# Free42 vs Scientific Calculator++

The clearest difference is price: Free42 at Free against Scientific Calculator++'s $2.99. Free42 also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and update cadence (every 9 days vs every 38 months). Scientific Calculator++'s advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On rating and ads there is nothing between them.

Free42 is free to download; Scientific Calculator++ costs $2.99 up front. Scientific Calculator++ sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Free42 asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scientific Calculator++ holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Free42 has 287 ratings behind it against 21, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 94% of Free42's written reviews are positive against 67% of Scientific Calculator++'s, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Free42 ships an update every 9 days, Scientific Calculator++ every 38 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Free42 | Scientific Calculator++ |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $2.99 |
| Rating | [4.8 (287 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/free42/id337692629/reviews) | **[5.0 (21 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scientific-calculator-plus-plus/id581543619/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **287** | 21 |
| Positive reviews | **94.4% of reviews** | 66.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Every 38 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Size | 9 MB | 3 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Thomas Okken](https://appshunter.io/developer/337692632) | [Dogahe](https://appshunter.io/developer/468657946) |

## What reviewers say

### Free42

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/free42/id337692629)

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.

**Highlights:** HP-42S calculator simulation, HP-82240 printer simulation, Open source project, No HP ROM required, Complete rewrite

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Faithful reproduction of HP42S
- 👍 Identical to physical calculator
- 👍 Runs all original programs
- 👍 Convenient to have on phone
- 👍 Haptic feedback on button presses

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Screen not filling entire display on newer devices
- 🔇 Configurable key click sound missing
- 🔇 Lack of loud click sound feedback

**Reported bugs**

- Occasional issues with Solver function
- Store and Recall functions not working properly

**Requested features**

- 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


### Scientific Calculator++

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scientific-calculator-plus-plus/id581543619)

This powerful calculator app offers advanced functions for complex calculations, including fraction manipulation, angle conversions, and equation solving. It features a history of your calculations and a user-friendly interface designed for iPad.

**Highlights:** Calculation history, Fraction manipulation, Angle conversion (degrees, minutes, seconds), Permutation and combination calculations, LCM and GCD, Equation solver, Coordinate conversion

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| List Size Plus | $0.99 | one-time |
| Quadratic Plus | $0.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Free42 free?

Free42 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Scientific Calculator++ free?

Scientific Calculator++ costs $2.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Free42 or Scientific Calculator++?

Scientific Calculator++ is rated higher. Free42 averages 4.8 out of 5 from 287 ratings, while Scientific Calculator++ averages 5.0 from 21 ratings.

### Do Free42 or Scientific Calculator++ have ads?

Neither Free42 nor Scientific Calculator++ shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Free42 or Scientific Calculator++?

Free42 ships an update every 9 days, and Scientific Calculator++ every 38 months. Most recently, Free42 was updated on October 29, 2026 and Scientific Calculator++ on October 23, 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.*