Notepad by mathies vs Geoboard, by MLC
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Notepad by mathies
This app allows users to record mathematical thinking by writing solutions, sketching diagrams, and creating graphs. Users can customize backgrounds, use text and pencil tools, and add various drawing objects. Work can be shared via screenshots.
- Customizable backgrounds (grid, lined, blank)
- Text and pencil tools for notes and drawings
- Extensive drawing objects (arrows, shapes, grids)
- Adjustable object colors, thickness, and transparency
- Screenshot sharing for portfolios
- Resizing and repositioning of elements
Read full descriptionHide full description
Write solutions, sketch diagrams, create graphs and record your mathematical thinking using the Notepad by mathies. Take a screenshot of your work to share with others or add to a portfolio. Features: •Select the background: grid, isometric dot, lined or blank •Customize the background’s appearance by adjusting colours or the number of rows and columns, resizing and/or repositioning •Type notes using the text tool •Use the pencil tool for freestyle writing and drawings •Include drawing objects: arrows, lines, number lines, rulers, hops, dots, rectangles, squares, ovals, circles, triangles, starbursts, grids and polygons •Change colour, line thickness, fill colour and transparency •Copy and rotate all annotation objects
Geoboard, by MLC
Explore mathematical concepts like perimeter, area, and fractions by stretching virtual bands around pegs to form shapes. This open-ended educational tool is ideal for elementary and middle school learners, offering multiple board types and drawing tools for interactive discovery.
- Create line segments and polygons
- Multiple board types (square, rectangular, circular)
- Shape duplication and transformation
- Fill shapes with transparent color
- Display grid lines with numbering
- Drawing and annotation tools
- Save and share work
Read full descriptionHide full description
Geoboard is a tool for exploring a variety of mathematical topics introduced in the elementary and middle grades. Learners stretch bands around the pegs to form line segments and polygons and make discoveries about perimeter, area, angles, congruence, fractions, and more. This virtual version of the manipulative is an open-ended educational tool, ideal for elementary classrooms and other learning environments. FEATURES • Create line segments and polygons by stretching bands around the Geoboard’s pegs. • Choose from 8 different band colors. • Fill individual shapes with a transparent color, or use the Fill All button to toggle all the bands between filled and unfilled. • Switch between the standard 25-peg square board, a rectangular board with 150 pegs, or a circular board with 13 pegs. The circular board enables explorations with angles, fractions, and time measurement. • Duplicate shapes then move, rotate, or flip them to explore symmetry and congruency. • Change the color of selected bands. • Display grid lines with or without numbering to more easily calculate area and identify shape locations. •Hide and reveal work with resizable covers to create your own problems and model strategies. • Use the drawing tools to annotate work and show understanding. • Add equations, expressions, and descriptions with the math text and writing tools. • Share your work by saving an image or providing a share code to others. MORE APPS For more Geoboard resources and other apps, visit:www.mathlearningcenter.org/apps LEARN MORE To learn about Bridges in Mathematics, an elementary curriculum that employs visual models such as the geoboard, please visit: www.mathlearningcenter.org/bridges/overview ABOUT US This app is brought to you by The Math Learning Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to K-12 math education since 1976. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Geoboard app was made possible by a generous donation from Dr. David Moursund. This app was crafted by Clarity Innovations. We help improve teaching and learning by creating solutions that match promising technologies with the needs of education. Visit us at: www.clarity-innovations.com
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Geoboard, by MLC at 3.9 against Notepad by mathies's 2.3. Geoboard, by MLC also leads on review sentiment (81% vs 67%) and ratings volume (17 vs 3). Notepad by mathies's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 39 months) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Geoboard, by MLC holds the better App Store score, 3.9 against 2.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Geoboard, by MLC has 17 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of Notepad by mathies's written reviews are positive against 81% of Geoboard, by MLC's.
Notepad by mathies ships an update every 2 months, Geoboard, by MLC every 39 months. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Notepad by mathies | Geoboard, by MLC |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.3 (3 ratings) | 3.9 (17 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 66.7% of reviews | 81.3% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 3 | 17 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months — better | Every 39 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPad |
| Requires iOS | 6.0 — better | 16.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 33 MB | 5 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | OAME | The Math Learning Center |
Customer experience
Notepad by mathies
Geoboard, by MLC
In-app purchases
Notepad by mathies
No in-app purchases
Geoboard, by MLC
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Notepad by mathies free?
Is Geoboard, by MLC free?
Which has better reviews, Notepad by mathies or Geoboard, by MLC?
Do Notepad by mathies or Geoboard, by MLC have ads?
Which is updated more often, Notepad by mathies or Geoboard, by MLC?
Other comparisons















