Numbers, equations, and such are often just plain difficult. Our tech experts may be amazing at this, but we writers will always struggle. Yours truly is a particularly good example of this. I will go so far as to admit that I almost failed a grade because of maths - even if all my other grades were pretty impressive. This pretty much makes me the perfect person to test these. If the apps can make sense to me - they will make sense to anyone.

Obviously, the usual parameters were considered in the process. Ease of use was paramount, as you don't really want to waste half an hour figuring out how to solve a simple equation. We also paid attention to the potential each app has as a learning tool. They are, after all, not glorified calculators. Quite the contrary! In addition to solving your equation problem, they should also be able to explain how the whole operation is performed.

Last but not least, we also took into account the need for in-app purchases. Anyone following us will know that we are not keen on those. The fewer of them, the better.

Let us not mince words, for it is no secret that math is straight up difficult. As we have mentioned in the intro, it is the biggest obstacle for many students, an overwhelming burden that can only be moved with utmost effort. So why would anyone want to make it even more difficult by creating a complicated app for it? If you're looking to solve a problem, you should get just that - and not a whole bunch of new problems to go with it.

The creators of Mathway were definitely aware of this trap - one that a lot of other apps seem to have fallen into. Instead, the smart people from the company of the same name decided to make things as easy, as simple, as straightforward, as digestible as they possibly could. In our opinion, they have succeeded through and through.

The rule of thumb applies that the first impression is usually the best one. If the app is to be judged by how quickly it loads - Mathway would've won not just in this category but in any other. You open the program, go through the shortest tutorial in human history, and will already know what you're supposed to do and how to get everything solved on the go.

You can type in your problem, photograph it (handwriting recognition on point!), or even use your voice to dictate it. The app will then analyze the data, offer you multiple ways to approach your equation, and, in the end, give you a detailed, step-by-step explanation on how to deal with it.

Mathway covers an ENORMOUS selection of different categories - from arithmetic and fractions to roots and decimal numbers. It goes on to take care of algebra, equations, logarithms, functions, and graphics - moving to trigonometry, conic sections - and finishing off with integrals and statistics. Oh, and if that wasn't enough - it also dips its toe in the murky waters of chemistry. Impressive, isn't it?

All of this instant homework help is suitable for elementary, high school, undergraduate, and even post-graduate students. Pretty much all the basic features are available free of charge. What's not to love? If you couldn't tell by now - we are definitely smitten by this piece of software.

Certain elements of the step-by-step process, however, may only be available in the premium version - along with the very convenient tutor option. The latter will set you back $9.99 per month but will mean that you can easily access the services of a qualified teacher - day or night. If you ask us - it's totally worth it and definitely beats hiring a tutor in person (especially in the time of the pandemic).

It is difficult to talk about downsides when there are practically none to be discussed. With its deceptively simple interface and extremely powerful functionality, Mathways leaves very little to be desired in the domain of improvements. If the developers were to ask us what ought to be changed - we'd reluctantly have to say "absolutely nothing." Perhaps, still, we could be a bit nit-picky and find one thing that may have bugged us a bit.

The option to dictate your equation through your mic is a brilliant one and will be amazing for anyone who, at the moment, doesn't have the option to write down or scan their problem. It's a good accessibility feature that, however, still suffers from somewhat mediocre execution. There are too many ways in which you can verbalize a problem, but for now, the app will recognize only a portion of them. This is definitely the segment that needs a bit of improvement - to match the absolute brilliance of the rest.

Different people will have different problems when it comes to equations or, indeed any other segment of mathematics. A high school student, a teacher, and a parent of a 10-year-old will view things very differently. The type of pressure they may feel, the kind of problems they will face, and their potential solutions will be unique to each category. This is why it's next to impossible to approach the issue in a one-size-fits-all manner. Instead, a tailor-made app is a much better option.

Photomath tries (and, for the most part, succeeds) to bridge the gap between students and teachers, children and parents, and everyone else involved - by dividing its software into three separate units. Once you first launch the app, you will be able to enter your age, along with your status. By declaring yourself a student, a teacher, or a parent, you will face a slightly different interface and get the sort of explanations that will be beneficial for improving your lot in the world of math.

This, however, is not where the story (nor the benefits) end. The unique experience you will receive will stretch to include a quick and easy way to scan or manually input all your problems - and an efficient way of solving them. The app also boasts a good tutorial you can rely on every time you find yourself a tad confused by any of the numerous features.

In addition, Photomath has the convenient option of showing you the history of all your problems and solutions, giving you the ability to reference and cross-reference previous experience in order to improve your skills in the long run.

It's a great way to do your homework, study for tests, and prepare for SATs. It can even be helpful in college or at work, so you will benefit greatly from keeping it on your smartphone even after you've graduated.

Step-by-step instructions are, of course, included, but the app goes one step further in this department. If you commit to purchasing the premium version, you can greatly benefit from animated instructions and interactive graphs, which will make the whole experience truly enjoyable. Scroll through multiple solving methods per problem, take advantage of the multi-functional scientific calculator, and understand everything from basic math to statistics. Perhaps the only downside to it is the lack of live tutoring, which is why Photomath will remain as a runner-up in this little competition.

In recent years, Microsoft has had a somewhat rocky relationship with the general public. Of course, many still use Windows as their main operative system but will always find reasons to complain about it. Some other of the company's products have suffered an even worse fate, with Internet Explorer and its successor Edge becoming objects of ridicule. Still, the good old MS is still perfectly capable of creating something functional - and even great.

Microsoft Math Solver is a perfect example that, on occasion, the company will deliver. The app covers the same topics as all the others on our lists - from basics to trigonometry, even statistics are included - and uses an AI-powered math solver to fix any issues you may have. You can scan, draw, or type - it's perfectly up to you. A superbly intuitive mechanism is able to recognize even some pretty messy handwriting.

All of this functionality is hidden behind a rather attractive facade. In fact, we can say this is the most visually appealing of all the entries. Where our winner offers stern simplicity, Microsoft Math Solver aims to be beautiful and engaging.

This impression, however, is not just superficial veneer but, instead, runs deep. In addition to all the standard features, the app boasts a collection of quizzes, online video lectures - all of this coming totally free of charge. No in-app purchases, no ads, no subscriptions - just purely free services of amazing quality. The app goes so far as to allow you to scan and solve complex worksheets, search the web for similar problems, and do all this in well over 20 different languages.

So what's the problem? Why is this stunning piece of software not at the very top of the list? For one, there are no live tutors you can connect with, which is something Mathway is very proud to present as its main selling point. In addition, Microsoft's app can sometimes be a bit slower than the others, taking up to 10 seconds to deal with more complex equations.

This, however, doesn't mean that you should simply skip it. Quite the contrary! If you're looking for a totally free solution that is both comprehensive and efficient - and looks amazing doing it! - you can't go wrong with this one.

Symbolab presents itself as a moderately comprehensive solution - but with one stand-out feature. Unlike many other programs, here, you can easily copy/paste any answer back into the "enter a problem" bar and continue developing the basic idea further. This brings the app into the university-level category, which we absolutely love. However, connectivity issues have absolutely ruined it for us. Enormous lag and inability to download updates make the whole experience rather frustrating. If it weren't for this massive downside, Symbolab would be among our top 3 for sure.

This little piece of software offers some pretty decent step-by-step instructions. They are easy to understand (well, as easy as anything in the realm of mathematics can be), more detailed than most, and accessible at all times - free of charge. Unfortunately, you won't always find the same level of quality when it comes to problem solutions. More than a couple of times, we ended up with the dreaded "Cymath is having trouble solving this problem." We are not exactly sure what could be the reason for this - especially since we made sure to use the exact same problems to test out all the other apps.

Nothing beats a real teacher, and Gauthmath aims to provide just that. Connecting you with tutors from across the globe, it gives you a chance to have your problems solved not by a machine but by living, breathing humans. This is, of course, a paid feature. What has made us question the usefulness of this particular platform is the fact that it seems to be geared more towards high school students. Those in college may need to look elsewhere, especially if they are doing their masters in engineering.

The app seems comparatively smooth but has some minor issues when solving logarithmic problems. In addition, it has a somewhat annoying tendency to plug in its premium features where you don't want them - pushing and prodding and nudging you to pay - every chance it gets. This is a massive pet peeve of ours at AppGrooves, and we definitely wish this sort of thing was approached in a less obnoxious fashion. We gave up after two days of testing.