Derive vs Photomath
The Photomath alternative that checks your own working.
Write the solution yourself, in a real notebook. Derive finds the step where your working breaks, tells you why, and shows you the next move. On iPad, Mac, Windows and the web.
- Drop in any PDF worksheet
- 7-day trial, cancel in the app
- 30-day refund
The short answer
Choose Derive if you…
- Want to learn from your own working, not from a solution to a problem you photographed
- Want a personal tutor that catches your mistakes in real time, right on the line you wrote
- Take your notes and do your homework on an iPad, a Mac, Windows or the web
- 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 Photomath, feature by feature.
Checked against Photomath’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 checks your steps, not a photo of the question
- Checks every line against the one above
- Flags the exact step that broke
- Tutor card: why, and what to try next
- You do the maths, Derive catches the slip
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 one problem at a time
Where Photomath is better
Worth knowing before you choose.
- Free plan, with free basic step-by-step solutions
- On iPhone and Android, one photo away
- Reads printed and word problems from the camera
- 100M+ Google Play downloads, millions of learners a month (Photomath’s figure)
Bring your worksheets with you.
- 1
Save your problem sheets as PDFs
- Homework, worksheets, past papers you would have scanned
- Save or export them as PDFs
- 2
Drop them into Derive
- Opens as pages you can write on
- Searchable with the rest of your notes
- 3
Write straight onto them
- Work each problem in your own handwriting
- Every line checked as you write
Nothing changes in Photomath, so you can keep it on your phone while you decide.
Questions
Switching from Photomath, answered.
How is Derive different from Photomath?
Photomath is a solver: you scan or type a problem and it shows a step-by-step solution, with extra hints and explanations in Photomath Plus. Derive is a handwritten notebook that checks your own working. It reads every line you write, checks it 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.
Can I bring my homework and worksheets into Derive?
Yes. Drop in any PDF, such as a problem sheet, a textbook chapter or a past paper, and write your working straight onto the pages. Derive checks each line as you go, and every page is searchable.
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.
Should I use Derive or Photomath for a quick answer?
If you only want the solution to one problem on your phone, Photomath is the quicker tool. Derive is for when you are doing the working yourself, in your notes or homework, and want each step checked as you write it.
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 Photomath 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 Photomath’s published information. Products change; if something here is out of date, email matt@derivenotes.com and we will correct it. Photomath, 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: Photomath: home and plans · Photomath Help: Overview of Photomath · Photomath Help: Photomath Plus overview · Photomath Help: Supported math content · Photomath Help: Scan and edit your math problem · Photomath 101: getting the app · Photomath on the App Store: US · AU · CA · NZ · Photomath on Google Play