Comparison

PyCalc vs Plus42

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

Head to head
About

PyCalc

This app offers a revolutionary approach to mobile calculations, allowing users to view and edit entire equations at once. It leverages the power of Python 3.11.1 for advanced functions, symbolic math, and financial analysis, making complex computations accessible on the go.

Highlights
  • Real-time editable calculation view
  • Python 3.11.1 interpreter
  • Programmable scientific calculator
  • Support for matrices and fractions
  • Built-in Python packages (math, sympy)
  • Financial analysis functions
  • Symbolic math capabilities
Features
Read full description

What most people love first about PyCalc is that they can see and edit their entire calculation all at once. It's a simple idea but it makes a huge difference in the kinds of calculations people end up doing on mobile. But that just scratches the surface of PyCalc's features and capabilities. The more you learn, the more you'll see how easy it is to do calculations that were always too hard before on mobile. Jump in and learn a truly better way of calculating. Basic features: ● A new and better approach to mobile calculation ● A cleaner interface for complicated calculations than traditional calculators ● Calculate by voice ● A history list keeps track of your previous calculations ● Functions built in for a huge range of applications ● Multiple keyboards optimized for different use cases Advanced features: ● Based on the Python® language, with access to the power of a full Python 3.11.1 interpreter ● Programmable scientific calculator: An editable startup.py script allows you to define your own functions for easy access later ● Streamlined support for matrices and fractions ● Many standard Python packages, such as: math, statistics, random, sympy, mpmath, fractions, decimal and datetime ● Basic financial analysis functions: pv(), fv(), npv(), pmt(), etc. ● Built-in support for complex numbers ● Symbolic math via the sympy package ● http/https queries via requests package ● Much, much more... "Python" and the Python Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of the Python Software Foundation, used by the PyCalc project with permission from the Foundation.

About

Plus42

This advanced scientific calculator simulates the classic HP-42S RPN calculator with enhanced features. It offers algebraic expressions, unit conversions, directories for storage, a larger resizable display, financial functions, and 2D plotting with integral and root finding.

Highlights
  • HP-42S RPN calculator simulation
  • Algebraic expressions
  • Attached units and conversions
  • Program and variable directories
  • Resizable 8-row, 22-column display
  • Time value of money and amortization
  • 2D function plotting with zoom and pan
Features
Read full description

Plus42 is an advanced scientific programmable calculator, based on Free42. Free42, in turn, is a complete re-implementation of the HP-42S scientific programmable RPN calculator, which was made from 1988 until 1995 by Hewlett-Packard. Free42 is a complete rewrite and contains no HP code whatsoever. Plus42 builds on Free42 and adds: Algebraic expressions modeled after those used on the HP-27S and HP-17B/19B; attached units and unit conversions modeled after those used on the HP-48/49/50 series; directories for more organized storage of programs and variables; a larger display, with 8 rows and 22 columns (131x64 pixels) by default, which the user may resize at will; time value of money and amortization schedules; and two-dimensional plotting of functions, with ability to zoom and pan, and find integrals and roots from points in the plot.

Screenshots

PyCalc4 screens
Plus424 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: PyCalc at Free against Plus42's $9.99. Plus42's advantage is ratings volume (79 vs 15) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 18.0). On rating, review sentiment, update cadence and ads 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

PyCalc is free to download; Plus42 costs $9.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for PyCalc against 4.9 for Plus42. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Plus42 has 79 ratings behind it against 15, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 100% of PyCalc's written reviews are positive against 92% of Plus42's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PyCalc ships an update every 2 weeks, Plus42 weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
PyCalc versus Plus42: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPyCalcPlus42
PriceFree — better$9.99
Rating5.0 (15 ratings) — better4.9 (79 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better92.3% of reviews
Number of ratings1579 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS18.012.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size120 MB11 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperYoureka Tech, LLCThomas Okken

Customer experience

PyCalc

All ratings15 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews8 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Plus42

All ratings79 ratings
Positive97.5%
Neutral0.0%
Negative2.5%
Written reviews39 reviews
Positive92.3%
Neutral2.6%
Negative5.1%

In-app purchases

None

PyCalc

No in-app purchases

None

Plus42

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is PyCalc free?
PyCalc is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Plus42 free?
Plus42 costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, PyCalc or Plus42?
PyCalc is rated higher. PyCalc averages 5.0 out of 5 from 15 ratings, while Plus42 averages 4.9 from 79 ratings.
Do PyCalc or Plus42 have ads?
Neither PyCalc nor Plus42 shows ads.
Which is updated more often, PyCalc or Plus42?
PyCalc ships an update every 2 weeks, and Plus42 weekly. Most recently, PyCalc was updated on September 20, 2026 and Plus42 on October 13, 2026.

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