Derive vs MyScript Notes
The MyScript Notes alternative that checks every line of your working.
Formerly Nebo. Write the way you already do, and Derive finds the step where your working breaks, tells you why, and shows you the next move. On iPad, Mac, Windows and the web.
- Bring your notes over as PDFs
- 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 or the web 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 MyScript Notes, feature by feature.
Checked against MyScript Notes’ 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
- Live as you write, 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, in one app
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 MyScript Notes is better
Worth knowing before you choose.
- Costs much less, with a free version and a lifetime purchase
- Android app, one purchase covers iOS and Android
- Handwriting recognition in 66 languages
- Turns writing into typed text, shapes and Word documents
- Mature app, Apple Editors’ Choice, 1M+ Google Play downloads
Bring every note with you.
- 1
Export to PDF
- In MyScript Notes, tap ..., then Export
- Choose PDF as the format
- 2
Drop it into Derive
- Drop the PDF into Derive
- Pages arrive as they look
- Searchable next to your Derive pages
- 3
Keep writing
- Write straight onto imported pages
- New working checked as you write
Exporting makes a copy. Nothing is removed from MyScript Notes, so you can keep both while you decide.
Questions
Switching from MyScript Notes, answered.
Is Nebo the same as MyScript Notes?
Yes. On iPad, iPhone and Android, Nebo is now called MyScript Notes. On Windows it keeps the Nebo name, and MyScript says that version gets no new features.
Can I bring my MyScript Notes into Derive?
Yes. Export your notes from MyScript Notes as PDFs and drop them into Derive. Every imported page is searchable, and you can write straight onto it.
How is Derive different from the maths in MyScript Notes?
MyScript Notes converts handwritten maths to typed form, solves simple calculations and equations with one unknown, and copies them as LaTeX. Its AI can explain a term you select. Derive steps in live: it checks every line of your working against the one above, flags the step where it breaks, and explains why with a tutor card. 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.
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 MyScript Notes 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 MyScript Notes’ published information. Products change; if something here is out of date, email matt@derivenotes.com and we will correct it. MyScript Notes, 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: MyScript Notes (formerly Nebo) · MyScript Notes: Using math equations and formulas · MyScript Notes: Introducing AI · MyScript Notes: Summarize, Explain, Quiz and Chat · MyScript Notes: Study space · MyScript Notes FAQ · MyScript Notes: Exporting and sharing your notes · MyScript pricing · MyScript Math · MyScript Notes on the App Store: AU · US · CA · NZ · MyScript Notes on Google Play