# A vs IES ShapeDB

The clearest difference is price: IES ShapeDB at Free against A's $4.99. IES ShapeDB also leads on rating (5.0 vs 1.0) and iOS requirement (9.3 vs 18.6). On ratings volume, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

IES ShapeDB is free to download; A costs $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

IES ShapeDB holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 1.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 1 respectively.

A ships an update every 9 months, IES ShapeDB every 7 months. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | A | IES ShapeDB |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $4.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [1.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/a-beam-plus/id477748904/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ies-shapedb/id1068309510/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **2** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 60.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | **Every 7 months** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Size | 53 MB | 81 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | **9.3** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Jutarus Ratanasethakul](https://appshunter.io/developer/1454380236) | [INTEGRATED ENGINEERING SOFTWARE INC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1068309509) |

## What reviewers say

### A

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/a-beam-plus/id477748904)

This application simplifies the design of RC beams, offering detailed calculation steps for confidence in results. It initially supports ACI 318 building codes in US and Metric units, with plans to add more design codes.

**Highlights:** Simplified RC beam design, Detailed calculation steps, ACI 318 Building Code support, US and Metric units, Future design code additions

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### IES ShapeDB

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ies-shapedb/id1068309510)

Access a comprehensive database of over 18,000 structural shapes and their engineering properties. Perform simple beam and column stress analysis for various materials like steel, wood, aluminum, rebar, and cables. Ideal for field use by engineers.

**Highlights:** 18,000+ structural shapes, Engineering properties database, Simple beam stress analysis, Column stress analysis, Supports steel, wood, aluminum, rebar, cables, Calculates bending and combined stresses

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is A free?

A costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is IES ShapeDB free?

IES ShapeDB is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, A or IES ShapeDB?

IES ShapeDB is rated higher. A averages 1.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while IES ShapeDB averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do A or IES ShapeDB have ads?

Neither A nor IES ShapeDB shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, A or IES ShapeDB?

A ships an update every 9 months, and IES ShapeDB every 7 months. Most recently, A was updated on October 6, 2026 and IES ShapeDB on October 3, 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.*