Comparison

RPN vs Nixie Calculator

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

RPN

Experience a faithful simulation of the groundbreaking HP-65 programmable calculator on your iPhone. This app offers virtual program and data cards, a paper tape printer, and a robust card manager. Explore four distinct operating modes, including an enhanced "Super-65" option.

Highlights
  • Virtual program and data cards
  • Virtual paper tape printer with AirPrint
  • Database-driven card manager
  • Create, delete, and organize unlimited cards
  • Sharing via email, AirDrop, Dropbox, iTunes
  • Paste and run existing HP-65 listings
  • Four distinct operating modes
Features
Read full description

World's first pocket computer! Now running on your iPhone. RPN-65 SD is the iPhone version of RPN-65 Pro, the first complete simulation of Hewlett-Packard's stunning HP-65 programmable calculator for iOS. Produced from 1974 to 1977 at an initial price of $795 (that's close to $5,000 today!), the HP-65 was a breakthrough. Not only was it programmable, it also contained a motorized magnetic card reader - and still fit into Bill Hewlett's shirt pocket. Experience this revolutionary calculator on your iPhone. With over 180 original HP programs included with the app, you can get started right away. "A work of art. Fantastic!" (MacBreak Weekly, episode 572) Features: • Virtual program and data cards • Virtual 2000-line paper tape printer supports AirPrint • Powerful database-driven card manager • Create, delete, label, and organize a virtually unlimited number of cards • Sharing: e-mail, AirDrop, Dropbox, iTunes, copy, paste, print • Paste existing HP-65 listings into RPN-65 and run them • "Live" display of stack, memory registers, program counter, flags • Reads program and data cards created by RPN-65 Pro • Reads data cards created by RPN-67 Pro/SD and RPN-97 Pro Run RPN-65 SD in any of 4 modes: 1 - Just like the original HP-65 2 - Like the original HP-65, but at much higher speed 3 - With many user-interface improvements, like backstep key or jump to any program step 4 - "Super-65" with 999 program steps, 120 labels, 120 registers, nested subroutines, and much more For details, free program downloads, calculator handbook and much more, visit the RPN-65 website: cuveesoft.ch/rpn65

About

Nixie Calculator

This calculator app features a digital paper tape to display entries, which can be copied or shared. It offers various customization options like color schemes, rounding, and display modes, blending retro aesthetics with modern device technology.

Highlights
  • Paper tape for entry display
  • Copy and paste functionality
  • Customizable color schemes
  • Adjustable rounding and exponential modes
  • Classic Nixie font option
  • Thousand separator styles
Read full description

Features of Nixie Calculator: • Paper tape to display what you have entered. Can be copied or shared • Copy and paste entries Settings available: • Color schemes • Color layouts (in-app purchase) • Rounding options • Exponential modes • Use classic Nixie font for the display • Separators embedded with the digits • Classic pyramid and illuminated thousand separators • Classic red filter The calculator is a rounding or truncating type to fit numbers into the fixed display. Please enjoy this calculator that combines one of the first display technologies with state of the art in phone and tablet technology.

Screenshots

RPN4 screens
Nixie Calculator4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Nixie Calculator at Free against RPN's $2.99. Nixie Calculator also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 4 months). RPN's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and review sentiment (100% vs 67%). On rating, ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Nixie Calculator is free to download; RPN costs $2.99 up front. Nixie Calculator sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. RPN asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for RPN against 4.9 for Nixie Calculator. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 8 and 15 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 100% of RPN's written reviews are positive against 67% of Nixie Calculator's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

RPN ships an update every 4 months, Nixie Calculator monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
RPN versus Nixie Calculator: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRPNNixie Calculator
Price$2.99Free — better
Rating5.0 (8 ratings) — better4.9 (15 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better66.7% of reviews
Number of ratings815 — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS12.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size62 MB36 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCuVee SoftwareUNB SYSTEMS PTY LTD

Customer experience

RPN

All ratings8 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Nixie Calculator

All ratings13 ratings
Positive92.3%
Neutral7.7%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral33.3%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

RPN

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Nixie Calculator

One-time1
  • Color Layouts$2.99

Questions

Is RPN free?
RPN costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Nixie Calculator free?
Nixie Calculator is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, RPN or Nixie Calculator?
RPN is rated higher. RPN averages 5.0 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while Nixie Calculator averages 4.9 from 15 ratings.
Do RPN or Nixie Calculator have ads?
Neither RPN nor Nixie Calculator shows ads.
Which is updated more often, RPN or Nixie Calculator?
RPN ships an update every 4 months, and Nixie Calculator monthly. Most recently, RPN was updated on November 2, 2026 and Nixie Calculator on November 3, 2026.

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