wxMaxima
Free notebook-style graphical interface for the Maxima computer algebra system.
- Verified facts
- 5 of 5
- Alternatives ranked
- 5
- Approved reviews
- 0
- Visits sent from here
- 0
About wxMaxima
wxMaxima is a free, open-source desktop front end for Maxima, a long-running computer algebra system for symbolic maths. Maxima itself is a command-line program; wxMaxima wraps it in a document made of cells, where you type expressions, see formatted results and keep notes alongside the working. Menus and dialogs cover common tasks such as solving equations, differentiating, integrating, simplifying and working with matrices, so newcomers can get going without memorising every command, and autocompletion helps with the rest. Plots and simple animations can appear inline in the document. It suits students, teachers and engineers who want symbolic algebra without paying for Mathematica or Maple. It runs on Windows, macOS and Linux; Windows and macOS installers can bundle Maxima and Gnuplot, and most Linux distributions package both. wxMaxima is released under the GPL and is entirely free, though it is only as capable as the Maxima engine behind it.
Best for: Students and engineers who want free symbolic algebra in a notebook instead of Mathematica or Maple.
Pros and cons
What works
- Completely free and GPL-licensed
- Menus and dialogs make Maxima approachable for beginners
- Inline plots and animations inside the document
- Runs on Windows, macOS and Linux
Why people leave
- Needs a separate Maxima install unless you use a bundled installer
- macOS setup can need manual fixes, such as clearing Gatekeeper quarantine
- Interface looks dated next to commercial notebooks
- No cloud or mobile version
Top wxMaxima alternatives
See all 5- 1
SageMath66.5Free open-source system that includes Maxima plus many other maths libraries behind one Python language.
- 2
GeoGebra64.8Free CAS, graphing and geometry in the browser and on phones, with a friendlier interface.
- 3
Symbolab61.8Web solver that shows step-by-step working, useful for students checking homework.
- 4
Desmos59.4Free, fast graphing calculator in the browser if plotting matters more than symbolic algebra.
- 5
Wolfram|Alpha50.0Type a maths question in plain English and get symbolic results without installing anything.
Why people left wxMaxima
In reviewers' own words, from reviews of the apps they moved to. These are their opinions, not ours.
No switching stories yet. If you moved away from wxMaxima, review the app you switched to and tell us why.
Reviews
No approved reviews yet. How we verify reviewers
Write a review of wxMaxima
wxMaxima: common questions
Is wxMaxima free?
Yes. wxMaxima is free, open-source software.
Is wxMaxima open source?
Yes. The source code is on GitHub at wxMaxima-developers/wxmaxima.
What platforms does wxMaxima run on?
wxMaxima is available for Windows, macOS and Linux.
What are the best alternatives to wxMaxima?
The highest-ranked wxMaxima alternatives right now are SageMath, GeoGebra and Symbolab. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.