# RPN vs DB48X

The clearest difference is update cadence: DB48X at every 3 weeks against RPN's every 3 months. RPN's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.8) and price ($1.99 vs $4.99). On review sentiment, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

RPN costs $1.99 and DB48X $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

RPN holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 8 and 4 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

RPN ships an update every 3 months, DB48X every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 6, 2026 and September 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | RPN | DB48X |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$1.99** | $4.99 |
| Rating | **[5.0 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rpn-55-sd/id1469907917/reviews)** | [4.8 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/db48x/id6615086535/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **8** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Size | 17 MB | 7 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 14.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [CuVee Software](https://appshunter.io/developer/424873503) | [Christophe de Dinechin](https://appshunter.io/developer/1761608161) |

## What reviewers say

### RPN

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rpn-55-sd/id1469907917)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### DB48X

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/db48x/id6615086535)

This advanced scientific calculator offers arbitrary precision computations, RPN and algebraic operations, and extensive graphing capabilities. It supports complex numbers, matrices, symbolic calculations, and over 1000 built-in functions, inspired by the HP48 series.

**Highlights:** Arbitrary precision computations, RPN and algebraic operations, Complex numbers, vectors, and matrices, Symbolic computations and numerical solving, Graphing and plotting, Engineering units and currency conversion, Built-in hyperlinked help system

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is RPN free?

RPN costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is DB48X free?

DB48X costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, RPN or DB48X?

RPN is rated higher. RPN averages 5.0 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while DB48X averages 4.8 from 4 ratings.

### Do RPN or DB48X have ads?

Neither RPN nor DB48X shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, RPN or DB48X?

RPN ships an update every 3 months, and DB48X every 3 weeks. Most recently, RPN was updated on September 6, 2026 and DB48X on September 10, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*