Comparison

Taco Tools vs HydroCalc Plus

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Taco Tools

Easily select centrifugal pumps for hydronic heating and cooling systems. View pump performance characteristics for specific flow and head conditions. Access Taco product literature and contact technical support directly.

Highlights
  • Centrifugal pump selection
  • Performance characteristic viewing
  • Hydronic heating/cooling system application
  • Access to product literature
  • Direct technical support contact
Features
Read full description

An application for the selection of Centrifugal Pumps manufactured by Taco, Inc. This application allows the user to quickly select a pump for application to Hydronic Heating and/or Cooling Systems and view the performance characteristics of the selected pump for a specified Flow & Head Condition. In addition, this App will allow users easy access to all published Taco Product Literature and direct access to the Taco Technical Support Department.

About

HydroCalc Plus

A professional tool for hydraulic engineers to calculate pressure losses in piping systems. It supports US and SI units, offers an extensive pipe material and fittings database, and includes inverse calculations for design optimization.

Highlights
  • Friction head loss calculation (Hazen-Williams)
  • US and SI unit support
  • Extensive pipe material library
  • Fittings and valves database
  • Inverse calculation mode
  • Real-time results (velocity, losses)
Features
Read full description

Professional hydraulic engineering tool for calculating pressure losses in piping systems. Essential for engineers, plumbers, and contractors designing water distribution networks. Key Features: Calculate friction head losses using industry-standard Hazen-Williams equation Support for both US (ft, gpm, psi) and SI (m, lps, bar) units Extensive pipe material library with pre-defined roughness coefficients (C-factors) Complete fittings and valves database including elbows, tees, valves, contractions, and expansions Inverse calculations to determine optimal pipe diameter, flow rate, or length for target head loss Real-time results showing velocity, friction loss, minor losses, and total system head loss What Sets Pro Apart: Unlike basic calculators, HydroCalc Pro accounts for both major losses (pipe friction) and minor losses (fittings and valves). The app includes a comprehensive database of K-factors for various components, allowing accurate total system pressure loss calculations. Perfect For: Water supply system design Irrigation network planning HVAC piping calculations Fire protection systems Industrial fluid transport Educational purposes in hydraulic engineering Technical Capabilities: The app considers all critical factors affecting pressure loss: flow velocity, pipe diameter, internal roughness, pipe length, and fitting configurations. Materials include PVC, polyethylene, steel, cast iron, concrete, and more with accurate C-factors ranging from 120-150. Inverse Calculation Mode: Unique feature allowing backward calculations - determine required pipe size for allowable head loss, maximum flow capacity, or optimal pipe length for your system constraints. Simple, intuitive interface with instant results. No internet connection required. Professional-grade calculations in your pocket. Note: Premium modules are available in English and Spanish.

Screenshots

Taco Tools1 screens
HydroCalc Plus4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: HydroCalc Plus at 100% against Taco Tools's 20%. HydroCalc Plus also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 5 months). Taco Tools's advantage is price (Free vs $3.99) and in-app purchases (none vs 4). On ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Taco Tools is free to download; HydroCalc Plus costs $3.99 up front. HydroCalc Plus sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Taco Tools asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Taco Tools ships an update every 5 months, HydroCalc Plus every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 18, 2026 and August 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Taco Tools versus HydroCalc Plus: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTaco ToolsHydroCalc Plus
PriceFree — better$3.99
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews20.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.615.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size52 MB34 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTaco, Inc.Transparent Blue Water LLC

Customer experience

Taco Tools

Written reviews5 reviews
Positive20.0%
Neutral20.0%
Negative60.0%

HydroCalc Plus

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Taco Tools

No in-app purchases

4 purchases

HydroCalc Plus

One-time4
  • Pump Power Calculator$1.99
  • System Curve Generator$1.99
  • Pipe Database$1.99
Show 1 more
  • Industrial Fluids Pack$2.99

Questions

Is Taco Tools free?
Taco Tools is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is HydroCalc Plus free?
HydroCalc Plus costs $3.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Do Taco Tools or HydroCalc Plus have ads?
Neither Taco Tools nor HydroCalc Plus shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Taco Tools or HydroCalc Plus?
Taco Tools ships an update every 5 months, and HydroCalc Plus every 3 weeks. Most recently, Taco Tools was updated on September 18, 2026 and HydroCalc Plus on August 31, 2026.

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