring children to solve math problems. Children earn minutes for correct answers, which are then used to access selected apps. It offers various math levels and problem types for grades K-5.

**Highlights:** Screen time gating via math problems, Grade-level math challenges (K-5), Multiple math operations (+, -, ×, ÷), Diverse problem types (word problems, number bonds), Parental PIN protection, Offline functionality

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### MathGate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mathgate-screen-time-lock/id6786454954)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Lifetime Unlock | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pickles free?

Pickles is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is MathGate free?

MathGate is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do Pickles or MathGate have ads?

Neither Pickles nor MathGate shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Pickles or MathGate?

Pickles ships an update weekly, and MathGate fortnightly. Most recently, Pickles was updated on October 2, 2026 and MathGate on September 28, 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.*