Comparison

The Devil's Calculator vs square

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

Head to head
About

The Devil's Calculator

This math puzzle game challenges you to decipher obscure operators on a calculator. Solve algebraic puzzles by working backward to understand the functions and purge the calculator of its demons. It's an addictive and educational experience with user-created levels and DLC.

Highlights
  • Obscure operator deciphering
  • Algebraic puzzle solving
  • User-created levels
  • DLC levels by mathematicians
  • Graphing mechanics
  • Hand-drawn artwork
Features
Read full description

An evil calculator has its normal arithmetic operators replaced with sadistically obscure functions. Using logic and algebraic puzzle solving, you must work backwards to interpolate them and purge the calculator of its demons. Non-profit and open-source, The Devil's Calculator is a highly original indie game that's as addicting as it is educational. Accessible to numberphiles and math novices alike, the first 20+ levels are 100% free to play and enjoy along with several DLC levels, authored by famous mathematicians like Alex Bellos, Grant Sanderson, James Grime, Tony Padilla and James Tanton! The game was named a fan favorite of GDWC, and one of the top 10 indie games of 2019 by PAX. Each level has you decipher the function of a mysterious operator and use it to calculate the number of the beast to progress. Advanced graphing mechanics, countless features and simple, yet innovative level design provide considerable depth to the gameplay. Players unlock the ability to create their own levels and play challenges others have created - including free DLC levels crafted by the game's creators, educators and mathematicians. With hand drawn artwork and a charming story, the Devil's Calculator is a genuinely fun and gratifying puzzle experience. The game was celebrated at the MOVES conference by the National Museum of Mathematics in New York City. Cinq-Mars Media is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization developing technology to support scientific research related to human safety and education, and to make such technology and research available on a charitable basis.

About

square

Engage your mind in a unique puzzle game where the objective is to form perfect squares. Explore increasingly complex challenges that test your logic, creativity, and problem-solving skills. Immerse yourself in vibrant visuals and a relaxing soundtrack as you boost your brainpower.

Highlights
  • Unique square-themed puzzles
  • Challenging gameplay mechanics
  • Vibrant geometric visuals
  • Relaxing brain-boosting soundtrack
  • Adaptive difficulty levels
  • Progressive learning experience
Features
Read full description

Step into a world where your IQ and brain are put to the ultimate test in a thrilling journey to uncover the hidden secrets of the square. In this mind-bending puzzle game, your objective is clear: form the perfect square in every level. But the path to success is far from simple. Each stage introduces unique challenges that will push the boundaries of your problem-solving skills, logic, and creativity. Can your brain rise to the challenge? As you progress through the game, the square becomes more than just a shape - it becomes the key to unlocking increasingly complex puzzles. Your IQ will be tested as each level grows more intricate, requiring deep thinking and sharp intuition. From basic squares to complex geometric forms, the game constantly challenges your brainpower, forcing you to think outside the box and discover new ways to solve puzzles. - Unique Square-Themed Puzzles: Every level revolves around the concept of the square, but no two puzzles are alike. Some require precision, others demand abstract thinking, but all will challenge your IQ and brain in ways you've never imagined. Whether you're connecting points, rotating shapes, or combining elements, every stage offers a new and engaging take on the square. - Challenging Gameplay Mechanics: Put your brain to work as you explore diverse mechanics. The game plays with geometry and logic, pushing your IQ to its limits as you figure out how to create the elusive square. Each puzzle is a test of both intelligence and creativity, making every win feel like a true brainpower achievement. - Vibrant Visuals: The minimalist, geometric art style sharpens your focus on the puzzles while delivering visually striking levels filled with vibrant, contrasting colors. The visual design highlights the beauty of squares and the symmetry of shapes, while also engaging your mind to look for solutions in every angle and line. - Relaxing Brain-Boosting Soundtrack: Boost your concentration with the soothing background music, designed to help your brain relax even as you take on increasingly tough challenges. The calming soundtrack keeps your mind sharp, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in the game’s IQ-boosting puzzles. - Adaptive Difficulty Levels: The game’s difficulty curve adapts to challenge your growing IQ and puzzle-solving abilities. As you progress, you’ll find puzzles that are more challenging, requiring you to use every ounce of brainpower and ingenuity. The variety of puzzles ensures that no level feels repetitive, keeping your mind constantly engaged. - Progressive Learning Experience: As the levels get more complex, the game’s intelligent learning system helps you adapt to new mechanics with ease. You’ll gradually unlock advanced strategies and new ways to solve puzzles, training your brain to see squares in more dynamic and inventive ways. By the end, you’ll be a master of both geometry and logic. - Language Support: Available in multiple languages, this puzzle game is designed to challenge players from around the world. Are you smart enough to solve every square puzzle? Will your IQ and brainpower be enough to master the ultimate challenge without any hints? Are you prepared to unlock the secrets of squares and boost your intelligence with every puzzle? The journey to square mastery starts here. Strengthen your brain, sharpen your IQ. Let the quest for square begin now!

Screenshots

The Devil's Calculator4 screens
square4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: square at none against The Devil's Calculator's 1. The Devil's Calculator's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (10.0 vs 15.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume 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. The Devil's Calculator sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. square asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

The Devil's Calculator holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 246 and 328 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 85% of The Devil's Calculator's written reviews are positive against 79% of square's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

The Devil's Calculator ships an update every 10 days, square every 5 days. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
The Devil's Calculator versus square: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterThe Devil's Calculatorsquare
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (246 ratings) — better4.7 (328 ratings)
Positive reviews85.4% of reviews — better79.2% of reviews
Number of ratings246328 — better
Update frequencyEvery 10 daysEvery 5 days — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesAd-supported — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS10.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size77 MB152 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCinq-Mars MediaRaul Davrishev

Customer experience

The Devil's Calculator

All ratings246 ratings
Positive95.9%
Neutral0.4%
Negative3.7%
Written reviews41 reviews
Positive85.4%
Neutral2.4%
Negative12.2%

square

All ratings283 ratings
Positive92.6%
Neutral3.5%
Negative3.9%
Written reviews53 reviews
Positive79.2%
Neutral9.4%
Negative11.3%

User reviews

The Devil's Calculator

From 246 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 💡 Most creative idea ever
  • 🧠 Genius puzzle design
  • 👍 Fun and educational
  • 🚀 Brilliant game concept
  • 🤓 Great for math lovers

Room to improve

  • 😠 Tedious late puzzles
  • 🐛 Calculator responsiveness issues
  • 🐛 Wolfram graphing feature doesn't work
  • 🐛 Progress saving issues
  • 🐛 Calculator malfunction

square

From 328 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Fun and addictive gameplay
  • 💡 Unique puzzle mechanics
  • ✨ Simple and clean graphics
  • 😌 Minimal ads (mostly)
  • 🧠 Good for the brain

Room to improve

  • 📉 Too short, not enough levels
  • 🤔 Confusing directions/goals
  • 😩 Ads can be deceptive/coercive
  • ⏳ Hints don't always work
  • 🤯 Some levels are too easy

Bugs and requests

The Devil's Calculator

Reported bugs

9 issues
  • Some late puzzles with the third operator get too tedious with too much trial and error
  • The built-in calculator needs some work and button responsiveness isn’t always the best.
  • The graph to wolfram alpha function doesn’t seem to work.
  • There’s unfortunately an exploit I accidentally discovered that allows you to bypass any level.
  • The “real” calculator malfunctions when you want to use the answer you got previously, like if I input “330 * 2”, getting 660, then pressed “+6” on the next row, instead of showing 660 + 6 = 666, it’d show 2+6 = 8
Show 4 more
  • Lost progress again from 38 to 33. iPhone XS Max, iOS 12.4.1.
  • My progress seems to be undone somewhat arbitrarily. I was working through the 50s, and when I booted up the game today, my progress had reset to level 35.
  • The wolfram graphing feature doesn’t work.
  • There’s a problem with DLC LEVEL 6 however.

Requested features

3 requests
  • Update the app
  • Fix DLC Level 6
  • More levels

square

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Level 30 has a glitch, nothing moves
  • Stuck on level 30, can't move or change anything
  • Bug on level 27 makes it impossible to 100%
  • Ad for Royal Match doesn't stop and prevents gameplay

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add more levels
  • More challenging puzzles
  • Add an expansion or more content
  • Provide clearer directions/tutorials
  • Implement a way to replay levels with different solutions

In-app purchases

1 purchases

The Devil's Calculator

One-time1
  • Full Version of Game$2.99
None

square

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is The Devil's Calculator free?
The Devil's Calculator is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is square free?
square is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, The Devil's Calculator or square?
The Devil's Calculator is rated higher. The Devil's Calculator averages 4.8 out of 5 from 246 ratings, while square averages 4.7 from 328 ratings.
Do The Devil's Calculator or square have ads?
square shows ads; The Devil's Calculator does not.
Which is updated more often, The Devil's Calculator or square?
The Devil's Calculator ships an update every 10 days, and square every 5 days. Most recently, The Devil's Calculator was updated on October 24, 2026 and square on October 24, 2026.

Other comparisons