Comparison

photocad CALC vs Design Materials

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

Head to head
About

photocad CALC

Features
Read full description

Photocad app SMD stencils are required in the process of printing solder paste onto circuit boards in the electronics industry. The thickness and aperture of the SMD stencils define the amount of solder paste. To ensure that the solder paste adheres to the circuit board, close attention must be paid to the area ratio and aspect ratio of the stencil. photocadCALC software makes it quick and easy to calculate the maximum possible thickness for laser-cut SMD stencils with a variety of stencil apertures. However, the photocad app has a great deal more to offer: the product advisor allows you to specify the most suitable SMD stencils for your planned deployment. As a result, you will receive a link to our online shop that is tailored to reflect your specific needs, and which can be conveniently shared by e-mail, WhatsApp or Airdrop. A useful glossary, a tool to quickly define stencil thickness, and constantly updated news and information about the company and the online shop complete the range of functionalities offered by the photocad app.

About

Design Materials

This app serves as an offline reference guide for various design materials, including polymers and metals. It allows users to manage their own material data, view 3D models, and capture objects with their device's camera. Ideal for professionals and hobbyists involved in product design and 3D printing.

Highlights
  • Offline material reference guide
  • Custom material and resin management
  • 3D model viewer and import/export
  • Object capture via device camera
  • Favorites and notes section
  • Cross-device compatibility (iOS, macOS)
Features
Read full description

Design Materials is an offline material reference guide trusted by hundreds of Engineers, Architects and Designers all over the World. The App was created to be a personal tool to help me take design decisions during the concept ideation of industrial products, in particular for 3D printing. Due to high demand, I decided to make it public and share it's information and power. Basically, it provides the fundamentals for most design/engineer materials on the market, based on reliable and curated academic sources. In addition, you can now create and manager your own Material, Resin or Filament data. Finally, the App features Apple Intelligence (AI) with a pair of Entity Masters in material engineering and STEM: HAL 9000 and Elemento, which can be accessed 24/7 while being on or offline (no internet). The guide contains material categories such as polymers, metals, naturals and more. All of these include synthetic, organic, bio-degradable, plastic, and much more subcategories. Each material contains information such as: About, Properties, Tags, Applications, Types and Photos. HAL 9000 & Elemento (AI entities): The legend of HAL is back. Ask anything from space to robotics or biology, HAL and Elemento are Gods of material engineering and science. HAL does precise flawless analysis while Elemento brings fresh human creativity with an attitude. In addition, you can choose the Tone of AI: Formal, Friendly, Direct or Arrogant. Both AI Entities work offline 24/7. Other features includes: • AI Chat with HAL 9000 or Elemento • Material Packs (subscribers) • 3D-model viewer/import/export • Object Capture: Scan Objects • Favorites section • Offline reference (no Internet needed) • Long list of properties per material • Save Notes per material/resin/filament • Create Designs using Apple Pencil • Support for all iPhone screen sizes • Dark Mode • iPadOS support • MacOS support • Continuous Updates with New Content • UNIVERSAL PURCHASE - One Payment for all Devices New Pro version auto-renew subscriptions: - 1 year (Gold) | 3 month (Silver) | 1 month (Bronze) subscriptions* - Access to all material database ABOUT SUBSCRIPTIONS • Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. • Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period.

 • Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period, and identify the cost of the renewal.
 • Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Account Settings after purchase.
 • Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription to that publication, where applicable. 

• Terms of use (EULA): https://www.termsfeed.com/live/faff17b4-8765-4690-b57e-9aabde3d2950

Screenshots

photocad CALC4 screens
Design Materials4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: photocad CALC at none against Design Materials's 3. photocad CALC also leads on iOS requirement (11.0 vs 18.6). Design Materials's advantage is update cadence (every 3 months vs every 8 months). On price, ads and device support 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

Both are free to download. Design Materials sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. photocad CALC asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

photocad CALC ships an update every 8 months, Design Materials every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
photocad CALC versus Design Materials: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
Parameterphotocad CALCDesign Materials
PriceFreeFree
Rating—4.5 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—30.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—2 — better
Update frequencyEvery 8 monthsEvery 3 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Free with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Mac
Requires iOS11.0 — better18.6
Further details — not scored
Size15 MB28 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPHOTOCAD GmbH & Co. KGChrystian Enriquez

In-app purchases

None

photocad CALC

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Design Materials

Subscriptions3
  • Bronze member$7.991 Month
  • Silver member$17.993 Months
  • Gold member3 Days trial$49.991 Year

Questions

Is photocad CALC free?
photocad CALC is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Design Materials free?
Design Materials is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do photocad CALC or Design Materials have ads?
Neither photocad CALC nor Design Materials shows ads.
Which is updated more often, photocad CALC or Design Materials?
photocad CALC ships an update every 8 months, and Design Materials every 3 months. Most recently, photocad CALC was updated on October 26, 2026 and Design Materials on October 29, 2026.

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