# Symbolab vs MIT App Inventor

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.

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.

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Symbolab | MIT App Inventor |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (26K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/symbolab-ai-math-solver-app/id876942533/reviews)** | [2.6 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mit-app-inventor/id1422709355/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **26K** | 7 |
| Positive reviews | **59.0% of reviews** | 19.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 60 MB | 49 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | +4 | 4+ |
| Developer | [Symbolab](https://appshunter.io/developer/876942536) | [Massachusetts Institute of Technology](https://appshunter.io/developer/353590322) |

## What reviewers say

### Symbolab

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/symbolab-ai-math-solver-app/id876942533)

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

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Universal Weekly Subscription | $2.49 | per 7 days |
| Universal Monthly Subscription | $7.99 | per month |
| Universal Monthly Subscription | $9.99 | per month |
| Universal ½-Year Subscription | $24.99 | per 6 months |
| Universal ½-Year Subscription | $32.99 | per 6 months |
| Universal Yearly Subscription | $34.99 | per year |
| Universal Yearly Subscription | $39.99 | per year |
| All features with no ads | $7.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

- Login issues
- Calculation errors
- Frequent crashes
- Connectivity problems

**Requested features**

- 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

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mit-app-inventor/id1422709355)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

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

**Requested features**

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


## Frequently asked 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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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*