# Pythonista 3 vs iHP48

The clearest difference is price: iHP48 at Free against Pythonista 3's $9.99. iHP48 also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 19 months) and review sentiment (88% vs 73%). Pythonista 3's advantage is chart position (#18 vs unranked) and ratings volume (1.5K vs 270). On rating, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

iHP48 is free to download; Pythonista 3 costs $9.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

iHP48 holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pythonista 3 has 1.5K ratings behind it against 270, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 73% of Pythonista 3's written reviews are positive against 88% of iHP48's.

Pythonista 3 ships an update every 19 months, iHP48 monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pythonista 3 | iHP48 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $9.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.5 (1.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pythonista-3/id1085978097/reviews) | **[4.7 (270 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ihp48/id1549608953/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.5K** | 270 |
| Positive reviews | 73.4% of reviews | **88.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 19 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#18** | — |
| Size | 853 MB | 6 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [omz:software](https://appshunter.io/developer/285608316) | [Alexis Lorca](https://appshunter.io/developer/1549608955) |

## What reviewers say

### Pythonista 3

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pythonista-3/id1085978097)

**Currently charting:** #18 Top Paid · Productivity (US App Store)

Develop and run Python 3 scripts directly on your iPad or iPhone. This complete scripting environment includes popular third-party modules and allows access to iOS features like sensors, location, and photos. Automate your device with app extensions and integrate with Shortcuts and Siri.

**Highlights:** Powerful code editor with syntax highlighting, Interactive prompt with code completion, Integrated visual debugger, Offline Python documentation, UI editor for prototyping, Share sheet and system-wide keyboard extensions, Shortcuts app integration

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### iHP48

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ihp48/id1549608953)

This app brings the powerful HP48 calculator experience to your mobile device. It offers enhanced performance, seamless file management, and a customizable interface with support for various HP calculator models. Enjoy a familiar and convenient calculator solution without needing extra hardware.

**Highlights:** Supports HP38, HP39, HP48, HP49, HP50 calculators, Haptic feedback and customizable zoom options, Seamless file transfer via iTunes and Files app, Cloud storage integration (iCloud, OneDrive, Dropbox), Object saving/loading and copy/paste functionality, Access to calculator packages, skins, and ROMs, Internal file manager and extensible settings

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent emulation of HP48
- 👍 Familiar and nostalgic feel
- 👍 Comprehensive functionality
- 👍 Customizable skins
- 👍 Haptic feedback

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes or freezes
- 🐛 Missed keystrokes when typing quickly
- 🐛 Blank or flickering display
- 🐛 Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes on startup
- Inability to save state across sessions
- Incompatibility with certain iOS devices

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- Ability to disable haptic feedback
- Support for HP50G emulation
- Improved keyboard mapping and arrow key functionality


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pythonista 3 free?

Pythonista 3 costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is iHP48 free?

iHP48 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Pythonista 3 or iHP48?

iHP48 is rated higher. Pythonista 3 averages 4.5 out of 5 from 1.5K ratings, while iHP48 averages 4.7 from 270 ratings.

### Do Pythonista 3 or iHP48 have ads?

Neither Pythonista 3 nor iHP48 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Pythonista 3 or iHP48?

Pythonista 3 ships an update every 19 months, and iHP48 monthly. Most recently, Pythonista 3 was updated on September 27, 2026 and iHP48 on September 19, 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.*