# Basic Calculator vs Acute Calculator

The clearest difference is ads: Acute Calculator at none against Basic Calculator's shown. Acute Calculator also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs every 2 months) and review sentiment (95% vs 74%). Basic Calculator's advantage is ratings volume (3.2K vs 116). On price, rating, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Basic Calculator sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Acute Calculator sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Basic Calculator against 4.9 for Acute Calculator. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Basic Calculator has 3.2K ratings behind it against 116, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 74% of Basic Calculator's written reviews are positive against 95% of Acute Calculator's.

Basic Calculator ships an update every 2 months, Acute Calculator every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and July 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Basic Calculator | Acute Calculator |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (3.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/basic-calculator-classic-calc/id430271248/reviews) | **[4.9 (116 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/acute-calculator/id6476837563/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **3.2K** | 116 |
| Positive reviews | 74.3% of reviews | **94.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 93 MB | 16 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | +4 | 4+ |
| Developer | [MobArts](https://appshunter.io/developer/429185872) | [Find App, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1666757711) |

## What reviewers say

### Basic Calculator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/basic-calculator-classic-calc/id430271248)

A free, classic calculator app with large, easy-to-press buttons and customizable skins. It supports basic arithmetic, memory functions, and can handle very large numbers without using scientific notation. Multitasking is also supported on compatible devices.

**Highlights:** Large, easy-to-press buttons, Multiple beautiful skins, Basic arithmetic operations, Standard memory functions, Supports large numbers (up to 60 digits), Multitasking support (Split View, Slide Over)

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Banner Ad Removal | $0.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 💡 Useful copy and paste functions
- 👍 Clear and large display
- 👍 Variety of skins/themes
- 👍 Responsive and fast

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Compatibility issues with iOS updates
- 🐛 Inaccurate calculations with larger numbers
- 🔋 Slow load times
- 🔍 Intrusive ads

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes or freezes after iOS updates
- Percent key not functioning correctly

**Requested features**

- Reinstate iPhone version
- Add scientific calculator functions
- Improve memory retention


### 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 |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Basic Calculator free?

Basic Calculator 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, Basic Calculator or Acute Calculator?

Acute Calculator is rated higher. Basic Calculator averages 4.8 out of 5 from 3.2K ratings, while Acute Calculator averages 4.9 from 116 ratings.

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

Basic Calculator shows ads; Acute Calculator does not.

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

Basic Calculator ships an update every 2 months, and Acute Calculator every 2 days. Most recently, Basic Calculator was updated on September 23, 2026 and Acute Calculator on July 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.*