Comparison

Magic Scan vs PROG_CALC

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

Head to head
About

Magic Scan

This app uses your device's camera to instantly extract text from printed sources like documents, books, and signs. It offers on-device translation, text-to-speech, and smart entity detection for actionable information. Scans are saved locally for privacy and can be shared as styled images.

Highlights
  • Live camera OCR
  • Smart entity detection
  • On-device translation
  • Text-to-speech
  • Share as image
  • Local scan history
Features
Read full description

The FREE and powerful text scanner powered by Apple Intelligence. Point your camera at any printed text — documents, books, signs, receipts — and Magic Scan extracts it instantly using on-device OCR. No cloud APIs, no sign-in, fully private. LIVE CAMERA OCR See text detected in real-time as you point your camera. Yellow bounding boxes highlight every word. Tap to capture — with haptic feedback and a flash animation. SMART ENTITY DETECTION Magic Scan automatically finds actionable information in your scans: • Phone numbers — tap to call • Addresses — tap to open in Maps • URLs — tap to open in Safari • Dates — tap to add to Calendar APPLE TRANSLATION Translate scanned text on-device using the native iOS Translation framework. Private, fast, no API keys required. TEXT-TO-SPEECH Hear any scanned text read aloud with one tap. Perfect for accessibility or hands-free use. SHARE AS IMAGE Export any scan as a beautifully styled card image. Share via AirDrop, Messages, social media, or save to Photos. SCAN ANYTHING • Receipts, invoices, and accounting documents • Recipes from cookbooks • Notes, letters, and certificates • Whiteboard discussions and meeting notes • Business cards and contact info • Restaurant menus • Magazine and newspaper articles • Book pages and passages • Instructions and product labels • Road signs, airport signs, and station boards • And much more... SCAN HISTORY Every scan is saved locally on your device. Swipe to delete, browse anytime. Your data never leaves your phone. SCAN STATISTICS See word count, character count, and estimated reading time for every scan. DARK MODE Full dark mode support with adaptive colors that look beautiful day and night. PREMIUM Remove ads with a one-time purchase. That's it — no subscriptions, no hidden fees. PRIVACY FIRST All processing happens on your device using Apple Vision and Apple Translation. No data is sent to any server. No account required. Permissions needed: • Camera — to scan text from printed sources • Photos — to scan text from images in your library Magic Scan — the smartest way to digitize the world around you.

About

PROG_CALC

This app offers a programmable calculator with two distinct modes for daily computing and advanced mathematical functions. It supports system conversions between binary, octal, decimal, and hexadecimal, and allows for variable storage and code sharing.

Highlights
  • Basic and advanced calculation modes
  • Syntax parser
  • Variable storage and editing
  • Binary, octal, decimal, hexadecimal conversion
  • Built-in code examples
  • Code sharing via QR code or file
Read full description

The programming calculator provides two modes of operation. It has built-in basic operation functions, syntax parser, and supports a variety of application scenarios. 【Basic calculation】 Basic mode provides basic calculator functions for daily computing applications. 【Mathematical function】 Built-in rich mathematical functions, easy to implement basic calculations. 【Variable Storage】 Provides variable storage function, can store intermediate calculation results in basic mode, import and export with one key during application, and edit mode provides variable browsing function to easily grasp calculation results. 【System conversion】 Support binary, octal, decimal, hexadecimal conversion to meet the computing needs of different platforms. 【Code Example】 With built-in code writing examples, you can easily learn computing methods and expand application scenarios. 【Code Sharing】 The code can be shared through a QR code or a file, and the application also supports reading files directly, or scanning a QR code, which can be written on a computer and applied on a mobile phone.

Screenshots

Magic Scan3 screens
PROG_CALC4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: PROG_CALC at 5.0 against Magic Scan's 4.2. PROG_CALC also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). Magic Scan's advantage is ratings volume (30 vs 1). On price and ads 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

Both are free to download. Magic Scan sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. PROG_CALC asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

PROG_CALC holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Magic Scan has 30 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 88% of Magic Scan's written reviews are positive against 100% of PROG_CALC's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Magic Scan ships an update every 2 months, PROG_CALC every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and July 16, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 2 level
Magic Scan versus PROG_CALC: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMagic ScanPROG_CALC
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.2 (30 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews87.5% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings30 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better
Requires iOS18.013 — better
Further details — not scored
Size16 MB78 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperWaltsoft Inc嘉欣 胡

Customer experience

Magic Scan

All ratings30 ratings
Positive76.7%
Neutral6.7%
Negative16.7%
Written reviews8 reviews
Positive87.5%
Neutral0.0%
Negative12.5%

PROG_CALC

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Magic Scan

One-time1
  • Magic Scan Premium$0.99
None

PROG_CALC

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Magic Scan free?
Magic Scan is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is PROG_CALC free?
PROG_CALC is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Magic Scan or PROG_CALC?
PROG_CALC is rated higher. Magic Scan averages 4.2 out of 5 from 30 ratings, while PROG_CALC averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Magic Scan or PROG_CALC have ads?
Neither Magic Scan nor PROG_CALC shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Magic Scan or PROG_CALC?
Magic Scan ships an update every 2 months, and PROG_CALC every 2 weeks. Most recently, Magic Scan was updated on September 21, 2026 and PROG_CALC on July 16, 2026.

Other comparisons