Comparison

Symbolab vs MIT App Inventor

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

Head to head
About

Symbolab

Solve any math problem by typing it in or taking a photo. Get step-by-step solutions for subjects from pre-algebra to calculus. This AI-powered tool offers personalized learning and insights for over 300 million users.

Highlights
  • Photo math solver
  • Step-by-step solutions
  • Calculus calculator
  • Graphing calculator
  • Trigonometry solver
  • AI-powered learning
Read full description

Math Made Easy with Symbolab! Type in or snap a picture of any math problem, including tricky word problems, and get easy-to-understand step-by-step solutions. From pre-algebra to calculus, trigonometry, and more. Let us help you solve any math problem with confidence & guide you along the way! Symbolab Problem Solver is composed of over five hundred of our most powerful calculators, including: •Calculus Calculator •Graphing Calculator •Fraction Calculator •Equation Calculator •Integral Calculator •Derivative Calculator •Limit Calculator •Inequality Calculator •Trigonometry Calculator •Matrix Calculator •Functions Calculator •Series Calculator •ODE Calculator •Laplace Transform Calculator Join Our Community of Learners: Symbolab is a powerful tool for learning math, with over 300 million users. Join and experience AI-powered, personalized assessments, insights and more. Our fully automated platform, driven by advanced machine learning algorithms, ensures a seamless and straightforward learning experience. Empower Your Learning Journey: Symbolab is much more than an app – it's an entire educational platform dedicated to empowering students just like you. Deepen your knowledge with our streamlined and user-friendly interface. With our streamlined and user-friendly interface, we provide free solutions with basic steps to any math problem you throw at us. Plus, for a subscription, you’ll gain access to more advanced steps and explanations. Symbolab is your go-to companion for problem-solving and learning. Download now and embark on a journey to excel in math! Terms of Use: https://www.symbolab.com/public/terms.pdf Privacy Policy: https://www.symbolab.com/public/privacy.pdf

About

MIT App Inventor

Learn programming and build mobile applications using a visual, block-based interface. This educational tool helps users understand computational thinking and design their own projects, with built-in tutorials and over 60 components for diverse app creation.

Highlights
  • Visual block-based programming
  • Mobile app development
  • Computational thinking education
  • Built-in tutorials
  • Over 60 app components
  • Project testing and debugging
Features
Read full description

MIT App Inventor is an educational tool to learn computational thinking and computational action principles through building mobile apps. Used by over one million people worldwide every year, it is one of the premier platforms for computer science education. Use this companion app to test drive projects, debug blocks code, and show your friends and family your creations. Using a blocks based programming language, design and code your own projects, or use one of the many books and curricula to learn about coding. App Inventor also includes built-in tutorials for running student workshops. This version of App Inventor includes over 60 components, from user interface elements such as buttons and switches, to sensors, connectivity and multimedia components so your projects can interact with the world.

Screenshots

Symbolab4 screens
MIT App Inventor4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Symbolab at 4.6 against MIT App Inventor's 2.6. Symbolab also leads on review sentiment (59% vs 20%) and ratings volume (26K vs 7). MIT App Inventor's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 8). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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. Symbolab sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $2.49 per 7 days. MIT App Inventor asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Symbolab holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 2.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Symbolab has 26K ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 59% of Symbolab's written reviews are positive against 20% of MIT App Inventor's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Symbolab ships an update monthly, MIT App Inventor every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Symbolab versus MIT App Inventor: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSymbolabMIT App Inventor
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (26K ratings) — better2.6 (7 ratings)
Positive reviews59.0% of reviews — better19.6% of reviews
Number of ratings26K — better7
Update frequencyMonthly — betterEvery 3 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size60 MB49 MB
Age rating+44+
DeveloperSymbolabMassachusetts Institute of Technology

Customer experience

Symbolab

All ratings26,201 ratings
Positive89.4%
Neutral2.3%
Negative8.3%
Written reviews307 reviews
Positive59.0%
Neutral5.2%
Negative35.8%

MIT App Inventor

All ratings7 ratings
Positive42.9%
Neutral0.0%
Negative57.1%
Written reviews663 reviews
Positive19.6%
Neutral3.3%
Negative77.1%

User reviews

Symbolab

From 26K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Fast and efficient
  • 👍 Easy to use
  • 💡 Helpful step-by-step solutions
  • 🚀 Accurate calculations
  • 👍 Saves time on homework and studying

Room to improve

  • 💰 Subscription required for full functionality
  • 🐛 Camera feature issues
  • 🐛 Inconsistent performance after updates
  • 💰 Expensive subscription fees
  • 🔒 Difficulty canceling subscription

MIT App Inventor

From 7 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Fast and responsive
  • 💡 Great for learning and creating apps
  • 👍 Useful for school and coding classes

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
  • 🔌 Connectivity issues, especially with iOS devices
  • 👎 Confusing and outdated user interface
  • ⚠️ Unreliable and glitchy performance

Bugs and requests

Symbolab

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Login issues
  • Calculation errors
  • Frequent crashes
  • Connectivity problems

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add more math topics and problem types
  • Improve keyboard and input functionality
  • Provide more free features without subscription
  • Optimize app for larger screens (iPad)
  • Add ability to save and review past calculations

MIT App Inventor

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • App frequently crashes or freezes
  • Connectivity problems when trying to test apps
  • Inconsistent behavior and unexpected errors

Requested features

3 requests
  • Improved compatibility with modern devices and operating systems
  • More intuitive and user-friendly interface
  • Better error handling and debugging tools

In-app purchases

8 purchases

Symbolab

Subscriptions7
  • Universal Weekly Subscription$2.497 Days
  • Universal Monthly Subscription$7.991 Month
  • Universal Monthly Subscription$9.991 Month
Show 4 more
  • Universal ½-Year Subscription$24.996 Months
  • Universal ½-Year Subscription$32.996 Months
  • Universal Yearly Subscription7 Days trial$34.991 Year
  • Universal Yearly Subscription7 Days trial$39.991 Year
One-time1
  • All features with no ads$7.99
None

MIT App Inventor

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Symbolab free?
Symbolab is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is MIT App Inventor free?
MIT App Inventor is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Symbolab or MIT App Inventor?
Symbolab is rated higher. Symbolab averages 4.6 out of 5 from 26K ratings, while MIT App Inventor averages 2.6 from 7 ratings.
Do Symbolab or MIT App Inventor have ads?
Neither Symbolab nor MIT App Inventor shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Symbolab or MIT App Inventor?
Symbolab ships an update monthly, and MIT App Inventor every 3 months. Most recently, Symbolab was updated on September 25, 2026 and MIT App Inventor on September 24, 2026.

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