Comparison

Rafter Help vs Stair Calculator

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Rafter Help

This app simplifies roof construction by calculating rafter lengths and related measurements. It supports various input formats for pitch and length, offering both quick calculations for gable roofs and advanced control for more complex needs.

Highlights
  • Calculate rafter length and associated values
  • Determine roof pitch, rafter lengths, and ridge height
  • Supports gable roofs
  • Advanced calculation options
  • Multiple input formats for pitch (radians, degrees, DMS, rise/run)
  • Flexible length units (mm, cm, inches, feet)
  • Customizable decimal places
Features
Read full description

Rafter Help is the easiest way to calculate rafter length and associated values when building! Quickly find roof pitch, rafter lengths and ridge height for gable roofs, based on room and ridge width.  Or calculate length values with more control from the Advanced tab. Features Include: - Accurately solve rafter equations - Enter pitch steepness in radians, decimal degrees or degrees, minutes, seconds (DMS) or rise/run (e.g. 8/12) - Enter lengths in mm, cm, inches or feet - Select your preferred number of decimal places

About

Stair Calculator

This app calculates essential parameters for stair construction, offering flexibility in input and providing multiple step set options. It supports various units and allows results to be easily copied.

Highlights
  • Calculate stair construction parameters
  • Flexible input for Run or Total Run
  • Determine largest and smallest step sets
  • Support for various units
  • Copy results to clipboard
Features
Read full description

Stair Calculator helps you calculate and compare staircase dimensions. FEATURES • Calculate using Run, Total Run, or Stair Angle • Enter a specific number of Runs or explore all calculated options • Support Metric and Imperial units • View detailed measurements and stair diagrams • Export results as a PDF or image • Copy results to the clipboard IMPORTANT Results are generated based on user-provided values and general calculation models. The app is intended for reference and educational purposes only. Please verify all measurements, local building requirements, and safety standards before actual construction. SUBSCRIPTION This subscription package offers unlimited access to all app features throughout the subscription period. • Payment will be charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase. • The subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. • Your Apple Account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours before the end of the current period, and the renewal cost will be identified. • Subscriptions may be managed and auto-renewal may be turned off in your Apple Account Settings after purchase. • Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when you purchase a subscription, where applicable. PRIVACY POLICY https://13520178.github.io/StairCalc/policy.html TERMS OF USE https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ CONTACT If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact us. Email: phannhatd@gmail.com

Screenshots

Rafter Help4 screens
Stair Calculator3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Stair Calculator at Free against Rafter Help's $1.99. Stair Calculator also leads on ratings volume (740 vs 214). Rafter Help's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and rating (4.5 vs 4.1). On update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Stair Calculator is free to download; Rafter Help costs $1.99 up front. Stair Calculator sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per year. Rafter Help asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Rafter Help holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 214 and 740 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 40% of Rafter Help's written reviews are positive against 21% of Stair Calculator's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Rafter Help ships an update every 5 months, Stair Calculator every 3 months. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Rafter Help versus Stair Calculator: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRafter HelpStair Calculator
Price$1.99Free — better
Rating4.5 (214 ratings) — better4.1 (740 ratings)
Positive reviews40.0% of reviews — better21.4% of reviews
Number of ratings214740 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsEvery 3 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS10.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size6 MB1 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperArmchair EngineeringPhan Nhat Đang

Customer experience

Rafter Help

All ratings212 ratings
Positive89.2%
Neutral3.3%
Negative7.5%
Written reviews25 reviews
Positive40.0%
Neutral8.0%
Negative52.0%

Stair Calculator

All ratings738 ratings
Positive77.2%
Neutral5.0%
Negative17.8%
Written reviews28 reviews
Positive21.4%
Neutral7.1%
Negative71.4%

User reviews

Rafter Help

From 214 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Easy to understand
  • 👍 Accurate measurements
  • 👍 Gives rafter length with deduction
  • 👍 Useful for setting out measurements
  • 👍 First class, use it all the time

Room to improve

  • 👎 Cannot add 1/4 inch
  • 👎 Inaccurate and unconvincing
  • 👎 Really limited functionality
  • 👎 Doesn’t give cut angles, only lengths
  • 👎 Doesn’t give necessary measurements for rafters

Stair Calculator

From 740 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Easy to use
  • 🚀 Helpful information
  • 🚀 Provides useful calculations

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Doesn't work as expected
  • 🔒 No way to cancel subscription
  • 🔒 Difficult to cancel trial
  • 🤬 Obnoxious ads
  • 🤬 Misleading as a learning tool

Bugs and requests

Rafter Help

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Cannot add 1/4 inch
  • Missing decimal point on keypad
  • Major error in basic gable drawing
  • App won't open, says 'waiting'

Requested features

8 requests
  • Add 1/4 inch input
  • Provide cut angles
  • Include decimal point on keypad
  • Support hip rafters
  • Correct drawing error for basic gable
Show 3 more
  • Include HAP calculation
  • Include rafter width
  • Accept angles in degrees and pitch-in-12

Stair Calculator

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Subscription numbers don't add up
  • Doesn't provide promised features after purchase

Requested features

3 requests
  • Option to uninstall app
  • Ability to calculate run based on rise and landing space
  • Provide more detailed diagrams and visuals

In-app purchases

None

Rafter Help

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Stair Calculator

Subscriptions1
  • Annual Premium Package7 Days trial$9.991 Year
One-time1
  • Unlock all features$5.99

Questions

Is Rafter Help free?
Rafter Help costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Stair Calculator free?
Stair Calculator is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Rafter Help or Stair Calculator?
Rafter Help is rated higher. Rafter Help averages 4.5 out of 5 from 214 ratings, while Stair Calculator averages 4.1 from 740 ratings.
Do Rafter Help or Stair Calculator have ads?
Neither Rafter Help nor Stair Calculator shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Rafter Help or Stair Calculator?
Rafter Help ships an update every 5 months, and Stair Calculator every 3 months. Most recently, Rafter Help was updated on October 24, 2026 and Stair Calculator on October 24, 2026.

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