# Calculator Max vs Acute Calculator

The clearest difference is rating: Acute Calculator at 4.9 against Calculator Max's 4.3. Acute Calculator also leads on review sentiment (95% vs 55%) and update cadence (every 2 days vs every 2 months). Calculator Max's advantage is ratings volume (1.8K vs 116) and device support (4 vs 2). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Calculator Max sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per year and Acute Calculator sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Acute Calculator holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Calculator Max has 1.8K ratings behind it against 116, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 55% of Calculator Max's written reviews are positive against 95% of Acute Calculator's.

Calculator Max ships an update every 2 months, Acute Calculator every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Calculator Max | Acute Calculator |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (1.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/calculator-max/id364905554/reviews) | **[4.9 (116 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/acute-calculator/id6476837563/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.8K** | 116 |
| Positive reviews | 55.1% of reviews | **94.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 126 MB | 16 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Pavel Kozarek](https://appshunter.io/developer/303215376) | [Find App, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1666757711) |

## What reviewers say

### Calculator Max

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/calculator-max/id364905554)

This app offers a comprehensive suite of calculation tools, from basic arithmetic to advanced scientific functions. It features a history tape for easy access and reuse of entries, and a unique scribble pad for handwritten notes and equation solving on iPads. Enjoy a clean interface, multitasking support, and customizable themes.

**Highlights:** Basic and scientific calculators, History tape with export options, Handwritten notes and equation solving, Multitasking support on iPad, Customizable themes and app icons, Home Screen and Lock Screen widgets

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Calculator Max Pro | $4.99 | per year |
| Calculator Max Pro | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 📝 Useful note-taking feature
- 💾 Tape/history feature
- 👍 Clean and intuitive interface
- 🎨 Customizable appearance

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions
- 📤 Lack of export/sharing options for tape/history
- 🔍 Difficulty finding settings
- 🔀 Sensitive orientation switching

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes after iOS 26 update
- Tape not visible/functional on iPhone
- Calculator buttons/layout issues in split-screen mode

**Requested features**

- Left-handed mode
- Backspace/edit functionality
- Scientific calculator mode with tape
- Tape annotation/labeling
- Cloud/Dropbox sync for tape


### Acute Calculator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/acute-calculator/id6476837563)

This advanced graphing calculator offers a visual editor and supports over 30 functions. It includes features like a history tape, variable storage, and an intuitive palette system for complex calculations.

**Highlights:** Visual editor, 30+ functions supported, History tape, Store variables, Intuitive palette system

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Acute Plus Limited-Time Offer | $3.49 | one-time |
| Acute Plus (For Students) | $4.99 | one-time |
| Acute Plus (One Time) | $6.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- ✨ Beautiful and artistic design
- 🚀 Advanced functionality beyond default
- 👍 Smooth animations and transitions
- 💡 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- ✅ Replaces default calculator effectively

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Animation lag in history
- 🤔 Graph lacks numbers/functional purpose
- 💸 Calculus functions require payment
- ❓ Discount button crashes app
- 🐞 UI bugs and animations

**Reported bugs**

- Animation and UI bugs
- Discount button crashes app
- Animation lags and skips when sliding down history
- Calculations are incorrect
- Does not follow correct order of operations

**Requested features**

- Make app icon simpler/restrained
- Add units to graph
- Allow press and hold on graph lines for values
- Support Korean language
- Display commas while entering numbers


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Calculator Max free?

Calculator Max is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Acute Calculator free?

Acute Calculator is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Calculator Max or Acute Calculator?

Acute Calculator is rated higher. Calculator Max averages 4.3 out of 5 from 1.8K ratings, while Acute Calculator averages 4.9 from 116 ratings.

### Do Calculator Max or Acute Calculator have ads?

Neither Calculator Max nor Acute Calculator shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Calculator Max or Acute Calculator?

Calculator Max ships an update every 2 months, and Acute Calculator every 2 days. Most recently, Calculator Max was updated on October 19, 2026 and Acute Calculator on October 16, 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.*