Derive vs Amend
The Amend alternative that checks your working as you write.
Write in your own notebook the way you already do. Derive finds the step where your working breaks, tells you why, and shows you the next move. On iPad, Mac, Windows and the web.
- Write straight onto any PDF
- 7-day trial, cancel in the app
- 30-day refund
The short answer
Choose Derive if you…
- Want one notebook for all your STEM notes, with every line of working checked
- Want a personal tutor that catches your mistakes in real time, right on the line you wrote
- Study on Windows, the web or an Android tablet as well as an iPad, and want the checking there too
- Want 3D graphs, runnable code and practice exams inside your notebook
On Android? There is no app yet, but Derive runs in your browser at web.derivenotes.com.
Derive and Amend, feature by feature.
Checked against Amend’s published information on 9 October 2026. Sources are listed at the foot of the page.
With a catch, named underneathDerive pricing
7 days free with a card, then billed unless you cancel. Cancel in the app any time. 30-day refund.
Where Derive pulls ahead.
01
It finds the step as you write it
- Checks every line against the one above
- Flags the exact step that broke
- Tutor card: why, and what to try next
- Live in any notebook, on iPad, Mac, Windows and web
02
Graphs and code, right in the notebook
- Lasso an equation, graph it in 2D or 3D
- Drop in a code cell and run it
- Working, graph and code on one page
03
Practice exams from your own notes
- Turns your pages into a practice test
- Marks your handwritten answers
- Built from the notes you actually took
Where Amend is better
Worth knowing before you choose.
- Free plan, with a set number of Checks a month
- Runs on iPhone as well as iPad
- Voice tutoring: ask questions out loud
- Structured lessons from your course materials
- Tracks your exam readiness
Bring your work with you.
- 1
Gather your PDFs
- Course notes, slides, past papers, problem sets
- Saved as PDFs
- 2
Drop it into Derive
- Drop the PDFs into Derive
- Searchable next to the pages you write
- 3
Write straight onto it
- Write straight onto imported pages
- New working checked as you write
Nothing in Amend changes, so you can keep both while you decide.
Questions
Switching from Amend, answered.
How is Derive different from Amend’s tutor?
Amend is a practice tutor: you work a problem on its whiteboard, then tap Check or ask out loud for a hint or correction, on iPhone and iPad. Derive is a full notebook that steps in live: it checks every line of your working against the one above as you write, flags the step where it breaks, and explains why with a tutor card. It does that in any notebook, on iPad, Mac, Windows and the web.
Can I bring my course material into Derive?
Yes. Drop any PDF into Derive, such as slides, past papers or problem sets, and it becomes searchable and you can write straight onto it. Derive also imports notebooks from Goodnotes, Notability, OneNote and Samsung Notes.
Does Derive work on Windows and Android?
Derive has apps for iPad, Mac and Windows, and runs in the browser at web.derivenotes.com. There is no Android app yet, so on an Android tablet or Chromebook use the browser version: same notebooks, same checking, synced with your other devices.
Is Derive good for subjects other than STEM?
It is a full handwritten notebook, so you can take any notes in it. The checking, graphs, code and practice exams are built for maths, physics, engineering and computer science.
Can I turn the AI off?
Yes. Recognition and the tutor run only with your consent, and you can switch them off at any time in settings. With them off, your content is not sent to our AI providers.
How do I try it?
Start a 7-day trial. You add a card, but nothing is charged for 7 days, we email you before it ends, and cancelling is self-serve in the app. If you pay and it is not for you, email us within 30 days for a full refund.
Try it on your next problem set.
Bring your Amend notebooks with you, write the way you already do, and see what Derive catches.
Start your 7-day trial7 days free with a card, then billed unless you cancel. Cancel in the app any time. 30-day refund.
Comparison checked on 9 October 2026 against Amend’s published information. Products change; if something here is out of date, email matt@derivenotes.com and we will correct it. Amend, and the other product names on this page, are trademarks of their respective owners. Derive Notes Pty Ltd is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by them; the names are used only to identify the products being compared.
Sources: Amend: home page · Amend: AI math tutor for handwritten work · Amend: handwritten math tutor · Amend: Privacy Policy (Check and Coach me) · Amend: Terms of Use (plans, monthly Checks) · Amend on the App Store: AU · US · CA · NZ