# Piping Abacus vs Pipe Calc Elite

The clearest difference is price: Piping Abacus at $9.99 against Pipe Calc Elite's $19.99. Piping Abacus also leads on update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 24 months) and review sentiment (92% vs 69%). Pipe Calc Elite's advantage is rating (4.8 vs 3.9) and ratings volume (176 vs 9). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Piping Abacus costs $9.99 and Pipe Calc Elite $19.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Pipe Calc Elite holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pipe Calc Elite has 176 ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 92% of Piping Abacus's written reviews are positive against 69% of Pipe Calc Elite's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Piping Abacus ships an update every 4 weeks, Pipe Calc Elite every 24 months. Both last shipped on November 1, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Piping Abacus | Pipe Calc Elite |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$9.99** | $19.99 |
| Rating | [3.9 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/piping-abacus/id421739105/reviews) | **[4.8 (176 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pipe-calc-elite/id595640000/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 9 | **176** |
| Positive reviews | **92.3% of reviews** | 69.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 weeks** | Every 24 months |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | **#194** | — |
| Size | 5 MB | 9 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Jean-Paul Lanaux](https://appshunter.io/developer/306486995) | [Cyberprodigy LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/510284906) |

## What reviewers say

### Piping Abacus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/piping-abacus/id421739105)

**Currently charting:** #194 Top Paid · Utilities (US App Store)

This app serves as a comprehensive mobile reference for piping information, acting as a digital "Blue Book" for pipe fitters and related professionals. It includes a built-in calculator for on-the-fly computations and offers multiple interfaces for accessing detailed data, quick references, and browsing pipe schedules.

**Highlights:** Comprehensive piping reference database, Integrated calculator for on-the-fly computations, Catalog, Chart, and Wheels interfaces, Detailed fitting and valve information, Support for various units (Imperial/Metric, Decimal/Fraction), Educational information on fitting types and standards

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Wealth of information
- 🚀 Quick access to data
- 👍 Eliminates need for books/charts
- 👍 Useful calculator
- 👍 Easy to use

**What reviewers complain about**

- 👎 Lacks some information
- 👎 Some data not in database
- 👎 Some items in free apps also
- 👎 Calculator store/recall not working
- 👎 Clear button clears everything

**Reported bugs**

- Calculator store and recall functions not working
- Clear button clears everything instead of last input
- Notes display truncated data ('...')
- Background grid lines too visible after update
- Calculator can be glitchy

**Requested features**

- Remove background grid lines
- Update app to remove background grid lines
- Add rolling offset chart
- Add saddle layout
- Add U-BOLT DIMENSIONS


### Pipe Calc Elite

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pipe-calc-elite/id595640000)

An advanced calculator for pipe trade professionals, offering quick access to pipe data, dimensions, and complex calculation solutions. It handles fractions and unit conversions, making it an essential tool for plumbers and fabricators on the job site.

**Highlights:** Pipe data and dimensions, Pressure loss calculations, Offset and cutback calculations, Fraction and unit conversions, 7 pipe material options, Detailed pipe data lookup

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Piping Abacus free?

Piping Abacus costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Pipe Calc Elite free?

Pipe Calc Elite costs $19.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Piping Abacus or Pipe Calc Elite?

Pipe Calc Elite is rated higher. Piping Abacus averages 3.9 out of 5 from 9 ratings, while Pipe Calc Elite averages 4.8 from 176 ratings.

### Do Piping Abacus or Pipe Calc Elite have ads?

Neither Piping Abacus nor Pipe Calc Elite shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Piping Abacus or Pipe Calc Elite?

Piping Abacus ships an update every 4 weeks, and Pipe Calc Elite every 24 months. Most recently, Piping Abacus was updated on November 1, 2026 and Pipe Calc Elite on November 1, 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.*