# Basic Calculator vs Calculator Smart

Basic Calculator and Calculator Smart both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 74% of Basic Calculator's written reviews are positive against 36% of Calculator Smart's. Basic Calculator also leads on ratings volume (3.2K vs 494). Calculator Smart's advantage is device support (6 vs 3) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Basic Calculator sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Calculator Smart 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 4.7 for Calculator Smart. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Basic Calculator has 3.2K ratings behind it against 494, 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 36% of Calculator Smart's.

Basic Calculator ships an update every 2 months, Calculator Smart every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Basic Calculator | Calculator Smart |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (3.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/basic-calculator-classic-calc/id430271248/reviews)** | [4.7 (494 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/calculator-smart/id698030968/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **3.2K** | 494 |
| Positive reviews | **74.3% of reviews** | 36.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 93 MB | 24 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple TV, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | +4 | 4+ |
| Developer | [MobArts](https://appshunter.io/developer/429185872) | [Miroslav Otsedarski](https://appshunter.io/developer/450091139) |

## 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


### Calculator Smart

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/calculator-smart/id698030968)

This app offers a powerful and precise calculator for everyday math and advanced scientific computations. It features a clean interface with large buttons, supporting complex equations, multiple modes, and intuitive input methods. Personalize your experience with colorful skins and custom icons.

**Highlights:** 30+ scientific operations, Degrees and Radians support, Parentheses and nested equations, Intuitive input with slide-to-delete, Copy & Paste results, Apple Watch app and Lock Screen Widget, Colorful skins and custom icons

**Features:** Apple Watch app, iMessage stickers, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Colorful Skins and Remove Ads | $1.99 | one-time |
| Colorful Skins | $1.99 | one-time |
| Colorful Skins for Mac app | $1.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Basic Calculator free?

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

### Is Calculator Smart free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Basic Calculator or Calculator Smart?

Basic Calculator is rated higher. Basic Calculator averages 4.8 out of 5 from 3.2K ratings, while Calculator Smart averages 4.7 from 494 ratings.

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

Both Basic Calculator and Calculator Smart show ads.

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

Basic Calculator ships an update every 2 months, and Calculator Smart every 4 months. Most recently, Basic Calculator was updated on September 23, 2026 and Calculator Smart on September 12, 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.*