Comparison

Span Calc vs Measure Master Pro Calculator

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

Head to head
About

Span Calc

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
Read full description

The American Wood Council (AWC) Span Calculator for Wood Joists and Rafters (Span Calc) performs calculations for all species and grades of commercially available softwood and hardwood lumber as found in the 2021 National Design Specification® (NDS®) for Wood Construction. Joists and rafter spans for common loading conditions can be determined. A span options calculator allows selection of multiple species and grades for comparison purposes. Supported by the Softwood Lumber Board. Maximum horizontal spans for joists and rafters are calculated based on the following assumptions and conditions: · Joists and rafters are oriented to support vertical loads applied to the narrow (1.5 in. thick) face of the member, resulting in strong-axis bending. · At least three joists or rafters are installed parallel to one another and spaced not more than 24 inches on-center, with properly designed sheathing attached on the top (compression) edge of each joist or rafter. · Joists and rafters are single-span with adequate structural support at each end. The Span Calculator does not address cantilevered joists and rafters, multiple-span joists and rafters, or spliced joists and rafters. · For joists and rafters, most building codes specify a minimum bearing length of 1.5 inches on wood or metal and not less than 3 inches on masonry or concrete. These minimum bearing lengths are to be used in the absence of calculated bearing lengths. Consult the local building code for specific requirements. · Joists and rafters carry only combinations of dead load plus live load (D + L), dead load plus snow load (D + S), or dead load plus roof live load (D + Lr). The Span Calculator does not address wind load or seismic load. · Buildings in regions with ground snow loads greater than 70 psf should not use the prescriptive provisions of the governing building code without approval of the authority having jurisdiction. Buildings in these high snow zones should be designed in accordance with accepted engineering practice. While every effort has been made to insure the accuracy of the information presented, and special effort has been made to assure that the information reflects the state-of-the-art, neither the American Wood Council nor its members assume any responsibility for any particular design prepared from this Span Calculator application. Those using this Span Calculator assume all liability from its use.

About

Measure Master Pro Calculator

This app provides comprehensive U.S. and metric unit conversions and advanced calculations for design and building projects. It offers solutions for geometry, weight, and dimensional analysis, with a user-friendly interface and built-in help.

Highlights
  • Multi-dimensional unit conversion (U.S. & metric)
  • Advanced weight calculations
  • Geometry solutions (circle area, circumference)
  • Comprehensive dimensional analysis (linear, area, volume)
  • Cost per Unit function
  • Paperless tape for past calculations
  • Board Feet calculation
Features
Read full description

FREE Try Before You Buy trial, your App Store account is not charged by Apple during the free trial. The Measure Master Pro app from Calculated Industries allows you to solve U.S. and metric unit conversions on your iPhone or iPad. Get professional results every time with this handy and easy-to-use tool for projects involving measurements. Ideal for Designers, Tradespersons, Woodworkers, Craftsmen, Fabricators, Technicians, and Students. ----- MULTI-DIMENSIONAL UNIT CONVERSION ----- • Convert between feet-inch-fractions, inch fractions, yards, and decimal feet and inches (10ths, 100ths) • Utilize full metric conversions, including meters, centimeters, and millimeters • Effortlessly switch between U.S. and metric units, ideal for international projects ----- ADVANCED WEIGHT CALCULATIONS ----- • Calculate weight in pounds, tons, metric tons, and kilograms • Determine weight per volume for materials management • Essential for accurate material estimation in construction and fabrication ----- GEOMETRY SOLUTIONS ----- • Instantly solve for circle area, circumference, and arc lengths • Ideal for designers and craftsmen working with circular designs • Enhance accuracy in geometrical calculations ----- COMPREHENSIVE DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS ----- • Solve for linear, area, volume, and perimeter dimensions • Length, Width, and Height keys for quick calculations • Reduce errors in dimension estimation, crucial for tradespersons and technicians ----- USER-FRIENDLY INTERFACE ----- • Developed by the creators of the Construction Master(™) calculators • Input numbers as you would naturally say them • Built-in help with clear definitions, explanations, and examples ----- PRECISE MATH AND CONVERSION TOOLS ----- • Includes preset fractions from 1/2" to 1/64" for detailed work • Conversion capabilities for Decimal Degrees and D.M.S. • Comprehensive for all types of mathematical and conversion needs ----- DEDICATED FUNCTION KEYS ----- • Linear measurement keys for feet, inches, yards, meters, etc. • Area and Volume calculation keys for various units, including acres and cubic meters • Specialized keys for weight and weight per volume calculations ----- SPECIALIZED PROFESSIONAL FUNCTIONS ----- • Entry Editing Backspace Key for easy corrections • Cost per Unit function for simple pricing and cost analysis • Advanced Paperless Tape feature to review past calculations ----- CUSTOMIZATION AND MEMORY FEATURES ----- • Board Feet calculation function for woodworking projects • Customizable preferences to set user-specific options • Memory function to store and recall past calculations ----- INTUITIVE DESIGN AND HELP FEATURES ----- • Designed for ease of use by students, craftsmen, and professionals • Comprehensive help features for all functions • Streamlined interface for quick and easy calculations Whether you're a student, designer, tradesperson, or technician, this app is the perfect companion for all your measurement and conversion tasks. SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION The first 7 days are free. Subscriptions offered will automatically renew at the end of the chosen period. Payment will be charged to your Apple account upon purchase confirmation. The subscription will automatically renew unless auto-renew is turned off or the subscription is canceled in settings at least one day (24 hours) before the subscription period ends. You can manage your subscription and turn off auto-renewal in your Apple account Settings > Subscriptions. LEGAL Measure Master Pro is a trademark of Calculated Industries, Inc. Copyright 2024

Screenshots

Span Calc4 screens
Measure Master Pro Calculator4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Measure Master Pro Calculator at 81% against Span Calc's 30%. Measure Master Pro Calculator also leads on rating (4.8 vs 3.0) and ratings volume (4.4K vs 16). Span Calc's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and update cadence (every 10 days vs every 7 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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

Both are free to download. Measure Master Pro Calculator sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Span Calc asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Measure Master Pro Calculator holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Measure Master Pro Calculator has 4.4K ratings behind it against 16, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 30% of Span Calc's written reviews are positive against 81% of Measure Master Pro Calculator's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Span Calc ships an update every 10 days, Measure Master Pro Calculator every 7 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Span Calc versus Measure Master Pro Calculator: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSpan CalcMeasure Master Pro Calculator
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.0 (16 ratings)4.8 (4.4K ratings) — better
Positive reviews29.6% of reviews80.5% of reviews — better
Number of ratings164.4K — better
Update frequencyEvery 10 days — betterEvery 7 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS14.2 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size168 MB57 MB
Age rating17+12+
DeveloperAmerican Wood CouncilCalculated Industries

Customer experience

Span Calc

All ratings15 ratings
Positive53.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative46.7%
Written reviews27 reviews
Positive29.6%
Neutral11.1%
Negative59.3%

Measure Master Pro Calculator

All ratings4,361 ratings
Positive96.8%
Neutral0.9%
Negative2.3%
Written reviews77 reviews
Positive80.5%
Neutral5.2%
Negative14.3%

Bugs and requests

Span Calc

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Measure Master Pro Calculator

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Unable to download on iPhone after previous iPad purchase
  • Free trial screen gets stuck, preventing full app usage

Requested features

4 requests
  • Bring back the S.F. button
  • Add landscape mode support for iPad
  • Improve handling of large numbers
  • Integrate more advanced construction-specific functions

In-app purchases

None

Span Calc

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Measure Master Pro Calculator

Subscriptions2
  • 1 Month Full Access14 Days trial$1.991 Month
  • 1 Year Full Access14 Days trial$19.991 Year

Questions

Is Span Calc free?
Span Calc is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Measure Master Pro Calculator free?
Measure Master Pro Calculator is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Span Calc or Measure Master Pro Calculator?
Measure Master Pro Calculator is rated higher. Span Calc averages 3.0 out of 5 from 16 ratings, while Measure Master Pro Calculator averages 4.8 from 4.4K ratings.
Do Span Calc or Measure Master Pro Calculator have ads?
Neither Span Calc nor Measure Master Pro Calculator shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Span Calc or Measure Master Pro Calculator?
Span Calc ships an update every 10 days, and Measure Master Pro Calculator every 7 months. Most recently, Span Calc was updated on November 1, 2026 and Measure Master Pro Calculator on November 4, 2026.

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