# Symbolab vs SmartSolve

The clearest difference is ads: Symbolab at none against SmartSolve's shown. Symbolab also leads on ratings volume (26K vs 3.6K). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Symbolab sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $2.49 per 7 days and SmartSolve sells 13 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Symbolab against 4.6 for SmartSolve. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Symbolab has 26K ratings behind it against 3.6K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 59% of Symbolab's written reviews are positive against 66% of SmartSolve's.

Symbolab ships an update monthly, SmartSolve fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Symbolab | SmartSolve |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (26K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/symbolab-ai-math-solver-app/id876942533/reviews)** | [4.6 (3.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartsolve-tutor-and-math-help/id6475809834/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **26K** | 3.6K |
| Positive reviews | 59.0% of reviews | **66.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 60 MB | 173 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | +4 | 4+ |
| Developer | [Symbolab](https://appshunter.io/developer/876942536) | [Niknea LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1725265570) |

## 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


### SmartSolve

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartsolve-tutor-and-math-help/id6475809834)

This AI-powered app offers instant solutions to academic and coding problems by scanning them. It also enhances language skills, rewrites text, and provides coding assistance and trivia challenges.

**Highlights:** Scan and solve math problems with step-by-step explanations, Instant solutions for math equations, Enhance language skills with grammar hints and translation, Advanced text rewriting and paraphrasing, Learn and optimize coding with explanations, Engage in trivia to test knowledge

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Subscription | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Subscription | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Subscription | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Subscription | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Subscription | $12.99 | per month |
| Monthly Subscription | $12.99 | per month |
| Monthly Subscription | $14.99 | per month |
| Monthly Subscription | $14.99 | per month |
| Monthly Subscription | $19.99 | per month |
| 6 Months Subscription | $59.99 | per 6 months |
| Annual Subscription | $59.99 | per year |
| 6 Months Subscription | $59.99 | per 6 months |
| Annual Subscription | $99.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and accurate
- 👍 Helpful for homework and learning
- 💡 Explains solutions well
- 🚀 Easy to use

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inaccurate answers
- 🔒 Difficult to cancel subscription
- 🔒 Charges without authorization
- 🔒 Unresponsive customer support

**Reported bugs**

- Subscription page doesn't load properly
- App crashes or freezes
- Incorrect solutions provided

**Requested features**

- More free questions per day
- Ability to scan and solve handwritten/image-based problems


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Symbolab free?

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

### Is SmartSolve free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Symbolab or SmartSolve?

Symbolab is rated higher. Symbolab averages 4.6 out of 5 from 26K ratings, while SmartSolve averages 4.6 from 3.6K ratings.

### Do Symbolab or SmartSolve have ads?

SmartSolve shows ads; Symbolab does not.

### Which is updated more often, Symbolab or SmartSolve?

Symbolab ships an update monthly, and SmartSolve fortnightly. Most recently, Symbolab was updated on September 25, 2026 and SmartSolve 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.*