Beam HPC vs iHP48
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Beam HPC
This app calculates structural diagrams for beams, including moment, shear, and deflection. It supports various loads, supports, and material properties, allowing for interactive adjustments and comparisons. Designed for educational purposes, it helps users visualize and understand beam behavior.
- Moment, shear, and deflection diagrams
- Multiple load types (forces, moments, distributed)
- Adjustable support conditions (pinned, fixed, roller)
- Segmented beams with varying properties
- Interactive drag-and-drop interface
- Educational focus on beam behavior
Read full descriptionHide full description
Beam HPC app calculates the moment, shear, deflection and rotation diagrams for a beam with various types of loading. Loading types include forces, moments and distributed loads. The load location and magnitude can be changed at any time. There are three types of supports (i.e. boundary conditions) including pinned, fixed and vertical roller. Each beam can be split into sub-beam segments. Each beam segment can have a different moment of inertia (I) and stiffness (E). The user can click and drag all items to quickly change and compare results. This program is designed for educational uses only. It should not be used for commercial purposes. There is no warranty or guarantee the results are accurate, and the user accepts all responsibility for values calculated.
iHP48
This app brings the powerful HP48 calculator experience to your mobile device. It offers enhanced performance, seamless file management, and a customizable interface with support for various HP calculator models. Enjoy a familiar and convenient calculator solution without needing extra hardware.
- Supports HP38, HP39, HP48, HP49, HP50 calculators
- Haptic feedback and customizable zoom options
- Seamless file transfer via iTunes and Files app
- Cloud storage integration (iCloud, OneDrive, Dropbox)
- Object saving/loading and copy/paste functionality
- Access to calculator packages, skins, and ROMs
- Internal file manager and extensible settings
Read full descriptionHide full description
Introducing iHP48 - Your Ultimate Calculator Companion iHP48 emerges from the necessity to revive the unparalleled calculator experience cherished by university students and engineers across various disciplines. Reviving the legacy of the original calculator, iHP48 delivers enhanced performance without the burden of carrying an additional device in your bag. Experience the simplicity and convenience of having the powerful HP48 at your fingertips once again. Key Features: Wide Compatibility: iHP48 supports HP38, HP39, HP48, HP49, and HP50 calculators. Easily configure your preferred calculator with the Fetch options. Enhanced User Experience: Enjoy Haptic feedback on keypress and customizable haptic styles via Settings. Zoom options tailored to your iPhone and preferences, including a new lift zoom for XS devices. Seamless File Management: Transfer files effortlessly from your computer using iTunes on both PC's and MacOS. Access iHP48 files directly from your device using the Files app and share them with any compatible iOS app. Copy files to and from your favorite cloud providers supported by the Files app, such as iCloud Drive, OneDrive, and Dropbox. Convenient Object Handling: Save or Load objects to/from your device using Files, ensuring your favorite .lib is readily available on your iHP48 stack. Copy and Paste supported objects seamlessly between iOS and the iHP48 Stack. Comprehensive Library: Access a rich library of Calculator Packages, Skin Collections, ROM's, and useful libraries like Meta Kernel and QPI. Intuitive Interface: Benefit from an internal File Manager for simplified file management and an extensible Settings administration accessible directly from the Settings app or via a shortcut from the iHP48 menu. Customizable Experience: Save your current calculator configuration for easy access. Explore special features embedded in various skins, including screen swipes, sounds, and orientation options. No Hidden Costs: iHP48 is completely free, devoid of any enterprise, professional, plus, or ultimate versions. There are no hidden features or payments required. We greatly appreciate any support you offer as we continue to enhance and refine iHP48. For additional information, visit https://www.thinkchile.com/iHP48. Experience the power of the legendary HP48, reinvented for the modern era with iHP48.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: iHP48 at 4.6 against Beam HPC's 4.2. iHP48 also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 18 months) and ratings volume (302 vs 5). Beam HPC's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 88%) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
iHP48 holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: iHP48 has 302 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 100% of Beam HPC's written reviews are positive against 88% of iHP48's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Beam HPC ships an update every 18 months, iHP48 monthly. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.
| Parameter | Beam HPC | iHP48 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.2 (5 ratings) | 4.6 (302 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better | 88.3% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 5 | 302 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 18 months | Monthly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 9.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 18 MB | 6 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Kurt Gramoll | Alexis Lorca |
Customer experience
Beam HPC
iHP48
Bugs and requests
Beam HPC
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
iHP48
Reported bugs
3 issues- Crashes on startup
- Inability to save state across sessions
- Incompatibility with certain iOS devices
Requested features
4 requests- Dark mode option
- Ability to disable haptic feedback
- Support for HP50G emulation
- Improved keyboard mapping and arrow key functionality
In-app purchases
Beam HPC
No in-app purchases
iHP48
No in-app purchases









