# picocalc vs otu.ai

The clearest difference is ads: otu.ai at none against picocalc's shown. otu.ai also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 31 months) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.6). picocalc's advantage is device support (4 vs 2). On price and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. picocalc sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and otu.ai sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

picocalc ships an update every 31 months, otu.ai fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | picocalc | otu.ai |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/picocalc/id284740333/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **3** | — |
| Positive reviews | 65.6% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 31 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 6 MB | 27 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **15.1** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Vision Pro** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Masayuki Akamatsu](https://appshunter.io/developer/284722836) | [opentutorials](https://appshunter.io/developer/1719897055) |

## What reviewers say

### picocalc

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/picocalc/id284740333)

This app displays a single number on your home screen badge, which can be set, added to, or subtracted from. It's a minimalist tool for quick numerical reminders. Negative numbers and zero are not displayed on the badge.

**Highlights:** Set a number, Add to number, Subtract from number, Home screen badge display, Hides zero and negative numbers

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $0.99 | one-time |


### otu.ai

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/otuai/id6473810282)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $4.99 | per month |
| Yearly Subscription | $44.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is picocalc free?

picocalc is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is otu.ai free?

otu.ai is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do picocalc or otu.ai have ads?

picocalc shows ads; otu.ai does not.

### Which is updated more often, picocalc or otu.ai?

picocalc ships an update every 31 months, and otu.ai fortnightly. Most recently, picocalc was updated on September 22, 2026 and otu.ai on September 16, 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.*