# Essential Calculator vs + Simple Calc

The clearest difference is rating: + Simple Calc at 5.0 against Essential Calculator's 4.0. + Simple Calc also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 4 months) and review sentiment (100% vs 75%). Essential Calculator's advantage is ratings volume (8 vs 2) and iOS requirement (12.4 vs 16.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

+ Simple Calc holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 8 and 2 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 75% of Essential Calculator's written reviews are positive against 100% of + Simple Calc's.

Essential Calculator ships an update every 4 months, + Simple Calc every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on June 8, 2026 and July 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Essential Calculator | + Simple Calc |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/essential-calculator/id1151178028/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/plus-simple-calc/id6448763641/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **8** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 75.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 2 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.4** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [CyberMoai](https://appshunter.io/developer/553890347) | [Alejandro de la Rosa Cortes](https://appshunter.io/developer/1506520491) |

## 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


### + Simple Calc

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/plus-simple-calc/id6448763641)

Perform calculations with a standard calculator that offers extensive customization. Choose from 17 color themes and custom icons, plus enjoy light and dark mode support.

**Highlights:** Standard calculator functionality, Light and dark mode, 17 color themes, Custom icons, iPhone support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Essential Calculator free?

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

### Is + Simple Calc free?

+ Simple Calc is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Essential Calculator or + Simple Calc?

+ Simple Calc is rated higher. Essential Calculator averages 4.0 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while + Simple Calc averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Essential Calculator or + Simple Calc have ads?

Neither Essential Calculator nor + Simple Calc shows ads.

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

Essential Calculator ships an update every 4 months, and + Simple Calc every 5 days. Most recently, Essential Calculator was updated on June 8, 2026 and + Simple Calc on July 1, 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.*