Comparison

Calc vs DB48X

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

Head to head
About

Calc

This app offers a high-precision scientific calculator with over 50 digits of accuracy. It supports advanced mathematical functions, complex arithmetic, and programmable features for derivatives, integrals, and root finding.

Highlights
  • High-precision calculations (50+ digits)
  • Extensive mathematical functions
  • Programmable features
  • Complex arithmetic
  • Graphing capabilities
  • Derivative and integral calculation
Features
Read full description

Calc-50 is a high-precision scientific graphing RPN calculator. It carries over 50 digits of accuracy and has a large number of mathematical functions, including trig and hyperbolic functions and their inverses, and math special functions such as gamma, beta, psi, exponential integral, sine, cosine, and log integrals, Bessel functions, and more. It is programmable, with functions that take user functions and find derivatives, integrals, function max/min, and roots. Calc-50 also provides complex arithmetic and elementary functions.

About

DB48X

This advanced scientific calculator offers arbitrary precision computations, RPN and algebraic operations, and extensive graphing capabilities. It supports complex numbers, matrices, symbolic calculations, and over 1000 built-in functions, inspired by the HP48 series.

Highlights
  • Arbitrary precision computations
  • RPN and algebraic operations
  • Complex numbers, vectors, and matrices
  • Symbolic computations and numerical solving
  • Graphing and plotting
  • Engineering units and currency conversion
  • Built-in hyperlinked help system
Features
Read full description

DB48X is a new high-precision scientific calculator inspired by the legendary HP48 series from Hewlett-Packard. It is not an emulator, but a redesign from scratch, which is faster, and delivers never seen before capabilities like computations in arbitrary precision. Like the original HP48, DB48X supports an unlimited stack, RPN and algebraic operations, complex numbers, based numbers, vectors, matrices, text, symbolic computations, numerical solving and integration, graphing and plotting, statistics, engineering units, and well over 1000 built-in functions. DB48X adds several HP50G capabilities, including a library of equations and constants covering mathematics, physics or chemistry. Using modern technologies, DB48X goes well beyond the original HP48 in many ways: - It is significantly faster, uses less memory, and features a higher-resolution 240x400 pixels graphical display. - Integer and decimal values can have an arbitrarily large number of digits, so you can compute log(pi) with 200 digits in a few keystrokes. - The six function keys feature up to three function per key, giving quick access to up to 18 related functions at a time. - Complex numbers can mix and match polar and rectangular form. - Symbolic operations extend to complex numbers, vectors and matrices. - Based numbers can be in any base from 2 to 36, and support any number of bits, making it easy to emulate a 23-bit or 512-bit processor. - Text is represented using Unicode instead of the proprietary HP encoding, facilitating data exchange with the rest of the world. - Multiple graphs can be distinguished using bitmap patterns (DB50X adds the ability to use colors) - Engineering units include all the modern evolutions of the SI system, and can be configured by the user, e.g. to integrate currency units with the exchange rate du jour. Converting between USD/hour and EUR/day has never been so easy! - A built-in hyperlinked help system documents functions simply by holding the corresponding key, and combine a quick start guide, a user manual and a reference manual. DB48X will run many user RPL programs as is. However, since it is not an emulator, it will not run any HP binary object, and notably will not run HP48 games or anything involving system RPL. DB48X is part of a family of compatible RPL calculators that include the free DB40X and the color DB50X.

Screenshots

Calc1 screens
DB48X3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: DB48X at 100% against Calc's 50%. DB48X also leads on rating (4.8 vs 3.7) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 10 months). Calc's advantage is price (Free vs $4.99) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 14.0). On ratings volume, ads, in-app purchases 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

Calc is free to download; DB48X costs $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

DB48X holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 4 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of Calc's written reviews are positive against 100% of DB48X's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Calc ships an update every 10 months, DB48X every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
Calc versus DB48X: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCalcDB48X
PriceFree — better$4.99
Rating3.7 (3 ratings)4.8 (4 ratings) — better
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings34 — better
Update frequencyEvery 10 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterPaid
Best chart rank—#188 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.0 — better14.0
Further details — not scored
Size38 MB7 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDavid SmithChristophe de Dinechin

Customer experience

Calc

All ratings2 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

DB48X

All ratings4 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Calc

No in-app purchases

None

DB48X

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Calc free?
Calc is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is DB48X free?
DB48X costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Calc or DB48X?
DB48X is rated higher. Calc averages 3.7 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while DB48X averages 4.8 from 4 ratings.
Do Calc or DB48X have ads?
Neither Calc nor DB48X shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Calc or DB48X?
Calc ships an update every 10 months, and DB48X every 3 weeks. Most recently, Calc was updated on October 24, 2026 and DB48X on October 25, 2026.

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