# Essential Calculator vs The Simple Calculator

The clearest difference is rating: The Simple Calculator at 4.6 against Essential Calculator's 4.0. The Simple Calculator also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 4 months) and ratings volume (190 vs 8). Essential Calculator's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). On price, review sentiment, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. The Simple Calculator sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Essential Calculator asks for nothing beyond the download.

The Simple Calculator holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: The Simple Calculator has 190 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 75% of Essential Calculator's written reviews are positive against 77% of The Simple Calculator's.

Essential Calculator ships an update every 4 months, The Simple Calculator weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Essential Calculator | The Simple Calculator |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/essential-calculator/id1151178028/reviews) | **[4.6 (190 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-simple-calculator-solve/id1525169566/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 8 | **190** |
| Positive reviews | 75.0% of reviews | **76.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 2 MB | 28 MB |
| Requires iOS | 12.4 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [CyberMoai](https://appshunter.io/developer/553890347) | [Andreas Skotadis](https://appshunter.io/developer/1525168367) |

## What reviewers say

### Essential Calculator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/essential-calculator/id1151178028)

Perform basic mathematical calculations with a clean, minimalist interface. Get instant results for your equations on your iPhone or iPod touch.

**Highlights:** Basic mathematical equations, Instant results, Minimalist interface, iPhone and iPod touch support

**In-app purchases:** none


### The Simple Calculator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-simple-calculator-solve/id1525169566)

This app offers a straightforward way to perform everyday calculations, including basic arithmetic, roots, percentages, and geometric formulas for common shapes. It supports fractions and offers convenient features like dark mode and copy-paste functionality.

**Highlights:** Basic arithmetic operations, Roots and percentages, Geometric calculations for shapes, Fraction support, Portrait and landscape modes, Dark mode, Copy and paste results

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $0.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Essential Calculator free?

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

### Is The Simple Calculator free?

The Simple Calculator is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Essential Calculator or The Simple Calculator?

The Simple Calculator is rated higher. Essential Calculator averages 4.0 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while The Simple Calculator averages 4.6 from 190 ratings.

### Do Essential Calculator or The Simple Calculator have ads?

The Simple Calculator shows ads; Essential Calculator does not.

### Which is updated more often, Essential Calculator or The Simple Calculator?

Essential Calculator ships an update every 4 months, and The Simple Calculator weekly. Most recently, Essential Calculator was updated on November 2, 2026 and The Simple Calculator on November 11, 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.*