# Basic Calculator vs Calculator Plus

The clearest difference is price: Basic Calculator at Free against Calculator Plus's $3.99. Basic Calculator also leads on ratings volume (3.2K vs 695). Calculator Plus's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). On rating, update cadence, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Basic Calculator is free to download; Calculator Plus costs $3.99 up front. Basic Calculator sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Calculator Plus asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Basic Calculator against 4.9 for Calculator Plus. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3.2K and 695 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 74% of Basic Calculator's written reviews are positive against 94% of Calculator Plus's.

Basic Calculator ships an update every 2 months, Calculator Plus every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Basic Calculator | Calculator Plus |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $3.99 |
| Rating | [4.8 (3.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/basic-calculator-classic-calc/id430271248/reviews) | **[4.9 (695 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/calculator-plus-pro/id978091416/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **3.2K** | 695 |
| Positive reviews | 74.3% of reviews | **93.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 93 MB | 67 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | +4 | 4+ |
| Developer | [MobArts](https://appshunter.io/developer/429185872) | [DigitAlchemy LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/376971628) |

## 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 Plus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/calculator-plus-pro/id978091416)

This app simplifies everyday math with a clean interface and a history of all your calculations. Easily handle basic operations, percentages, and more, with the ability to review past entries for quick reference. It's designed for efficient problem-solving on the go.

**Highlights:** Clear, readable calculation display, Basic arithmetic and percentages, Backspace for error correction, Memory buttons and calculation history, Light and dark themes, Advanced functions (squaring, square root, pi)

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 👍 Large, clear numbers
- 👍 Intuitive interface
- 👍 Reliable performance
- 👍 Convenient features (e.g. history, memory)

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional clicking sound issue
- 🔋 Potential battery drain

**Reported bugs**

- Clicking sound not removable
- Compatibility issues on older devices

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- Algebraic order of operations
- Customizable color schemes


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Basic Calculator free?

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

### Is Calculator Plus free?

Calculator Plus costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.

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

Calculator Plus is rated higher. Basic Calculator averages 4.8 out of 5 from 3.2K ratings, while Calculator Plus averages 4.9 from 695 ratings.

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

Basic Calculator shows ads; Calculator Plus does not.

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

Basic Calculator ships an update every 2 months, and Calculator Plus every 5 weeks. Most recently, Basic Calculator was updated on September 23, 2026 and Calculator Plus on September 24, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*