# Photomath vs SmartSolve

The clearest difference is ads: Photomath at none against SmartSolve's shown. Photomath also leads on ratings volume (733K vs 3.6K) and rating (4.8 vs 4.6). SmartSolve's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs monthly). On price, review sentiment, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Photomath sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month 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.

Photomath holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Photomath has 733K ratings behind it against 3.6K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 61% of Photomath's written reviews are positive against 66% of SmartSolve's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Photomath ships an update monthly, SmartSolve fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Photomath | SmartSolve |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (733K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photomath/id919087726/reviews)** | [4.6 (3.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartsolve-tutor-and-math-help/id6475809834/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **733K** | 3.6K |
| Positive reviews | 60.7% of reviews | **66.3% 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 |
| Best chart rank | **#41** | — |
| Size | 30 MB | 173 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Google](https://appshunter.io/developer/281956209) | [Niknea LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1725265570) |

## What reviewers say

### Photomath

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photomath/id919087726)

**Currently charting:** #41 Top Grossing · Education, #130 Top Free · Education (US App Store)

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

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Photomath Plus | $5.99 | per month |
| Photomath Plus | $7.99 | per month |
| Photomath Plus | $9.99 | per month |
| Photomath Plus | $9.99 | per month |
| Photomath Plus | $9.99 | per month |
| Photomath Plus | $29.99 | per year |
| Photomath Plus | $39.99 | per year |
| Photomath Plus | $49.99 | per 6 months |
| Photomath Plus | $69.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 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

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 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

**Reported bugs**

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

**Requested features**

- 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


### 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 Photomath free?

Photomath 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, Photomath or SmartSolve?

Photomath is rated higher. Photomath averages 4.8 out of 5 from 733K ratings, while SmartSolve averages 4.6 from 3.6K ratings.

### Do Photomath or SmartSolve have ads?

SmartSolve shows ads; Photomath does not.

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

Photomath ships an update monthly, and SmartSolve fortnightly. Most recently, Photomath was updated on October 18, 2026 and SmartSolve on October 15, 2026.

---

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