# Span Calc vs Building Calculator

The clearest difference is rating: Building Calculator at 4.8 against Span Calc's 3.0. Span Calc's advantage is update cadence (every 10 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

Building Calculator holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 16 and 6 respectively.

Span Calc ships an update every 10 days, Building Calculator every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Span Calc | Building Calculator |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.0 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/span-calc/id380481343/reviews) | **[4.8 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/building-calculator/id1566781992/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **16** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | 29.6% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 10 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 168 MB | 100 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14.2 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [American Wood Council](https://appshunter.io/developer/380481346) | [Peter Buonaiuto](https://appshunter.io/developer/1566781994) |

## What reviewers say

### Span Calc

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/span-calc/id380481343)

Calculate maximum horizontal spans for wood joists and rafters using various lumber species and grades. Compares multiple options for common loading conditions based on NDS® standards.

**Highlights:** Calculates joist and rafter spans, Supports all softwood and hardwood lumber, Uses 2021 NDS® for Wood Construction, Compares multiple species and grades, Handles common loading conditions

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Building Calculator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/building-calculator/id1566781992)

This utility app provides accurate measurements for various building tasks, returning answers as fractions found on a tape measure. It simplifies complex calculations for projects like wainscot spacing and shelf placement. The app prioritizes user privacy and is open-source with no data collection.

**Highlights:** Accurate measurement calculations, Tape measure fraction output, Wainscot spacing function, Shelf placement calculations, Open-source and privacy-focused, No data collection

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Span Calc free?

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

### Is Building Calculator free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Span Calc or Building Calculator?

Building Calculator is rated higher. Span Calc averages 3.0 out of 5 from 16 ratings, while Building Calculator averages 4.8 from 6 ratings.

### Do Span Calc or Building Calculator have ads?

Neither Span Calc nor Building Calculator shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Span Calc or Building Calculator?

Span Calc ships an update every 10 days, and Building Calculator every 3 weeks. Most recently, Span Calc was updated on October 23, 2026 and Building Calculator on October 24, 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.*