Comparison

Calctan vs Clip Jar

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

Head to head
About

Calctan

This app offers a high-precision scientific and financial calculator with an editable tape for auditing calculations. It supports complex formulas, a wide range of mathematical functions, and customizable constants, all within an ad-free, private interface.

Highlights
  • Smart formula workspace with direct cursor editing
  • Advanced scientific engine with true order of operations
  • Auditable calculation history on a digital tape
  • Exportable reports via AirPrint and PDF
  • Multitasking support for iPad
  • iCloud synchronization across devices
  • Private and ad-free experience
Features
Read full description

Calctan is a high-precision scientific and financial tape calculator designed for iPhone and iPad. Built for students, engineers, accountants, and business professionals, Calctan bridges the gap between scientific computing and practical everyday finance. Edit complex formulas with ease, audit running totals on a printable tape, and enjoy a distraction-free workspace with no ads. KEY FEATURES 1. SMART FORMULA WORKSPACE • Direct Cursor Editing: Tap anywhere in your expression to fix numbers or operators instantly—no need to clear the expression and start over. • Live Syntax Validation: Real-time calculation preview with automatic balancing of parentheses as you type. • Fluid Multi-Line Display: Expressions scale dynamically so long formulas are never cut off. 2. ADVANCED SCIENTIFIC ENGINE • Complete Math Suite: Trigonometric functions (radians/degrees, inverse, hyperbolic), factorials, permutations, powers, roots, modulo, and logarithms. • True Order of Operations: Context-aware order of operations with high-precision calculations that minimize floating-point rounding errors. • Built-in & Custom Constants: A library covering mathematics, physics, and chemistry, plus customizable slots for your own tax rates or business ratios. 3. ACCOUNTING TAPE & REPORT EXPORT • Auditable Calculation History: Every calculation is automatically logged on a persistent digital paper tape. • Label & Categorize: Add custom notes, tags, and project labels to track expenses, homework problems, or client totals. • Batch Operations: Select multiple past entries to instantly calculate a running total. • AirPrint & PDF Reports: Generate itemized, professional calculation sheets to share, save, or print directly. 4. DESIGNED FOR PRODUCTIVITY • Multitasking on iPad: Full support for Split View, Slide Over, external keyboards, and trackpads. • iCloud Synchronization: Keep your saved formulas, constants, and calculation history unified across iPhone and iPad. • Customizable & High-Contrast Themes: Handcrafted color palettes designed to minimize eye strain during long study or work sessions. • Private & Ad-Free: No tracking, no data collection, and no subscription is required to calculate. We do not collect your data; calculations stay on your device and, if enabled, sync privately through your personal iCloud account. PERFECT FOR: • STEM & College Students: Algebra, calculus, physics, and exam prep with clear, step-by-step editing. • Finance & Accounting: Tax prep, budgeting, invoices, and expense verification with itemized tapes. • Retail & Small Business: Quick customer totals, discount percentages, and printable calculation logs.

About

Clip Jar

Streamline your text clip management with this app. Save, search, and share text snippets from various sources effortlessly. Features include homescreen widgets, automatic pasteboard saving, and quick actions for links and contact information.

Highlights
  • Save text clips via widget
  • Auto-save from pasteboard
  • Advanced search and filtering
  • Word selection with swipe gestures
  • Quick actions for links and contacts
  • App shortcuts for seamless switching
Features
Read full description

Manage your text clips effortlessly with Clip Jar. Whether you frequently copy and paste from websites, messages, or social media, Clip Jar is here to streamline your workflow. Tired of dealing with a cluttered and hard-to-navigate Notes app? We understand the struggle of organizing short text clips on iOS, which is why we created Clip Jar. Featuring a user-friendly interface, Clip Jar simplifies the process of saving and sharing text clips efficiently. Say goodbye to tedious clicks and welcome a seamless experience. With convenient shortcuts, you can easily switch to your favorite apps after copying. Additionally, our innovative word selection feature allows you to choose the precise content you need using intuitive swiping gestures. Furthermore, Clip Jar detects links, email addresses, phone numbers, and even physical addresses within the text, providing you with useful actions to take. Discover How Clip Jar Can Revolutionize Your Text Clip Management: Save Text Clips in Various Ways: We prioritize the crucial task of saving text clips and have implemented multiple methods to minimize clicks: - Access the Homescreen widget for quick access - Automatically read and save text from the pasteboard - Long-press the + button for immediate saving Effortlessly Filter, Search, and Select Words: Locating specific text clips is a breeze with Clip Jar's advanced search and filtering capabilities. Use keywords or our convenient sidebar filter to effortlessly browse text clips by type or category. And if you only want to share a portion of the text, our "Word Selection" feature enables you to select partial words effortlessly with a simple swipe gesture. Give it a try! Share with Ease Using Quick Actions: With Clip Jar's app shortcuts, you can seamlessly switch between commonly used apps* without returning to the home screen. Additionally, for clips containing phone numbers, email addresses, addresses, or links, Quick Actions allow you to open them in Safari, make phone calls, or send emails directly. Need assistance or have questions? Reach out to us on Twitter @ideasformapp or email us at feedback@ideasform.com. Frequently Asked Questions: Visit our FAQ page at https://ideasform.com/clipjar/faq/ for more information. Your Privacy Matters: Learn about our privacy policy at https://ideasform.com/clipjar/privacy/. ------ *Supported apps include Twitter, Facebook, Skype, and nine other popular applications. In the future, custom URL Scheme is also supported.

Screenshots

Calctan4 screens
Clip Jar4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Clip Jar at every 6 weeks against Calctan's every 3 months. Calctan's advantage is ratings volume (61 vs 14). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases 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. Calctan sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Clip Jar sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for Calctan against 4.6 for Clip Jar. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 61 and 14 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Calctan ships an update every 3 months, Clip Jar every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Calctan versus Clip Jar: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCalctanClip Jar
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (61 ratings)4.6 (14 ratings) — better
Positive reviews28.6% of reviews—
Number of ratings61 — better14
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 6 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.615.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size8 MB14 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJorge LozadaHangzhou Gongshu District Xiangde Software Development Studio

Customer experience

Calctan

All ratings61 ratings
Positive88.5%
Neutral0.0%
Negative11.5%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive28.6%
Neutral0.0%
Negative71.4%

Clip Jar

All ratings14 ratings
Positive92.9%
Neutral0.0%
Negative7.1%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Calctan

One-time1
  • No Ads$0.99
2 purchases

Clip Jar

One-time2
  • Full Pack$1.99
  • Full Pack Special$1.99

Questions

Is Calctan free?
Calctan is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Clip Jar free?
Clip Jar is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Calctan or Clip Jar?
Clip Jar is rated higher. Calctan averages 4.5 out of 5 from 61 ratings, while Clip Jar averages 4.6 from 14 ratings.
Do Calctan or Clip Jar have ads?
Neither Calctan nor Clip Jar shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Calctan or Clip Jar?
Calctan ships an update every 3 months, and Clip Jar every 6 weeks. Most recently, Calctan was updated on October 29, 2026 and Clip Jar on October 24, 2026.

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