# PCalc Lite vs Calculator 17

PCalc Lite and Calculator 17 both sit at 4.4 stars, but that hides the real split: 83% of PCalc Lite's written reviews are positive against 22% of Calculator 17's. PCalc Lite also leads on device support (4 vs 2). Calculator 17's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 11) and update cadence (every 4 days vs every 2 months). On price, rating, ads and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PCalc Lite sells 11 one-off in-app purchases. Calculator 17 asks for nothing beyond the download.

Calculator 17 holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 214 and 971 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 83% of PCalc Lite's written reviews are positive against 22% of Calculator 17's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

PCalc Lite ships an update every 2 months, Calculator 17 every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PCalc Lite | Calculator 17 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (214 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pcalc-lite/id300311831/reviews) | **[4.6 (971 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/calculator-17-math-solver/id6452015902/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 214 | **971** |
| Positive reviews | **82.6% of reviews** | 21.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 76 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [TLA Systems Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/284666225) | [AI APPS SRL](https://appshunter.io/developer/1697892814) |

## What reviewers say

### PCalc Lite

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pcalc-lite/id300311831)

This free scientific calculator offers essential features like RPN mode, unit conversions, and multiple undo/redo. It provides a taste of a more powerful version, with optional in-app purchases for expanded functionality.

**Highlights:** Optional RPN mode, Multiple undo and redo, Unit conversions and constants, Two stylish themes, Apple Watch app

**Features:** Family Sharing, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Theme Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Power User Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Multiple Line Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Conversion Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Small Tip | $0.99 | one-time |
| Medium Tip | $1.99 | one-time |
| Programmer Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Engineer Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Large Tip | $4.99 | one-time |
| Complete Pack | $9.99 | one-time |
| Enormous Tip | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and responsive
- 👍 Clean and intuitive interface
- 💡 Customizable themes and settings
- 🚀 Efficient performance
- 👍 Useful conversion tools

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional lags and crashes
- 🔒 Lack of dark mode support
- 🔒 Inconsistent icon appearance after upgrades
- 🔒 Limitations in RPN mode on Apple Watch
- 🔒 Lack of financial calculator functions

**Reported bugs**

- Calculations sometimes produce unexpected results
- Upside-down text censorship feature is problematic
- Purchased features not always accessible on Apple Watch

**Requested features**

- Add option to display thousands separators
- Implement a history function to review past calculations
- Provide more customization options for the widget
- Add support for sexagesimal angle input and conversion


### Calculator 17

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/calculator-17-math-solver/id6452015902)

This app offers a user-friendly calculator with basic and scientific modes. Access calculations instantly via a home screen widget and review past computations in a saved history.

**Highlights:** User-friendly interface, Basic and scientific modes, Home screen widget, LiveActivity Standby for iPhone, Calculation history, Customizable themes

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Convenient and easy to use
- 💡 Excellent free app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Keyboard not functioning properly
- 🐛 Widget not working or slow
- 🐛 Screen sizing issues
- 🐛 Only works in portrait mode on iPad

**Reported bugs**

- Widget shows up blank
- Numerical display is cut off
- Significant delay between key presses and display update

**Requested features**

- Add landscape mode support
- Improve widget responsiveness
- Increase bracket functionality


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PCalc Lite free?

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

### Is Calculator 17 free?

Calculator 17 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, PCalc Lite or Calculator 17?

Calculator 17 is rated higher. PCalc Lite averages 4.4 out of 5 from 214 ratings, while Calculator 17 averages 4.6 from 971 ratings.

### Do PCalc Lite or Calculator 17 have ads?

Neither PCalc Lite nor Calculator 17 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, PCalc Lite or Calculator 17?

PCalc Lite ships an update every 2 months, and Calculator 17 every 4 days. Most recently, PCalc Lite was updated on October 13, 2026 and Calculator 17 on October 12, 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.*