# Free42 vs HP

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Free42 at 283 against HP's 5. Free42 also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17.2). HP's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.8). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

HP holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Free42 has 283 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 94% of Free42's written reviews are positive against 100% of HP's.

Free42 ships an update weekly, HP every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on September 4, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Free42 | HP |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (283 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/free42/id337692629/reviews) | **[5.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hp-35/id6738010641/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **283** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | 93.8% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 11 days |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 9 MB | 2 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 17.2 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Thomas Okken](https://appshunter.io/developer/337692632) | [Enrique Haro](https://appshunter.io/developer/1778874870) |

## 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


### HP

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hp-35/id6738010641)

Emulates classic Hewlett Packard RPN scientific calculators from the 1970s. Experience the original HP-35, HP-45, and HP-21 models on your iPhone.

**Highlights:** RPN calculator emulation, HP-35 model, HP-45 model, HP-21 model, Classic scientific calculator interface

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Free42 free?

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

### Is HP free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Free42 or HP?

HP is rated higher. Free42 averages 4.8 out of 5 from 283 ratings, while HP averages 5.0 from 5 ratings.

### Do Free42 or HP have ads?

Neither Free42 nor HP shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Free42 or HP?

Free42 ships an update weekly, and HP every 11 days. Most recently, Free42 was updated on September 4, 2026 and HP on September 21, 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.*