A vs RPN
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
A
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.
- Simplified RC beam design
- Detailed calculation steps
- ACI 318 Building Code support
- US and Metric units
- Future design code additions
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The A-Beam+ is the extension of the previous A-Beam app that make the design of the RC beam easy and as simple as using the normal calculator. But behind the simplicity the app also provide the very details of the calculation in every step to make you confident with the calculation result. The initial version support for the "ACI 318" Building Code both US & Metric (SI-Metric and MKS-Metric) units with more other design codes will be added.
RPN
Experience a faithful simulation of the groundbreaking HP-65 programmable calculator on your iPhone. This app offers virtual program and data cards, a paper tape printer, and a robust card manager. Explore four distinct operating modes, including an enhanced "Super-65" option.
- Virtual program and data cards
- Virtual paper tape printer with AirPrint
- Database-driven card manager
- Create, delete, and organize unlimited cards
- Sharing via email, AirDrop, Dropbox, iTunes
- Paste and run existing HP-65 listings
- Four distinct operating modes
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World's first pocket computer! Now running on your iPhone. RPN-65 SD is the iPhone version of RPN-65 Pro, the first complete simulation of Hewlett-Packard's stunning HP-65 programmable calculator for iOS. Produced from 1974 to 1977 at an initial price of $795 (that's close to $5,000 today!), the HP-65 was a breakthrough. Not only was it programmable, it also contained a motorized magnetic card reader - and still fit into Bill Hewlett's shirt pocket. Experience this revolutionary calculator on your iPhone. With over 180 original HP programs included with the app, you can get started right away. "A work of art. Fantastic!" (MacBreak Weekly, episode 572) Features: • Virtual program and data cards • Virtual 2000-line paper tape printer supports AirPrint • Powerful database-driven card manager • Create, delete, label, and organize a virtually unlimited number of cards • Sharing: e-mail, AirDrop, Dropbox, iTunes, copy, paste, print • Paste existing HP-65 listings into RPN-65 and run them • "Live" display of stack, memory registers, program counter, flags • Reads program and data cards created by RPN-65 Pro • Reads data cards created by RPN-67 Pro/SD and RPN-97 Pro Run RPN-65 SD in any of 4 modes: 1 - Just like the original HP-65 2 - Like the original HP-65, but at much higher speed 3 - With many user-interface improvements, like backstep key or jump to any program step 4 - "Super-65" with 999 program steps, 120 labels, 120 registers, nested subroutines, and much more For details, free program downloads, calculator handbook and much more, visit the RPN-65 website: cuveesoft.ch/rpn65
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: RPN at 5.0 against A's 1.0. RPN also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 60%) and update cadence (every 4 months vs every 9 months). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model 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
A costs $4.99 and RPN $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
RPN holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 1.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 8 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 60% of A's written reviews are positive against 100% of RPN's.
A ships an update every 9 months, RPN every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | A | RPN |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4.99 | $2.99 — better |
| Rating | 1.0 (2 ratings) | 5.0 (8 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 60.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 2 | 8 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | Every 4 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | #171 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | 12.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 53 MB | 62 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Jutarus Ratanasethakul | CuVee Software |
Customer experience
A
RPN
In-app purchases
A
No in-app purchases
RPN
No in-app purchases
