Derive vs StepNote
The StepNote alternative that checks every page you write.
Write your notes, homework or past papers 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.
- Drop in any PDF and write on it
- 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 your own notes checked, not one uploaded question at a time
- Want a personal tutor that catches your mistakes in real time, right on the line you wrote
- Study on a Mac, 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 StepNote, feature by feature.
Checked against StepNote’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, in any notebook
- Checks every line against the one above
- Flags the exact step that broke
- No question to upload first
- Tutor card: why, and what to try next
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 question at a time
Where StepNote is better
Worth knowing before you choose.
- Free plan with a daily allowance of checks
- Snap a photo of a question and start straight away
- Practice and Exam modes: hints only, or a check at the end
- 30+ subjects, including English and History
Bring your questions with you.
- 1
Gather your questions
- Worksheets, problem sets, past papers
- Save them as PDFs
- 2
Drop them into Derive
- Drop in any PDF
- It becomes pages you can write on
- Searchable next to the rest of your notes
- 3
Keep writing
- Work through the questions on the page
- New working checked as you write
Nothing is removed from StepNote, so you can keep both while you decide.
Questions
Switching from StepNote, answered.
Can I bring my StepNote work into Derive?
Derive imports Goodnotes, Notability, OneNote and Samsung Notes files, and you can drop in any PDF. So bring the worksheets and past papers you were working from as PDFs, and write your working straight onto them in Derive.
How is Derive different from StepNote’s AI feedback?
StepNote starts from a question: you photograph or upload a problem, work it on the canvas, and it gives feedback when you tap Check Step or turn on Auto Feedback, on iPad. Derive needs no question first. It checks every line of your working against the one above, in any notebook, 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.
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. If you mainly want feedback on essay subjects like English or History, StepNote covers those.
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 StepNote 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 StepNote’s published information. Products change; if something here is out of date, email matt@derivenotes.com and we will correct it. StepNote, 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: StepNote: features and plans · StepNote: support and supported devices · StepNote: privacy policy · StepNote on the App Store: US · CA · AU · NZ