MathScan review
An iPhone math solver for photo or typed problems, with worked reasoning and follow-up chat.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
MathScan is an iPhone app for students, parents, and college learners who want help solving math from a photo or typed input. It recognizes printed and handwritten problems, then provides step-by-step solutions with reasoning. Users can ask follow-up questions in the same chat, which makes it useful for working through a problem rather than only checking an answer. Its coverage spans algebra, geometry, trigonometry, calculus, statistics, and word problems, with explanations in English and Polish.
The plan structure is based on problem allowances. Starter includes 10 problems with no subscription and supports text and problem photos. Basic raises the allowance to 40 problems per month, while Standard offers 80 per month; both support text and photos. Pro Year includes 960 problems per year and renews through Apple. The app is free to download, but it does not have a free plan. MathScan also offers one-time credit packs and auto-renewing subscriptions through Apple In-App Purchase. The listed purchase amounts are not mapped to the named plans, so buyers should check the in-app purchase terms before choosing a paid option.
Photo-library uploads and typed entry give users alternatives to taking a new picture, while OpenAI and Apple In-App Purchase are the listed integrations. The iOS-only scope is the main fit constraint: MathScan is suited to learners who want mobile, camera-based math help, not those seeking a desktop or Android option. Its broad subject coverage and conversational follow-ups make it more than a narrow arithmetic scanner, but the problem allowances mean frequent users should compare the monthly and annual tiers with their expected usage. Choose it for guided photo solving on iPhone; look elsewhere if cross-platform access or a no-cost plan is essential.
MathScan pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Reads printed and handwritten problems from photos.
- Explains solutions step by step and supports follow-up questions.
- Covers algebra, geometry, trigonometry, calculus, statistics, and word problems.
- Where it doesn't
- Available only on iOS.
- No free plan; Starter is limited to 10 problems.
- Paid-plan prices are not tied to named tiers.
MathScan fact sheet, pricing and score →
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