Derive vs MathNotes
The MathNotes alternative that checks every line as you write.
Write the way you already do. Derive finds the step where your working breaks, tells you why, and shows you the next move, without you asking. On iPad, Mac, Windows and the web.
- Drop in any PDF
- 7-day trial, cancel in the app
- 30-day refund
The short answer
Choose Derive if you…
- Study maths, physics, engineering or computer science and want 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 runnable code and practice exams built from your own notes, inside your notebook
On Android? There is no app yet, but Derive runs in your browser at web.derivenotes.com.
Derive and MathNotes, feature by feature.
Checked against MathNotes’ 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, not just the answer
- Checks every line against the one above
- Flags the exact step that broke
- Tutor card: why, and what to try next
- No chat to open, 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 your course, not a question bank
Where MathNotes is better
Worth knowing before you choose.
- Cheaper entry plan, and a free plan
- 12 built-in calculators: 2D and 3D graphing, matrices, a symbolic solver, unit conversion
- Handwriting to LaTeX, with a LaTeX editor and an AI agent on Pro
- Photo of a problem for a step-by-step solution, and works offline
Bring your notes with you.
- 1
Export to PDF from MathNotes
- Export each notebook
- Save it as a PDF
- 2
Drop the PDF into Derive
- Drop the PDFs into Derive
- Every page ready to write on
- 3
Write straight onto it
- Write straight onto imported pages
- New working checked as you write
PDF export is part of MathNotes Plus. Exporting makes a copy, so nothing is removed from MathNotes while you decide.
Questions
Switching from MathNotes, answered.
Can I bring my MathNotes notebooks into Derive?
Yes. Export them from MathNotes as PDFs, which is part of its Plus plan, then drop the PDFs into Derive and write straight onto the pages.
How is Derive different from the MathNotes AI tutor?
The MathNotes tutor is a chat: you show it your handwritten work, ask a question, and it replies in a floating panel, with unlimited chat on its Pro plan. Derive steps in live, without you asking: it checks every line of your working against the one above, flags the step where it breaks, and explains why with a tutor card right on the page. It does that on iPad, Mac, Windows and the web.
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 MathNotes 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 MathNotes’ published information. Products change; if something here is out of date, email matt@derivenotes.com and we will correct it. MathNotes, 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: MathNotes: home page and pricing · MathNotes: pricing update (March 2026) · MathNotes: AI math tutor · MathNotes: graphing calculator · MathNotes: platforms (iPad and iPhone, Android coming soon) · MathNotes: handwriting to LaTeX · MathNotes: support and plans · MathNotes on the App Store: AU · US · CA · NZ