# Rafter Help vs Stair Calculator

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.

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.

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.

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

## The numbers

| Metric | Rafter Help | Stair Calculator |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $1.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.5 (214 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rafter-help/id1006188060/reviews)** | [4.1 (740 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stair-calculator-construction/id1493037366/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 214 | **740** |
| Positive reviews | **40.0% of reviews** | 21.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 6 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Armchair Engineering](https://appshunter.io/developer/398901339) | [Phan Nhat Đang](https://appshunter.io/developer/1437390098) |

## What reviewers say

### Rafter Help

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rafter-help/id1006188060)

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:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

- 👎 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

**Reported bugs**

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

**Requested features**

- Add 1/4 inch input
- Provide cut angles
- Include decimal point on keypad
- Support hip rafters
- Correct drawing error for basic gable


### Stair Calculator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stair-calculator-construction/id1493037366)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Annual Premium Package | $9.99 | per year |
| Unlock all features | $5.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

- Subscription numbers don't add up
- Doesn't provide promised features after purchase

**Requested features**

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


## Frequently asked 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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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*