Comparison

Pencora vs SAT Math Prep

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

Head to head
About

Pencora

This app transforms your handwriting into searchable text, allowing for quick retrieval of notes, formulas, and even math equations. It offers a lag-free writing experience with advanced tools and supports importing from other note-taking applications. Backups are automatically managed via Google Drive.

Highlights
  • Searchable handwriting
  • Lag-free writing engine
  • Import from PDF and other apps
  • Interactive math graphing
  • On-device handwriting generation
  • Automatic Google Drive backups
Features
Read full description

Pencora is paper that thinks: a fast, private notebook for serious study that keeps up with your hand and helps you find, build, and protect what you learn. Everything is free. No subscription. No ads. No account. FIND ANYTHING YOU WROTE Your handwriting becomes searchable as you write—on your iPad, without uploading your notes. Search across every notebook, jump straight to the highlighted word, and find text inside added photos too. Pencora supports English, Russian, Ukrainian, Spanish, French, German, Italian, and Portuguese, and handles messy handwriting, close matches, and typos. WRITE WITHOUT THE LAG A custom Metal engine draws each stroke immediately with pressure, tilt, hover, and Apple Pencil Pro squeeze. Even large notebooks stay smooth. Prefer a finger? You can write with that too. MOVE IN WITHOUT STARTING OVER Export your notebooks from Goodnotes, Notability, or any other note app as PDF. Pencora detects the paper ruling, keeps pages in order, and converts handwriting stored as vector ink into editable strokes instead of locking it inside a picture. Large documents open quickly and keep converting in the background. TYPE IT. GET YOUR HANDWRITING. Write a set of sample words once—or pick a ready-made hand—then type or paste Markdown, lists, and LaTeX formulas. The on-device handwriting model places them on the page as real, erasable strokes in your style, following the ruling of the paper. Available in English and Russian. Nothing is uploaded for generation. MATH THAT STAYS LIVE Add interactive graph planes directly to a page. Plot functions, implicit curves, points, and tables; import CSV; or draw a table by hand and let Pencora read it. Ink written on the plane stays attached to its coordinates. Build exact geometry beside your proof: points, segments, lines, circles, polygons, curves, midpoints, perpendicular and angle bisectors, parallels, tangents, intersections, reflections, and triangle centers. Drag a point and every dependent construction moves with it. Measure in real millimeters and label points in your own handwriting. THE TOOLS A REAL NOTEBOOK NEEDS • Lined, grid, dotted, or PDF paper • Shape snapping for lines, circles, and polygons • Highlighter, study tape, and scribble-to-erase • A lasso that moves, scales, rotates, and changes stroke width • A zoom-write strip for small, neat writing • Calligraphy nibs and an eyedropper • Markdown text boxes and live formulas • True-vector PDF export that stays crisp at any zoom • Folders, tags, and tabs • An infinite board with a minimap for every notebook NEVER LOSE A PAGE Connect Google Drive for automatic daily backups to your own account. Pencora keeps the five newest copies and can restore your library on a new iPad. It uses Google's limited-access permission, so it sees only its own backup files—not the rest of your Drive. You can also export your entire library into one backup file whenever you want. YOUR NOTEBOOKS ON IPHONE Connect the same Google Drive on your iPhone to read the notebooks from your iPad's latest backup, with folders and names intact. You can also open any .handynotes notebook someone sends you. Editing stays on iPad; on iPhone, notebooks are read-only. PRIVATE BY DESIGN Recognition, search, and handwriting generation run on your device. Pencora has no accounts, ads, or tracking, and never sells your data. Anonymous usage statistics can be turned off in Profile, and sharing handwriting samples for research is strictly opt-in. Your notes are not the product. Built by one developer who uses handwritten notes every day. Your feedback helps decide what gets built next.

About

SAT Math Prep

Master SAT Math skills with adaptive practice from arithmetic to calculus. Access generated questions, hints, and worked solutions across multiple exam paths and topics. Track your progress and build confidence with daily practice.

Highlights
  • Adaptive difficulty based on mastery
  • Generated questions with instant feedback
  • Hints, worked solutions, and concept cards
  • Progress tracking and mistake journal
  • Multiple practice modes (Zen, Timed, Until Error)
  • Exam-specific practice paths (SAT, ACT, AP Calculus, IB Math)
Features
Read full description

Practice SAT Math skills and build confidence from arithmetic to calculus. MathFlow gives you generated questions, clear hints and worked solutions, with difficulty that adapts to your mastery. Choose a skill, practice at your level and see your progress. FOCUSED EXAM PRACTICE Follow seven skill-practice paths: SAT Math, ACT Math, AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC, IB Math AA, Suneung Math and Gaokao Math. Practice relevant concepts and problem-solving skills. 156 LESSONS, 25 TOPICS Explore six sections covering arithmetic, fractions, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, probability, statistics, precalculus, calculus and linear algebra. Move from foundation skills to advanced topics within a structured curriculum. LEARN AS YOU PRACTICE • Answer freshly generated questions and get instant feedback. • Use hints, worked solutions and concept cards to understand the method. • Practice with difficulty based on your lesson mastery. • Review your mistake journal and follow your progress. • Build a daily practice streak and earn XP and achievements. PRACTICE YOUR WAY Choose Zen for practice without a timer, Timed for a countdown challenge, or Until Error, where the first wrong answer ends the run. Math Connect adds 13 number-path puzzle levels: connect numbers and operations to reach the target while practicing arithmetic. FREE FIRST LESSONS AND PREMIUM Try the first lesson in each of 11 foundation topics for free. Later lessons require Premium; all lessons in 14 advanced topics and all seven exam paths also require Premium. Practice modes, hints, worked solutions, progress tracking and Math Connect remain free to use within the content you can access. Choose a weekly auto-renewing subscription or a one-time lifetime purchase where offered; local prices are shown before purchase. Core practice works offline. Purchases and restoring access need a store connection. SAT is a registered trademark of College Board and ACT is a registered trademark of ACT, Inc. MathFlow is not affiliated with or endorsed by either organization. Privacy: https://mathflow-legal.gankstarr.chatgpt.site/ Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Pencora4 screens
SAT Math Prep4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Pencora at none against SAT Math Prep's 2. Pencora also leads on ratings volume (6 vs 2). SAT Math Prep's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 6 weeks) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 17.0). On price, rating, ads and device support 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. SAT Math Prep sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days. Pencora asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Pencora against 5.0 for SAT Math Prep. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6 and 2 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Pencora ships an update every 6 weeks, SAT Math Prep weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Pencora versus SAT Math Prep: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPencoraSAT Math Prep
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (6 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings)
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings6 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS17.014.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size144 MB50 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAnastasia NaumkinaAnul Agarwal

In-app purchases

None

Pencora

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

SAT Math Prep

Subscriptions1
  • Math Pro Weekly3 Days trial$3.997 Days
One-time1
  • Math Pro Lifetime$14.99

Questions

Is Pencora free?
Pencora is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is SAT Math Prep free?
SAT Math Prep is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Pencora or SAT Math Prep?
Pencora and SAT Math Prep are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 6 and 2 ratings respectively.
Do Pencora or SAT Math Prep have ads?
Neither Pencora nor SAT Math Prep shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Pencora or SAT Math Prep?
Pencora ships an update every 6 weeks, and SAT Math Prep weekly. Most recently, Pencora was updated on October 31, 2026 and SAT Math Prep on November 8, 2026.

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