Comparison

BalusterPro vs Stringline

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

Head to head
About

BalusterPro

This app simplifies the calculation of baluster spacing for handrails and other projects requiring equal spacing. It allows users to input dimensions and adjust the number of balusters to meet code requirements, displaying precise measurements on one screen.

Highlights
  • Calculate baluster spacing
  • Input handrail dimensions
  • Adjust balusters needed slider
  • View spacing between balusters
  • Display centers and edges
  • Select measurement precision (1/16, 1/32, metric, 1/64)
  • Audio output of measurements
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

***Named one of the top 100 new home products for 2011 in This Old House magazine*** BalusterPro is a unique and handy tool designed for carpenters and woodworkers, but useful for do-it-yourselfers and homeowners alike. BalusterPro makes the chore of calculating spacing of handrail balusters a quick and elementary task.  It can also be used for any job requiring equal spacing between boards or slats.  Use for picket fences, bench/chair backs,decking or column flutes. ____________________________________ What users are saying: Punch in staircase and handrail dimensions, choose the configuration, and this app saves you the tedium of calculating baluster spacing. Hallelujah. This Old House Magazine BalusterPro is an awesome app and can be used for a multitude of layout tasks, at your desk, on the job, in your car—wherever your phone goes, and it only costs a few bucks. Gary Katz - Master finish carpenter and publisher of THISiscarpentry.com BalusterPro makes building that stairway more heavenly homefixated.com ____________________________________ Instructions for Use: BalusterPro offers calculations for six different common handrail situations which you may encounter.  First, tap the settings button to select your measurement input method, then select the desired type of baluster installation. Use the keypad or sliders to enter your measurements for ‘Run Length’ (distance between the newel posts) and the ‘Baluster Width.’  Finally, just drag the ‘Balusters Needed’ slider to see your required number of balusters. As you adjust the ‘Balusters Needed’ slider, the “Spacing Between Balusters” will simultaneously update. Stop when your ‘Spacing Between Balusters’ meets your specific code requirements. Tap the view button to see a list of all the centers and edges of the balusters. No longer will you need to keep pressing the add button on your traditional calculator to list your centers....they are all shown on one screen! It’s just that simple! You can display your measurements by selecting 1/16, 1/32, or metric on the main screen to determine your precision level. If desired you can also display your result down to 1/64. To do this, once you have done your calculation, simply tap the 'Spacing Between Balusters' result and if possible it will be further reduced down to 1/64 and displayed for 5 seconds. This is handy if you want to cut all your fillets at once as it nearly eliminates cumulative error. Tap the speak buttons at the bottoms of the list columns to have the app speak your measurements. ____________________________________________________________________ Check out my other construction related apps...StairBuilderPro for a stair stringer layout tool & TilePro for a simple tile layout tool. ____________________________________________________________________ Check out the video demo at my website to see BalusterPro in action.

About

Stringline

Features
Read full description

Construction calculator that works in feet, inches, and fractions — matched to 1/64". Download for free. No subscription. No ads. Works offline. 14 SPECIALTY CALCULATORS Stair Layout — rise, run, stringer, angle. IRC and OSHA code check built in. Concrete — cubic yards and bag counts for slabs, footings, columns. Rafter Length — common, hip/valley, jack. Plumb cut, seat cut, overhang. Equal Spacing — every position for studs, balusters, posts, joists. Compound Miter — blade tilt and miter angle for crown and trim. Studs / OC — count and positions for any wall at 16" or 24". Pitch / Slope — pitch, degrees, grade, and roof factor. Baluster Spacing — count, gap, and positions. IRC 4" sphere test built in. Board Feet — lumber volume from nominal dimensions. Drywall Estimator — sheets, waste factor, and opening deductions. Roofing Calculator — squares, bundles, and sheathing for any roof pitch. Right Triangle — check square on any corner. Two sides in, all angles out. Area & Volume — rectangles, circles, triangles, trapezoids. Conversions — feet-inches, decimal feet, metric. HOW IT WORKS Three calculators are yours to keep — Right Triangle, Area & Volume, and Conversions — with the full keypad, memory, and paper tape. No limits, no catch. The other 11 Pro calculators (stairs, concrete, rafters, and more) come with 5 uses so you can try them on a real job. One purchase unlocks everything permanently. YOUR TAPE READS FRACTIONS. SO DOES STRINGLINE. Enter 12' 3-1/2" exactly how you say it. No converting to decimals, no rounding surprises. Integer 64ths arithmetic — every answer matches your tape, not a floating-point guess. BUILT TO BE TRUSTED • Shows the math — step-by-step so you can verify every answer • IRC and OSHA validation with code section citations • Every formula verified against building code standards before release • Paper tape and full calculation history • PDF export with Show My Work steps • Works completely offline — no internet, no accounts No subscription. No ads. Built for tradespeople who can't afford a wrong number.

Screenshots

BalusterPro4 screens
Stringline4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Stringline at Free against BalusterPro's $2.99. Stringline also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). BalusterPro's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and chart position (#91 vs unranked). On ads and device support 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

Stringline is free to download; BalusterPro costs $2.99 up front. Stringline sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. BalusterPro asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

BalusterPro ships an update every 2 months, Stringline every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
BalusterPro versus Stringline: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBalusterProStringline
Price$2.99Free — better
Rating4.2 (17 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews83.1% of reviews—
Number of ratings17 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaid—
Best chart rank#91 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS12.0 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size5 MB21 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperGreg GabrioHector Sahagun

Bugs and requests

BalusterPro

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • App kicks you out randomly
  • App crashes when tapping view tab
  • App crashes when clicking on flat run balisters attached

Requested features

18 requests
  • Allow angles past 40 degrees
  • Loosen angle tolerance
  • Update the app
  • Add visualization tool
  • Option to start with a center baluster
Show 13 more
  • Improve metric input (decimals)
  • Fix crashing when tapping view tab
  • Allow input with keypad instead of sliders
  • Compute longer runs
  • Allow setting measurements with keypad
  • Allow input of actual parameters of existing conditions
  • Input fields for precise measurements/placements of Posts
  • Allow in-field measurements for angles of rise & run
  • Allow input of spacing per local code to calculate baluster count
  • Fix baluster count recalculation
  • Automatically add baluster width to run measurement
  • Improve slider controls for better precision
  • Add dark mode option

Stringline

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

BalusterPro

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Stringline

One-time1
  • Stringline Pro$2.99

Questions

Is BalusterPro free?
BalusterPro costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Stringline free?
Stringline is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do BalusterPro or Stringline have ads?
Neither BalusterPro nor Stringline shows ads.
Which is updated more often, BalusterPro or Stringline?
BalusterPro ships an update every 2 months, and Stringline every 2 weeks. Most recently, BalusterPro was updated on October 11, 2026 and Stringline on October 1, 2026.

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