# photocad CALC vs Design Materials

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.

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | photocad CALC | Design Materials |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/design-materials/id975764691/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **2** |
| Positive reviews | — | 30.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 15 MB | 28 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 18.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [PHOTOCAD GmbH & Co. KG](https://appshunter.io/developer/477451787) | [Chrystian Enriquez](https://appshunter.io/developer/428286625) |

## What reviewers say

### photocad CALC

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photocad-calc/id477451784)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Design Materials

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/design-materials/id975764691)

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:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Bronze member | $7.99 | per month |
| Silver member | $17.99 | per 3 months |
| Gold member | $49.99 | per year |


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