# HotPaw Basic vs Unit Eater

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Unit Eater at 100% against HotPaw Basic's 52%. Unit Eater also leads on price (Free vs $4.99) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 5 months). HotPaw Basic's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2). On ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Unit Eater is free to download; HotPaw Basic costs $4.99 up front. Unit Eater sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. HotPaw Basic asks for nothing beyond the download.

HotPaw Basic ships an update every 5 months, Unit Eater every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 6, 2026 and September 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | HotPaw Basic | Unit Eater |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $4.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[3.9 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hotpaw-basic/id295464266/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **7** | — |
| Positive reviews | 52.4% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 1 MB | 65 MB |
| Requires iOS | 12.3 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [HotPaw Productions](https://appshunter.io/developer/285074853) | [Tom Leon Schmidt](https://appshunter.io/developer/1634212175) |

## What reviewers say

### HotPaw Basic

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hotpaw-basic/id295464266)

Experience retro computing by typing and running Basic programs on your iPhone or iPad. This app functions as a programmable calculator and can display simple line graphics, Morse code audio, and perform FFT analysis.

**Highlights:** Retro text-mode Basic interpreter, Programmable calculator functionality, Simple line graphics display, Morse Code audio output, FFT analysis, GPS location support, MQTT and BTLE communications

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Unit Eater

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/unit-eater/id6742549723)

This utility app functions as a powerful calculator that handles unit conversions and calculations. It supports a vast array of predefined units and allows users to define their own, making it ideal for scientific and academic tasks. Features include a calculation history, customizable results, and dark mode.

**Highlights:** Unit conversion and calculation, Custom unit definition, Extensive unit library, Calculation history, Customizable result format, Dark mode

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium - Monthly | $0.99 | per month |
| Premium - Pay once | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HotPaw Basic free?

HotPaw Basic costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Unit Eater free?

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

### Do HotPaw Basic or Unit Eater have ads?

Neither HotPaw Basic nor Unit Eater shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, HotPaw Basic or Unit Eater?

HotPaw Basic ships an update every 5 months, and Unit Eater every 2 weeks. Most recently, HotPaw Basic was updated on September 6, 2026 and Unit Eater on September 11, 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.*