# Essential Calculator vs Calculator

The clearest difference is rating: Calculator at 5.0 against Essential Calculator's 4.0. Calculator also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 4 months). Essential Calculator's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and iOS requirement (12.4 vs 14.0). On price, ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Calculator sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $6.00 per 7 days. Essential Calculator asks for nothing beyond the download.

Calculator holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 8 and 3 respectively.

Essential Calculator ships an update every 4 months, Calculator monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Essential Calculator | Calculator |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/essential-calculator/id1151178028/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/calculatorai-calculate/id6758134467/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **8** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 75.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 2 MB | 48 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.4** | 14.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [CyberMoai](https://appshunter.io/developer/553890347) | [欣博 周](https://appshunter.io/developer/1855735592) |

## 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


### Calculator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/calculatorai-calculate/id6758134467)

This portable computing assistant offers both basic and scientific calculations with a clean interface. It features a history log, currency and unit conversion, and a unique photo-based problem solver. Enjoy an ad-free experience for all your calculation needs.

**Highlights:** Basic and scientific calculations, Calculation history log, Currency and unit conversion, Photo math problem solver, Ad-free experience

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Member | $6.00 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Membership | $12.00 | one-time |
| annual membership | $28.00 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Essential Calculator free?

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

### Is Calculator free?

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

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

Calculator is rated higher. Essential Calculator averages 4.0 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while Calculator averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do Essential Calculator or Calculator have ads?

Neither Essential Calculator nor Calculator shows ads.

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

Essential Calculator ships an update every 4 months, and Calculator monthly. Most recently, Essential Calculator was updated on October 24, 2026 and Calculator on October 23, 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.*