# RPN Calculator 48 vs Plus42

The clearest difference is update cadence: Plus42 at weekly against RPN Calculator 48's every 14 months. Plus42 also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). RPN Calculator 48's advantage is price ($3.99 vs $9.99) and chart position (#196 vs unranked). On rating, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

RPN Calculator 48 costs $3.99 and Plus42 $9.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for RPN Calculator 48 against 4.9 for Plus42. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 246 and 79 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 96% of RPN Calculator 48's written reviews are positive against 92% of Plus42's.

RPN Calculator 48 ships an update every 14 months, Plus42 weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | RPN Calculator 48 | Plus42 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$3.99** | $9.99 |
| Rating | [4.8 (246 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rpn-calculator-48/id336580727/reviews) | **[4.9 (79 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/plus42/id1597963622/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **246** | 79 |
| Positive reviews | **95.9% of reviews** | 92.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 14 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#196** | — |
| Size | 1 MB | 11 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Tom Kerrigan](https://appshunter.io/developer/295445504) | [Thomas Okken](https://appshunter.io/developer/337692632) |

## What reviewers say

### RPN Calculator 48

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rpn-calculator-48/id336580727)

**Currently charting:** #196 Top Paid · Utilities (US App Store)

This app offers a scientific calculator with Reverse Polish Notation (RPN) functionality, providing an alternative to the default calculator. It features a large, easy-to-read display, a 100-entry stack, and extensive undo/redo capabilities. Its design is inspired by classic HP calculators.

**Highlights:** Reverse Polish Notation (RPN), Scientific calculator functions, Swipe gestures for undo/redo, 100 entry stack, 6 memory buttons, State saving on exit

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent RPN implementation
- 👍 Familiar and intuitive interface
- 💡 Useful features for everyday calculations
- 🚀 Reliable and stable performance
- 👍 Large and visible stack display

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Lack of landscape mode support on iPad
- 💡 Could use more advanced features like matrix operations

**Reported bugs**

- Display issues in landscape mode on iPad

**Requested features**

- Add haptic feedback for key presses
- Implement ability to recall previous calculations from stack
- Improve landscape mode support on iPad


### Plus42

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/plus42/id1597963622)

This advanced scientific calculator simulates the classic HP-42S RPN calculator with enhanced features. It offers algebraic expressions, unit conversions, directories for storage, a larger resizable display, financial functions, and 2D plotting with integral and root finding.

**Highlights:** HP-42S RPN calculator simulation, Algebraic expressions, Attached units and conversions, Program and variable directories, Resizable 8-row, 22-column display, Time value of money and amortization, 2D function plotting with zoom and pan

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is RPN Calculator 48 free?

RPN Calculator 48 costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Plus42 free?

Plus42 costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, RPN Calculator 48 or Plus42?

Plus42 is rated higher. RPN Calculator 48 averages 4.8 out of 5 from 246 ratings, while Plus42 averages 4.9 from 79 ratings.

### Do RPN Calculator 48 or Plus42 have ads?

Neither RPN Calculator 48 nor Plus42 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, RPN Calculator 48 or Plus42?

RPN Calculator 48 ships an update every 14 months, and Plus42 weekly. Most recently, RPN Calculator 48 was updated on October 29, 2026 and Plus42 on October 27, 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.*