Comparison

Pentatronics 1000 vs my59

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

Head to head
About

Pentatronics 1000

Experience a faithful re-creation of a legendary gaming calculator from a bygone era. This app brings back the iconic "READY" message and the novelty of having a game on a calculator, blending math with fun, style, and humor.

Highlights
  • Faithful re-creation of a legendary gaming calculator
  • Iconic "READY" message
  • Calculator with built-in games
  • Emphasis on fun, style, and humor
  • Brings a rare collectible to mobile
Features
Read full description

Pentatronics 1000 is a faithful re-creation of the legendary gaming calculator, one of the most exciting calculators of its era. Pentatronics 1000 introduced many novelties such as the iconic "READY" message that has been adopted by virtually every calculator ever since. Today we take for granted that a calculator should have at least one game, but this was again an innovation brought by Pentatronics. Pentatronics creators believed that life shouldn't be just about math and logic. Fun, style, and humor were every bit as important. Unfortunately, today these calculators are impossible to find except in the hands of a few lucky collectors. We are honored to bring this rare calculator to your mobile device. We would like to thank all the people who helped us during the development of this app, especially Edwin J. Gallaghan from the original Pentatronics 1000 development team. Without Edwin's expertise and warm encouragement, we couldn't have completed this project. For feedback, contact us at pentatronics1000@gmail.com.

About

my59

Features
Read full description

Experience the power and authenticity of a classic programmable calculator from the late 1970s directly on your iPhone, iPad, and Mac. my59 is not just a calculator app; it is a faithful, highly accurate emulator that brings a piece of computing history into the modern era. Whether you are an engineer, a student, a retro-computing enthusiast, or simply someone who appreciates the raw power of vintage programmable calculators, my59 delivers an authentic, uncompromised experience enhanced with the latest Apple ecosystem features. KEY FEATURES: Authentic Design & Feel: A meticulously crafted interface inspired by classic programmable calculators of the era, complete with a faithful keypad layout and display. Full Emulation: Supports the complete original instruction set, memory registers, and programming logic. Write and execute programs just as you would on the original hardware. Modern Workspace: Fully optimized for all screen sizes, including seamless portrait and landscape modes on iPad, and native support for Apple Silicon Macs. Built-in Documentation: Never get stuck. Full documentation, manuals, and quick references are integrated directly into the app for easy access. UNLOCK FULL POWER (Premium): my59 is free to download and try. Upgrading to Premium (available as a flexible subscription or a lifetime one-time purchase) unlocks the ultimate workstation: Complete Module Library: Get unrestricted access to all expansion packs and library modules. iCloud Sync: Keep your programs, memory state, and modules seamlessly synchronized across your iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Advanced Saving & Sharing: Save an unlimited number of custom programs and easily share them with other users. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ This app is an independent project and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to Texas Instruments Inc. or any of its subsidiaries.

Screenshots

Pentatronics 10002 screens
my594 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Pentatronics 1000 at none against my59's 3. Pentatronics 1000 also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 5 weeks) and iOS requirement (13.3 vs 26.0). On price, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. my59 sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Pentatronics 1000 asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Pentatronics 1000 ships an update fortnightly, my59 every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Pentatronics 1000 versus my59: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPentatronics 1000my59
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (4 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings4 — better—
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterEvery 5 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Mac
Requires iOS13.3 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size1 MB11 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPaul NovaesMiroslav Perovic

In-app purchases

None

Pentatronics 1000

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

my59

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly$0.991 Month
  • Yearly$9.991 Year
One-time1
  • Unlock Full App$19.99

Questions

Is Pentatronics 1000 free?
Pentatronics 1000 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is my59 free?
my59 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Pentatronics 1000 or my59 have ads?
Neither Pentatronics 1000 nor my59 shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Pentatronics 1000 or my59?
Pentatronics 1000 ships an update fortnightly, and my59 every 5 weeks. Most recently, Pentatronics 1000 was updated on October 3, 2026 and my59 on October 16, 2026.

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