PCS Instruments vs GradPad
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
PCS Instruments
This utility app simplifies Hertz contact calculations for various geometries and materials. It allows users to input loads and material properties to instantly determine contact conditions, or calculate required loads for specific contact sizes.
- Hertzian geometry calculations
- Load and material property input
- Instant contact condition results
- Customizable contact types
- Load calculation for desired contact size
- Pre-loaded specimen data for PCS instruments
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Designed by PCS Instruments, the PCS App allows you to easily and quickly calculate Hertz contact pressures and sizes for any valid Hertzian geometry with specified loads and materials. Specimen geometries and material properties for all our instruments are loaded on the app: simply select your specimens, input the load, and the app does the rest - giving you all the contact conditions instantly! For custom Hertz contacts, you can select from a range of standard (and custom) contact types to fit all your testing needs. For circular and line contacts you can even set just the radius of the sample and any other parameter, and the app will calculate the load required to achieve this and all the other parameters. These parameters are: - Load - Max pressure - Contact radius - Mean pressure - Contact area - Approach For users of PCS Instruments machines, the PCS App comes pre-loaded with all the contact geometry and standard specimens and materials from our instruments including the: - MTM - EHD - HSD - ETM - HFRR - HPR - MPR - ABS - ABSSL Moreover, the PCS App not only comes pre-loaded with properties for all the standard specimen materials we supply, but many more common materials, and the option for you to add and save your own custom materials.
GradPad
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The simplest way to manage your GradPad Resident account from your fingertips. The GradPad Resident app brings everything you need all in one place: • Make rent payments • View all your documents in one place • Contact the site team The GradPad Resident app is free to download. It's quick and easy to install and makes managing your accommodation easy.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: GradPad at every 9 months against PCS Instruments's every 55 months. GradPad also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.6). On price, ads, in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
PCS Instruments ships an update every 55 months, GradPad every 9 months. Both last shipped on November 3, 2026.
| Parameter | PCS Instruments | GradPad |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Update frequency | Every 55 months | Every 9 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 12.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 5 MB | 56 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | PCS Instruments | Yardi Systems, Inc. |
In-app purchases
PCS Instruments
No in-app purchases
GradPad
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is PCS Instruments free?
Is GradPad free?
Do PCS Instruments or GradPad have ads?
Which is updated more often, PCS Instruments or GradPad?
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