RPN vs RLM
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
RPN
This app is a photo-realistic simulation of a classic Hewlett-Packard programmable scientific calculator from the 1970s. It includes a 100-hour digital timer, clock functions, and original HP programs.
- Photo-realistic look-and-feel
- Programmable with conditional branching
- 100-hr timer and 12/24-hr clock
- Original HP programs built-in
- Extended features for enhanced usability
- Sharing via email, AirDrop, and more
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RPN-55 SD is the first photo-realistic simulation for the iPhone of Hewlett-Packard's low-cost alternative to the famous HP-65 programmable scientific calculator. Produced from 1975 through 1977, it was the "Merlin" member of the classic HP calculator series, priced at $395. HP claimed that it featured "(...) more pre-programmed functions than any other scientific pocket calculator in the world." A main feature of the HP-55 was a crystal-controlled 100-hr digital timer with the ability to store times while the timer was running and later recall them. On RPN-55 SD the timer may also act as a 12-hr or 24-hr clock, including date and weekday display. While the simulator works just like the original calculator – except being much faster and having twice the program memory – you can turn on extended features to make it even more enjoyable to use. RPN-55 SD comes complete with original HP programs built in. Features: • Photo-realistic look-and-feel • Vintage mode or Extended mode • Programmable (99 steps), conditional branching • Insert and delete steps with automatic address correction • Delete range of steps • Subroutines (4 levels) • 20 registers, "continuous", with unrestricted store/recall arithmetic • "Live" register view • Program listing view • Program library view • Store and retrieve any number of programs • 100-hr timer supporting 10 split times and 12/24-hr clock mode with date • Swap unit conversions with additional functions, e.g. hyperbolics • Sharing: e-mail, AirDrop, Dropbox, copy, paste, print • 112 programs pre-installed Calculator functions: • Statistics (linear regression, mean, standard deviation, correlation coefficient, x- and y-estimates) • Trigonometric functions (degrees, radians, grads) • Polar/rectangular conversions • Inverse, square root, logarithm, exponential, pi • Storage arithmetic (store and recall) • Percent, absolute, integer, fractional value, round • Factorial • Random number • Unit and hours conversions Details: cuveesoft.ch/rpn55
RLM
This app offers a comprehensive suite of calculators for finance, business, science, and general use. It includes specialized worksheets for loans, investments, statistics, and complex mathematical functions, designed to leverage iOS device capabilities.
- Finance worksheets (amortization, bond pricing, options)
- Business calculations (bill split, break-even, currency)
- Statistical analysis (probability, regressions)
- Scientific functions (complex numbers, vectors)
- Unit and currency conversions
- Equation solver
- Date and time calculations
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The RLM-17BX is a calculator for finance, business and science. It is designed to bring up the most of your iOS devices with an extensive set of worksheets and enhancements to cover most of the functions generally needed by financial, business, mathematical, engineering and scientific professionals. >Finance Worksheets: •Account Balance: Calculates the Balance of cash transactions and interest applied at arbitrary dates. •Amortization: Loan Amortization Schedule for a single or several loan payments. •Bond Price & Yield: Calculates the Price, Yield and Effective Duration of a Bond. •Black-Scholes Options: Calculates the CALL, PUT and “Greeks” values of a Black-Scholes European option. •Depreciation: Calculates depreciation with SL, SOYD, DB or MACRS methods and conventions. •Interest Rates: Nominal and effective interest conversion. •Time Value of Money: Calculates compound Interest problems. >Business Worksheets: •Bill-Tip-Split: Calculates the sharing of a Bill with Tip. •Break-Even: Analyze the following relation: Profit = (Price - Var.Cost) • Units - Fix.Cost •Currency Exchange with manual or on-line rates. •Inventory Turn Over. •Percents & Margins: Calculates %Change, %Total and Business margins. •Return on Investment. >Cash Flows Worksheets: •Equal Periods: Cash Flows occurring at regular time intervals. •Unequal Periods: Cash Flows occurring at arbitrary dates. >Statistics Worksheets: •Probability: 16 probability distributions. •One or Two variables Statistics. •Curve Fitting: 6 Regression models to fit a curve. >Scientific Worksheets: •Angles & Polar-Rectangular conversions. •Complex Numbers: Operations and functions with complex numbers. •Combinations & Permutations. •Logarithms, Trigonometric, Hyperbolic and Number Alteration functions. •Quadratic Equation solver •Triangle Solution: Solves a Plane & Spherical triangles. •3D Vectors: Operations and functions with vectors in Cartesian, Spherical or Cylindrical coordinates. •Universal Constants: All the NIST-CODATA physical constants values and descriptions. •Units Conversion: Physical units conversion completely customizable. >Conversion Worksheets: •Angles: Convert angle between DEG,RAD,GRAD,DMS and Slope %. •Currencies: world currencies conversions with manual input or on-line current rates. •Interest Rates: Nominal and effective interest conversion. •Units: Physical units conversions. >General Worksheets: •Date: Calculates days between dates with Actual, 360 or 365 days calendars. •Time: Calculates time intervals between different times. •Solver: Calculates arbitrary equations entered as text expression to solve any of the variables knowing the others. •Storage Registers: Store and perform operations directly over the calculators storage registers. •Memory Content: Clear, Back-Up or Restore part or all of the Calculator's memory. •General Settings: Customize many aspects of the calculator including formats & feedbacks. •Help Documents: Description and examples of all the calculator worksheets and features. •General Settings to set classic and new keyboard skins, RPN and algebraic logic, sounds, display format, etc. >Editors Worksheets: To create or edit data •(Date,Trx) List: Transactions and the dates they occurs for the "Account Balance Worksheet". •(Date.CF) List: Cash flows and the dates they occurs for the "Unequal Periods Cash Flows Worksheet". •(X,N) List: Cash flows and repetitions for the "Equal Periods Cash Flows Worksheet". •(X,Y) List: X and Y data samples for the Statistics worksheets. •Solver Equation: Algebraic expression for use in the "Solver" worksheet. •Units Database: Customize the "Units" worksheet. System requirements: iOS 26.0 or above. 30-day free trial, then a single one-time Lifetime Purchase. No subscription. License Agreement: http://www.apple.com/legal/itunes/appstore/dev/stdeula Disclaimer: THIS IS NOT A HEWLETT PACKARD CALCULATOR, AND IS NOT SPONSORED IN ANYWAY BY HEWLETT PACKARD OR ANY OF ITS SUBSIDIARIES.
Screenshots
Verdict
RPN and RLM both sit at 5.0 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of RPN's written reviews are positive against 53% of RLM's. RPN also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 4) and ratings volume (8 vs 1). RLM's advantage is price (Free vs $1.99) and update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months). On rating, ads and device support 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
RLM is free to download; RPN costs $1.99 up front. RLM sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.49 per month. RPN asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for RPN against 5.0 for RLM. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: RPN has 8 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 100% of RPN's written reviews are positive against 53% of RLM's.
RPN ships an update every 3 months, RLM monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | RPN | RLM |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 5.0 (8 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better | 53.3% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 8 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Monthly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Free with in-app purchases — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 — better | 26.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 17 MB | 7 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | CuVee Software | R.L.M. Software |
Customer experience
RPN
RLM
In-app purchases
RPN
No in-app purchases
RLM
- Monthly Virtual Battery$0.491 Month
- Semi-Annual Subscription$2.996 Months
- Annual Subscription$5.991 Year
- Lifetime Purchase$9.99







