Free42 vs bcRPN
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Free42
This application is a faithful re-implementation of the HP-42S scientific calculator and its associated printer. It offers full functionality without requiring original HP ROM images and is an open-source project.
- HP-42S calculator simulation
- HP-82240 printer simulation
- Open source project
- No HP ROM required
- Complete rewrite
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Free42 is a re-implementation of the HP-42S calculator and the HP-82240 printer. It is a complete rewrite, not using any HP code, and it does not require an HP-42S ROM image. Free42 is an Open Source project. The executables and source code are released under the terms of the GNU General Public License, version 2. All third-party code used in Free42 is either in the public domain, or licensed under terms compatible with GPLv2, or used with the authors' permission.
bcRPN
This utility app functions as a Reverse Polish Notation calculator. It handles complex numbers and utilizes extended precision for all calculations, offering an unlimited stack depth and an undo feature for up to 10 operations.
- Reverse Polish Notation (RPN) input
- Complex number calculations
- Extended precision math
- Unlimited stack depth
- Undo functionality (up to 10 operations)
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This is a RPN (Reverse Polish Notation) Calculator. It supports complex numbers and uses extended precision math for all operations. The stack depth is unlimited. In case a mistake was made, up to 10 operations can be undone. RPN calculators work by entering the numbers on the stack first, then selecting the operation. For example to add 3 + 4, press: 3 Enter 4 +
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Free42 at every 9 days against bcRPN's every 22 months. Free42 also leads on ratings volume (287 vs 4) and review sentiment (94% vs 80%). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. 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 Free42 against 4.8 for bcRPN. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Free42 has 287 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 94% of Free42's written reviews are positive against 80% of bcRPN's.
Free42 ships an update every 9 days, bcRPN every 22 months. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Free42 | bcRPN |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (287 ratings) — better | 4.8 (4 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 94.4% of reviews — better | 80.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 287 — better | 4 |
| Update frequency | Every 9 days — better | Every 22 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 9 MB | 0 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Thomas Okken | Paul Wilkins |
Customer experience
Free42
bcRPN
Bugs and requests
Free42
Reported bugs
2 issues- Occasional issues with Solver function
- Store and Recall functions not working properly
Requested features
3 requests- Display all registers (X, Y, Z, T, Last X) simultaneously
- Ability to share/transfer programs between devices
- Improved use of screen real estate on larger displays
bcRPN
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Free42
No in-app purchases
bcRPN
No in-app purchases
