# BiliCalc vs BiliBuddy

The clearest difference is price: BiliBuddy at Free against BiliCalc's $1.99. BiliBuddy also leads on review sentiment (85% vs 66%) and update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 2 months). BiliCalc's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). On device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

BiliBuddy is free to download; BiliCalc costs $1.99 up front. BiliBuddy sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. BiliCalc asks for nothing beyond the download.

BiliCalc ships an update every 2 months, BiliBuddy every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | BiliCalc | BiliBuddy |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $1.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | — | **[4.9 (258 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bilibuddy/id1173376805/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **258** |
| Positive reviews | 65.5% of reviews | **84.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 4 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#70** | — |
| Size | 6 MB | 30 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Jacob Beniflah, MD](https://appshunter.io/developer/432749902) | [Covenant Data Systems, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1393847632) |

## What reviewers say

### BiliCalc

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bilicalc/id432749899)

**Currently charting:** #70 Top Paid · Medical (US App Store)

This app calculates phototherapy thresholds for newborns based on age, bilirubin levels, and neurotoxicity risk, referencing AAP guidelines. It displays values on a phototherapy nomogram and identifies the patient's risk zone using the Bhutani Nomogram.

**Highlights:** Calculates phototherapy threshold for newborns, Displays values on phototherapy nomogram, Identifies patient risk zone using Bhutani Nomogram, Calculates age from birth and lab times, Direct links to reference articles and risk factors, Supports US and SI units

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 👍 Simple design
- 👍 User-friendly interface
- ⏱️ Time saver
- 👍 Great for quick calculations

**What reviewers complain about**

- ❌ Outdated guidelines (2004)
- ❌ Not updated for 2022 guidelines
- ❌ Inaccurate plotting (historical)
- ❌ Potentially dangerous inaccuracies
- ❌ Appears abandoned

**Reported bugs**

- Intermittently inaccurate plotting of bili values
- Plots bili at lower than value entered
- Graph is backwards (historical)
- Instability misspelled (historical)
- Graph errors when on phone call (historical)

**Requested features**

- Update to 2022 guidelines
- Include transcutaneous measurements
- Show hours since birth on graph
- Plot more than one point on graph
- Add dark mode option


### BiliBuddy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bilibuddy/id1173376805)

This app helps healthcare professionals determine the need for phototherapy or exchange therapy in newborns based on their age, bilirubin levels, and risk factors. It utilizes the latest American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines and displays results on interactive nomograms. The app also tracks infant data and provides links to relevant research.

**Highlights:** Calculates phototherapy threshold, Displays on nomograms, Calculates infant age, Views risk factors, Supports US and SI units, Tracks bilirubin measures

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $6.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is BiliCalc free?

BiliCalc costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is BiliBuddy free?

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

### Do BiliCalc or BiliBuddy have ads?

BiliBuddy shows ads; BiliCalc does not.

### Which is updated more often, BiliCalc or BiliBuddy?

BiliCalc ships an update every 2 months, and BiliBuddy every 4 weeks. Most recently, BiliCalc was updated on October 15, 2026 and BiliBuddy on October 14, 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.*