# IES ShapeDB vs RCS

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: IES ShapeDB at none against RCS's 4. IES ShapeDB also leads on iOS requirement (9.3 vs 17.0). RCS's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs every 7 months). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. RCS sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. IES ShapeDB asks for nothing beyond the download.

IES ShapeDB ships an update every 7 months, RCS every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | IES ShapeDB | RCS |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ies-shapedb/id1068309510/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1** | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 81 MB | 26 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.3** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [INTEGRATED ENGINEERING SOFTWARE INC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1068309509) | [Nabil El Berria](https://appshunter.io/developer/6775173502) |

## What reviewers say

### IES ShapeDB

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ies-shapedb/id1068309510)

Access a comprehensive database of over 18,000 structural shapes and their engineering properties. Perform simple beam and column stress analysis for various materials like steel, wood, aluminum, rebar, and cables. Ideal for field use by engineers.

**Highlights:** 18,000+ structural shapes, Engineering properties database, Simple beam stress analysis, Column stress analysis, Supports steel, wood, aluminum, rebar, cables, Calculates bending and combined stresses

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### RCS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rcs-concrete-sections/id6810959198)

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| RCS Weekly | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| RCS Yearly | $49.99 | per year |
| 7-day Trial | Free | one-time |
| Full Access | $24.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is IES ShapeDB free?

IES ShapeDB is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is RCS free?

RCS is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do IES ShapeDB or RCS have ads?

Neither IES ShapeDB nor RCS shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, IES ShapeDB or RCS?

IES ShapeDB ships an update every 7 months, and RCS every 2 days. Most recently, IES ShapeDB was updated on November 6, 2026 and RCS on October 31, 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.*