Comparison

SAM Studio vs Calcsharp Pro

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

Head to head
About

SAM Studio

This platform offers tools and curriculum-aligned lesson plans for engaging STEAM and coding education. It features intuitive visual coding apps and wireless electronic blocks to bring computational thinking to life in the classroom.

Highlights
  • Curriculum-aligned lesson plans
  • Intuitive visual flow-based and block-based coding
  • Wireless Bluetooth electronic blocks
  • Lesson Builder tool
  • Teacher support and training
  • Support for various sensors and motors
Features
Read full description

SAM Labs provides everything you need to deliver the most engaging STEAM and Coding learning experiences in your classroom. Giving you the tools and support to make the most of your lessons, SAM Labs makes learning interactive and engaging. This includes curriculum-aligned lesson plans, intuitive visual flow-based and block-based apps, wireless electronic blocks that connect seamlessly to provide stimulating challenges. Design lessons with algorithms, programs and systems to bring computational thinking to life! Why use SAM Labs? - A fun and interactive way to bring coding to life - An intuitive visual, flow-based and block-based coding tailored for any classroom or ability level - SAM Blockly enables progression to block-based programming - Easy-to-use, wireless Bluetooth SAM Blocks that are made to last - NEW! Build your own lessons to integrate within your current or upcoming units of study - Unparalleled teacher support, onboarding, and training - Versatile technology that can be used across a variety of subjects Incredibly easy to bring into the classroom – and simple to teach with. You can use the SAM Studio App virtually or bring your projects to life using physical SAM Labs blocks, sensors and devices, including: - Buttons, RGB Light, Buzzer - Multiple sensors: Light, Proximity, Heat, Tilt, Pressure - Controller & Sliders - DC & Servo motors - Wheels, car chassis & roller ball - LEGO®-compatible gear attachments - Chargers and charging station A subscription to SAM Studio also gives you access to our standards-aligned course content, including easy-to-follow lesson plans, editable presentations, step-by-step guides, an engaging interactive Lesson Builder tool, and more! Link: https://store.samlabs.com For more information, book a quick demo: https://go.samlabs.com/book-a-demo Supported languages: English (US), English (UK), Chinese, Italian, Spanish, German, French, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, Swedish, Japanese, Korean, Arabic, Hebrew Supported Bluetooth: Our app runs on devices that support Bluetooth 4.0 and up. LEGO® is a trademark of the LEGO Group of companies which does not sponsor, authorize or endorse this site.

About

Calcsharp Pro

Features
Read full description

It uses a different approach from a conventional calculator, which is more natural to the way people calculate. When you calculate on a conventional calculator, each time you enter a new number you lose sight of the previous one. And if you make a mistake in the middle of a long expression, you have to start all over. In Calcsharp, you can see all of what you are calculating, and expressions can easily be edited and saved. Features: - Evaluate mathematical expressions step by step - Large number of built-in functions and operators - Large number of predefined mathematical and physical constants - Support for fractions - Supports for decimal, hexadecimal, octal and binary numbers - Works with "Infinity" and "Not-a-number" - Three kinds of parentheses - Unlimited size of expressions - Unlimited depth of nesting - Expression builder - Expression history - Three different chalkboard background (green, blue and black)

Screenshots

Calcsharp Pro4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: SAM Studio at Free against Calcsharp Pro's $1.99. Calcsharp Pro's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs every 5 months) and device support (3 vs 1). On ads, in-app purchases and iOS requirement 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

SAM Studio is free to download; Calcsharp Pro costs $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SAM Studio ships an update every 5 months, Calcsharp Pro every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on June 1, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
SAM Studio versus Calcsharp Pro: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSAM StudioCalcsharp Pro
PriceFree — better$1.99
Rating5.0 (3 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings3 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPadiPhone, iPad, Mac — better
Requires iOS15.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size2 MB4 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSAM LabsNikola Stepan

In-app purchases

None

SAM Studio

No in-app purchases

None

Calcsharp Pro

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is SAM Studio free?
SAM Studio is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Calcsharp Pro free?
Calcsharp Pro costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do SAM Studio or Calcsharp Pro have ads?
Neither SAM Studio nor Calcsharp Pro shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SAM Studio or Calcsharp Pro?
SAM Studio ships an update every 5 months, and Calcsharp Pro every 2 days. Most recently, SAM Studio was updated on June 1, 2026 and Calcsharp Pro on September 22, 2026.

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