# x36 vs RCL

The clearest difference is price: RCL at Free against x36's $0.99. x36's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 14 months) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.1). On review sentiment, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

RCL is free to download; x36 costs $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

x36 ships an update every 2 months, RCL every 14 months. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | x36 | RCL |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $0.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/x36/id1443849416/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **2** | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 14 months |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Size | 1 MB | 2 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Carl Cook](https://appshunter.io/developer/897666025) | [Paul Novaes](https://appshunter.io/developer/597527233) |

## What reviewers say

### x36

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/x36/id1443849416)

This app offers a powerful scientific and engineering calculator with advanced features like programmability, multiple number bases, and statistical functions. It emulates the functionality of calculators from the 70s and 80s, providing over 100 functions for complex calculations.

**Highlights:** Programmability with 1000 steps, Trigonometric functions with selectable units, Statistical functions and linear regression, Four number bases (Decimal, Hex, Octal, Binary), Metric-English conversions, Fraction operations, Over 100 functions

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### RCL

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rcl-57/id1621959742)

This app faithfully recreates the TI-57 programmable calculator, offering its full scientific functions and programming capabilities. It includes a user manual, sample programs, and features like turbo speed and alphanumeric display.

**Highlights:** TI-57 recreation, Scientific functions, Programming capabilities, User manual included, Sample programs, Turbo speed option, Alphanumeric display option

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is x36 free?

x36 costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is RCL free?

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

### Do x36 or RCL have ads?

Neither x36 nor RCL shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, x36 or RCL?

x36 ships an update every 2 months, and RCL every 14 months. Most recently, x36 was updated on November 2, 2026 and RCL on November 3, 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.*