# PCalc vs Digits Tape Calculator

The clearest difference is price: Digits Tape Calculator at $1.99 against PCalc's $9.99. Digits Tape Calculator also leads on iOS requirement (10.3 vs 15.0). PCalc's advantage is device support (5 vs 3). On rating, review sentiment, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

PCalc costs $9.99 and Digits Tape Calculator $1.99 up front. PCalc sells 4 one-off in-app purchases and Digits Tape Calculator sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for PCalc against 4.8 for Digits Tape Calculator. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 779 and 1.1K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 83% of PCalc's written reviews are positive against 87% of Digits Tape Calculator's.

PCalc ships an update every 6 weeks, Digits Tape Calculator every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PCalc | Digits Tape Calculator |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $9.99 | **$1.99** |
| Rating | [4.7 (779 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pcalc/id284666222/reviews) | **[4.8 (1.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/digits-tape-calculator/id364500115/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 779 | **1.1K** |
| Positive reviews | 83.4% of reviews | **86.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 4 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 83 MB | 30 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **10.3** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch, Vision Pro** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [TLA Systems Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/284666225) | [Shift](https://appshunter.io/developer/364500118) |

## What reviewers say

### PCalc

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pcalc/id284666222)

A powerful calculator designed for professionals and students, offering advanced features like RPN mode, multi-line display, and extensive unit conversions. It supports various number systems and includes an Apple Watch app for on-the-go calculations.

**Highlights:** Optional RPN mode, Multi-line display, Extensive unit conversions, Paper tape, Multiple undo/redo, Hexadecimal, octal, binary support, Apple Watch app

**Features:** Apple Watch app, iMessage stickers, Fun Camera support, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Small Tip | $0.99 | one-time |
| Medium Tip | $1.99 | one-time |
| Large Tip | $4.99 | one-time |
| Enormous Tip | $9.99 | one-time |


### Digits Tape Calculator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/digits-tape-calculator/id364500115)

This app offers a calculator with an editable, line-by-line tape history, combining spreadsheet-like functionality with calculator simplicity. Easily correct mistakes, add comments, and share or print your calculations.

**Highlights:** Editable line-by-line tape history, Correct and insert entries, Add labels and comments, Email or print tapes, Store tapes as documents, Dark Mode and customization

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Export and Sharing | $0.99 | one-time |
| Pro Design | $0.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Best tape calculator
- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- 💡 Editable and commentable saved tapes
- 🚀 Resizes well on iPad
- 👍 Customizable color scheme

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bug with iOS 26 where number pad doesn't return after adding comments
- 🐛 Slow to load and unresponsive on some devices
- 👎 Lack of iCloud sync between devices

**Reported bugs**

- Number pad disappears after adding comments on iOS 26
- App crashes on startup for some users after iOS updates

**Requested features**

- Add scientific calculator functions
- Ability to import/export CSV files
- Option to change font size of tape section
- Add date/time stamp for calculations


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PCalc free?

PCalc costs $9.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is Digits Tape Calculator free?

Digits Tape Calculator costs $1.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, PCalc or Digits Tape Calculator?

Digits Tape Calculator is rated higher. PCalc averages 4.7 out of 5 from 779 ratings, while Digits Tape Calculator averages 4.8 from 1.1K ratings.

### Do PCalc or Digits Tape Calculator have ads?

Neither PCalc nor Digits Tape Calculator shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, PCalc or Digits Tape Calculator?

PCalc ships an update every 6 weeks, and Digits Tape Calculator every 4 weeks. Most recently, PCalc was updated on October 31, 2026 and Digits Tape Calculator on November 1, 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.*