Comparison

Photomath vs Maple Calculator

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

Head to head
About

Photomath

Scan any math problem to receive instant, step-by-step explanations and accurate solutions. This app breaks down complex problems into manageable steps, helping users understand the 'how' and 'why' of math. It supports a wide range of math topics, from basic arithmetic to advanced calculus.

Highlights
  • Scan math problems
  • Step-by-step explanations
  • Word problem solver
  • Interactive graphs
  • Multiple solution methods
  • Scientific calculator
Read full description

Photomath is known worldwide for helping millions of learners to learn, practice, and understand math – one step at a time. Scan any math problem with the Photomath app to get step-by-step explanations with accurate solutions and a variety of teacher-approved methods. Math is about the process, so Photomath breaks your problem into bite-sized steps to help you understand the “what” and “why” along with the “how.” Whether you’re learning basic arithmetic or advanced geometry, we’ll tackle it together, step by step. Why Photomath? Billions of math problems: From elementary arithmetic to advanced calculus and everything in between, Photomath can solve billions of math problems—including word problems! Whether handwritten, in a textbook, or on a screen, Photomath is here to help you untangle your trickiest problem. Step-by-step explanations: Math isn’t just about an answer. It’s about every step along the way. That’s why Photomath breaks down each step, so you can *really* learn. Less guesswork = less stress, especially with our new Animated Steps, which show you the exact progression of a particular step. Get basic step-by-step explanations at no charge when you download Photomath. Expert-developed methods: Photomath’s educational content is centered around the learner’s experience, driven by the expertise of our own team of mathematicians and former math teachers. Self-paced learning: Photomath’s instant support is like having a 24/7 virtual tutor. Checking your homework before dinner? Stuck on a problem at 2am? We can help. Follow our detailed steps, taking whatever time you need to review definitions, rationale, and more – all within the explanation. Want to dive deeper and explore more ways to learn? Photomath Plus can get you there with custom Animated Tutorials, detailed Textbook Solutions, and more! KEY FEATURES • Step-by-step explanations included in our basic version (at no charge) • Word problem instructions • Interactive graphs • Video learning • Multiple solution methods • Advanced scientific calculator Photomath is for learners of all levels, including those studying: Numbers & Quantity Algebra Functions Trigonometry & Angles Sequences Geometry Calculus “The step-by-step guide is beneficial to students that do not have access to a tutor and struggle with solving math problems.” — Forbes “A viral video about a new app looks like a dream come true for anyone who struggles with math.” — Time ___________________________________________ • Payment will be charged to your Apple ID account at the confirmation of purchase. • A subscription automatically renews unless it’s canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current billing period. • Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. • Manage or cancel your subscription in your account settings on the App Store after purchase. • Offers and pricing are subject to change without notice. Suggestions or questions? Email us at support@photomath.com Website: www.photomath.com TikTok: @photomath Instagram: @photomath Facebook: @Photomathapp Twitter: @Photomath Terms of Use: https://photomath.app/en/termsofuse Privacy Policy: https://photomath.app/en/privacypolicy

About

Maple Calculator

This app provides comprehensive math homework assistance, offering step-by-step solutions for a wide range of high school and university level problems. It functions as a graphing, scientific, algebra, calculus, and integration calculator, with the ability to visualize equations in 2-D and 3-D.

Highlights
  • Step-by-step math solutions
  • Camera and handwriting input
  • 2D and 3D graphing
  • Scientific and algebra calculator
  • Calculus and integration solver
  • Built-in math game
Features
Read full description

Powered by Maple, the most powerful math engine in the world, this all-in-one calculator solves math problems, generates 2-D and 3-D visualizations, and provides step-by-step solutions for a wide variety of math homework problems encountered at high school and university. [STEP BY STEP MATH SOLUTIONS FOR HOMEWORK] This app is a graphing calculator, scientific calculator, algebra calculator, calculus calculator, and integration calculator combined all into one! Take a picture of your problem using your phone's camera or enter it via the app's built-in math editor to see the final answer or get step-by-step solutions. [QUICK AND POWERFUL MATH SOLVER] No matter how you enter your problem, you can find derivatives and integrals, factor polynomials, invert matrices, solve systems of equations, solve ODEs, and much more. Our calculator has the power of the world-leading Maple math engine behind it, so it can do a LOT of math! [GRAPH PROBLEMS AND RESULTS] See 2-D and 3-D graphs of your expressions instantly, and watch how the graph changes as you change the expression. On this calculator you can zoom in, pan, and even rotate 3-D plots to get a closer look at areas of interest. [PLAY A BUILT-IN FUN MATH GAME] Play our calculator’s built in game, Sumzle, which is like Wordle but for math and equations. FEATURES: • Enter Math Problems Using Your Camera Or By Drawing them with the Handwriting Palette Or By Entering Directly with the Built-in Math Keyboard • Do All Sorts Of Math Operations And Get Step By Step Solutions • Get Answers Even When You Are Offline • Take Quality Math Notes Through Maple Learn. Use The Calculator Camera To Automatically Send Your Handwritten Steps To Maple Learn Where You Can Uncover Mistakes And Share Your Work With Others. • You Can Upload Mathematical Expressions From Our Calculator To Maple Desktop • International Language Support (English, Spanish, French, German, Russian, Danish, Swedish, Japanese, Hindi, And Simplified Chinese) MATH CAPABILITIES ON OUR CALCULATOR: • Basic Math: Arithmetic, Fractions, Decimals, Integers, Factors, Square Roots, Powers • Algebra: Solving And Graphing Linear Equations, Solving And Graphing Systems Of Equations, Working With Polynomials, Quadratic Equations, And Functions, Logarithmic And Exponential Functions, Trigonometric Functions, Trigonometric Identities • Precalculus: Graphing, Piecewise Functions, Absolute Value, Inequalities, Implicit Functions • Linear Algebra: Finding The Determinant, Inverse, Transpose, Eigenvalues, And Eigenvectors, Solving Matrices (Reduced Echelon Form & Gaussian Elimination) • Differential Equations: Solving Ordinary Differential Equations • And more

Screenshots

Photomath4 screens
Maple Calculator4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Photomath at 733K against Maple Calculator's 1.5K. Photomath also leads on chart position (#38 vs unranked). Maple Calculator's advantage is review sentiment (62% vs 51%). On price, rating, update cadence and ads 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. Photomath sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and Maple Calculator sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Photomath against 4.7 for Maple Calculator. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Photomath has 733K ratings behind it against 1.5K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 51% of Photomath's written reviews are positive against 62% of Maple Calculator's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Photomath ships an update monthly, Maple Calculator every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 8 level
Photomath versus Maple Calculator: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPhotomathMaple Calculator
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (733K ratings) — better4.7 (1.5K ratings)
Positive reviews51.1% of reviews62.1% of reviews — better
Number of ratings733K — better1.5K
Update frequencyMonthly — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#38 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS14.0 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size30 MB69 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperGoogleMaplesoft

Customer experience

Photomath

All ratings732,942 ratings
Positive95.3%
Neutral2.0%
Negative2.7%
Written reviews1,186 reviews
Positive51.1%
Neutral6.9%
Negative42.0%

Maple Calculator

All ratings1,522 ratings
Positive93.4%
Neutral2.5%
Negative4.1%
Written reviews66 reviews
Positive62.1%
Neutral9.1%
Negative28.8%

User reviews

Photomath

From 733K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Helpful for homework and understanding concepts
  • 👍 Provides step-by-step solutions and explanations
  • 🤖 Accurate and reliable for solving equations
  • 💡 Useful for checking work and learning from mistakes

Room to improve

  • 💰 Paywall for accessing step-by-step explanations
  • 🔒 Concerns about using the app to cheat
  • 🐛 Camera focusing issues and inability to solve certain problem types
  • 💸 Expensive monthly subscription fee

Maple Calculator

From 1.5K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Excellent tool
  • 👍 Does what it's supposed to do perfectly
  • 👍 Very useful and fun to use
  • 👍 Works great
  • 👍 The best math app in the world

Room to improve

  • 🚫 The idea of using the system keyboard instead of the app's keyboard is very bad and makes the app difficult to use
  • 🐛 When trying to take a photo in the app the camera quality appears to blurry, and a picture cannot be taken
  • 🐛 This app is honestly bad. It gets questions wrong and doesn't answer them correctly at all
  • 🚫 No support, no instructions, nobody cares
  • 🚫 Entering an equation by typing has been a frustrating experience, if not impossible

Bugs and requests

Photomath

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Incorrect answers or solutions provided for some problems
  • Compatibility issues with newer devices or operating systems

Requested features

3 requests
  • Support for word problems and more advanced math concepts
  • Option to use front-facing camera for scanning
  • Cheaper or one-time payment model instead of subscription

Maple Calculator

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • When trying to take a photo in the app the camera quality appears to blurry, and a picture cannot be taken
  • This app is honestly bad. It gets questions wrong and doesn't answer them correctly at all
  • Entering an equation by typing has been a frustrating experience, if not impossible
  • Ne se met pas en mode paysage
  • Does not work for iPad, why does this not work for iPad ?

Requested features

4 requests
  • More options
  • Zoom for graphs in double direction separately
  • Support for landscape mode
  • Fundamental physical constants, or the ability to assign letters to constants

In-app purchases

9 purchases

Photomath

Subscriptions9
  • Photomath Plus7 Days trial$5.991 Month
  • Photomath Plus7 Days trial$7.991 Month
  • Photomath Plus7 Days trial5 variants$9.991 Month
Show 6 more
  • Photomath Plus2 variants$9.991 Month
  • Photomath Plus14 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Photomath Plus7 Days trial$29.991 Year
  • Photomath Plus7 Days trial$39.991 Year
  • Photomath Plus7 Days trial$49.996 Months
  • Photomath Plus7 Days trial$69.991 Year
3 purchases

Maple Calculator

Subscriptions3
  • 1 month$6.991 Month
  • 6 months$25.996 Months
  • 12 months$29.991 Year

Questions

Is Photomath free?
Photomath is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Maple Calculator free?
Maple Calculator is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Photomath or Maple Calculator?
Photomath is rated higher. Photomath averages 4.8 out of 5 from 733K ratings, while Maple Calculator averages 4.7 from 1.5K ratings.
Do Photomath or Maple Calculator have ads?
Neither Photomath nor Maple Calculator shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Photomath or Maple Calculator?
Photomath ships an update monthly, and Maple Calculator every 2 months. Most recently, Photomath was updated on September 24, 2026 and Maple Calculator on September 19, 2026.

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