Comparison

Digits Tape Calculator vs CalcMate

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

Head to head
About

Digits Tape Calculator

This app offers a calculator with an editable, line-by-line tape history, combining spreadsheet-like functionality with calculator simplicity. Easily correct mistakes, add comments, and share or print your calculations.

Highlights
  • Editable line-by-line tape history
  • Correct and insert entries
  • Add labels and comments
  • Email or print tapes
  • Store tapes as documents
  • Dark Mode and customization
Features
Read full description

Get organized! Conquer numbers on the go. Digits 3 is a top-to-bottom rewrite made for the latest iOS and devices. We're human. We're busy. We make mistakes. So we designed a calculator for humans, from the ground up. Digits combines the editability of a spreadsheet with the simplicity of a calculator. Digits is a calculator a human can love. So, why do so many humans love Digits? Its uniquely correctable tape means never worrying if you entered a calculation correctly. Make a mistake? Tap any entry on the tape to correct it (or edit, insert, copy and more). Then, add a label/comment and email or print the tape. Digits is Shift’s highly-rated iOS calculator app that features an intuitive, fully correctable and editable line-by-line tape history. It uniquely provides spreadsheet-like editing with calculator-level simplicity. Tapes are stored as documents so groups of calculations can be stored and edited conveniently. Comments can be added to each calculation line, making the app ideal for expense tracking and budgeting. --- Digits 3 highlights: • An updated, polished user interface with buttery-smooth interaction. • Dark Mode and detailed color and sound customization. • Multi-threaded processing for desktop-level performance. • In-app upgrades, starting with Tape Document sharing (via Messages, Mail, Dropbox and other popular file sharing services). • Built from the ground up with support for 64-bit and the latest iOS/hardware. • Designed to maximize resolution on devices like the iPhone X. • Split View support on iPad for side-by-side work. • Expanded in-app help. • Accessibility VoiceOver support. How Digits earned its stars: • Spreadsheet-like editing with calculator-level simplicity. • Fully correctable and editable line-by-line tape history. • Fluidly enter values, label and email or print. • Double-check and correct entries with ease. • Export Tape Documents in a variety of formats. Button functions: Delete row, backspace, clear all, clear, memory, memory plus, memory minus, plus or minus, tape browser, percent, export, settings, shop, tips, help, edit, insert, total, copy, use, comment, flag, sin, cos, tan, square, cube, exponent, square root, cube root, root, inverse, Euler, Pi, add, subtract, multiply, divide, total.

About

CalcMate

This app combines note-taking with a powerful calculator, allowing you to perform calculations directly within your text. It handles math, currency, unit conversions, and date calculations, offering a streamlined alternative to spreadsheets and traditional calculators.

Highlights
  • Calculate math within text
  • Currency and unit conversions
  • Date calculations
  • Organize notes with folders
  • iCloud syncing
  • Custom number keyboard
Features
Read full description

Stop switching between Notes and Calculator. Type “1000$ + 20% fee” and CalcMate shows the answer instantly, right next to your words. CalcMate is a notepad with a built-in calculator. Mix numbers, text, percentages, currencies, dates and units in the same note, and every line is calculated live as you type. Use it for budgets, expenses, invoices, splitting bills, shopping lists, quotes and quick estimates — no spreadsheet needed. TRY THESE EXAMPLES • 100 + 5 tip • 1000$ + 20% fee • 900$ + 20$ delivery + 1.5% • 500 USD in EUR • 10 BTC in USD • Today + 5 days • 1 kg in lb • subtotal — total of all previous lines • line5 — reuse the result from line 5 • rent × 12 — use saved variables from your Variables list • 20 #food, then sum(#food) — total everything with a tag • # this is a comment WHAT YOU CAN DO • Calculate directly inside your notes, line by line • Percentages, taxes, discounts and tips • Live currency and crypto conversion • Unit conversion: weight, length, volume, time and more • Date and duration math • Variables and line references to reuse results • Calculation tags: sum, average and count lines by #tag • Running total shown above the keyboard STAY ORGANIZED • Folders for every project, trip or budget • Highlight text in eight colors • Dividers to start a fresh calculation section • Share notes as PDF • Trash to restore deleted notes • iCloud sync across iPhone and iPad MAKE IT YOURS • Custom number keyboard with quick symbols • Number formatting, precision, font and font size • Alternate app icons FREE TO USE CalcMate is free. You can optionally remove ads or leave a tip to support development. WE’D LOVE YOUR FEEDBACK Questions or ideas? Email us at lazyboardapp+calcmate@gmail.com

Screenshots

Digits Tape Calculator4 screens
CalcMate4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: CalcMate at Free against Digits Tape Calculator's $1.99. CalcMate also leads on review sentiment (96% vs 87%). Digits Tape Calculator's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (1.1K vs 95). On rating, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

CalcMate is free to download; Digits Tape Calculator costs $1.99 up front. Digits Tape Calculator sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and CalcMate sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Digits Tape Calculator against 4.9 for CalcMate. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Digits Tape Calculator has 1.1K ratings behind it against 95, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 87% of Digits Tape Calculator's written reviews are positive against 96% of CalcMate's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Digits Tape Calculator ships an update every 4 weeks, CalcMate every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Digits Tape Calculator versus CalcMate: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDigits Tape CalculatorCalcMate
Price$1.99Free — better
Rating4.8 (1.1K ratings)4.9 (95 ratings) — better
Positive reviews86.8% of reviews95.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1.1K — better95
Update frequencyEvery 4 weeksEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS10.3 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size30 MB23 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperShiftElsayed Hussein

Customer experience

Digits Tape Calculator

All ratings1,124 ratings
Positive95.6%
Neutral1.3%
Negative3.0%
Written reviews1,001 reviews
Positive86.8%
Neutral4.0%
Negative9.2%

CalcMate

All ratings95 ratings
Positive96.8%
Neutral3.2%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews23 reviews
Positive95.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative4.3%

Bugs and requests

Digits Tape Calculator

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Number pad disappears after adding comments on iOS 26
  • App crashes on startup for some users after iOS updates

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add scientific calculator functions
  • Ability to import/export CSV files
  • Option to change font size of tape section
  • Add date/time stamp for calculations

CalcMate

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Digits Tape Calculator

One-time2
  • Pro Export and Sharing$0.99
  • Pro Design$0.99
5 purchases

CalcMate

One-time5
  • Buy me a coffee$0.99
  • Buy me 2 coffees$1.99
  • Buy Me a burger$4.99
Show 2 more
  • Remove Ads$5.99
  • Buy Me a pizza$9.99

Questions

Is Digits Tape Calculator free?
Digits Tape Calculator costs $1.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is CalcMate free?
CalcMate is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Digits Tape Calculator or CalcMate?
CalcMate is rated higher. Digits Tape Calculator averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.1K ratings, while CalcMate averages 4.9 from 95 ratings.
Do Digits Tape Calculator or CalcMate have ads?
CalcMate shows ads; Digits Tape Calculator does not.
Which is updated more often, Digits Tape Calculator or CalcMate?
Digits Tape Calculator ships an update every 4 weeks, and CalcMate every 2 weeks. Most recently, Digits Tape Calculator was updated on November 1, 2026 and CalcMate on October 30, 2026.

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