# Calculator‰ vs Five Bells

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Calculator‰ at none against Five Bells's 3. Calculator‰ also leads on ratings volume (410K vs 239). Five Bells's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 5 months). On price, rating, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Five Bells sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Calculator‰ asks for nothing beyond the download.

Calculator‰ holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Calculator‰ has 410K ratings behind it against 239, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 70% of Calculator‰'s written reviews are positive against 79% of Five Bells's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Calculator‰ ships an update every 5 months, Five Bells every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 14, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Calculator‰ | Five Bells |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (410K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/calculator/id486645049/reviews)** | [4.7 (239 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/five-bells/id1579094984/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **410K** | 239 |
| Positive reviews | 69.8% of reviews | **79.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 47 MB | 36 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Tim O's Studios, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/412839685) | [Mark Gould](https://appshunter.io/developer/1575372263) |

## What reviewers say

### Calculator‰

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/calculator/id486645049)

This utility app offers a clean and intuitive interface for performing calculations. It prioritizes a user-friendly design with large buttons and a clear display for quick and efficient use.

**Highlights:** Large buttons, Clear display, Fast calculations, Intuitive layout, Retina Display support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 👍 Large, clear buttons
- 👍 Accurate calculations
- 👍 Simple, no-frills design
- 👍 Reliable and stable

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Lack of advanced features
- 💰 Ads can be intrusive
- 🔒 Concerns about security/malware
- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches

**Reported bugs**

- Calculations sometimes incorrect
- App crashing or freezing

**Requested features**

- Percentage key in portrait mode
- Option to remove ads (paid version)
- More customization options
- Memory function


### Five Bells

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/five-bells/id1579094984)

This app replicates the traditional ship's bell system for marking time and watch changes. Users can configure bell sequences, set hourly chimes, and schedule quiet times. It also offers additional information for sailors.

**Highlights:** Traditional ship's bell simulation, Configurable bell sequences, Hourly single bell option, Scheduled quiet time, Maritime information for sailors

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Regular Coffee | $1.99 | one-time |
| Large Coffee | $2.99 | one-time |
| Lunch | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🔔 Great bell sounds
- 👍 Exactly what users wanted
- 💡 Useful for time tracking
- 💰 Free with donation option
- 🌙 Quiet hours feature appreciated

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Quiet time feature doesn't work
- ⏰ Time incorrect/chiming late
- 🔇 Silence function doesn't work
- 🔊 Too loud, needs volume control
- 🔔 Half-hour bell can be annoying

**Reported bugs**

- Quiet time feature doesn't work
- Time incorrect, chiming late
- Silence function doesn't work
- App doesn't work on Apple Watch, only one ding
- Number of bells doubled on iPad compared to iPhone

**Requested features**

- Nicer clock interface
- Volume control or loud/medium/quiet switch
- Option to leave out half-hour bell
- Ability to have app on Apple Watch
- Choice of bell sounds


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Calculator‰ free?

Calculator‰ is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Five Bells free?

Five Bells is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Calculator‰ or Five Bells?

Calculator‰ is rated higher. Calculator‰ averages 4.9 out of 5 from 410K ratings, while Five Bells averages 4.7 from 239 ratings.

### Do Calculator‰ or Five Bells have ads?

Calculator‰ shows ads; Five Bells does not.

### Which is updated more often, Calculator‰ or Five Bells?

Calculator‰ ships an update every 5 months, and Five Bells every 2 months. Most recently, Calculator‰ was updated on November 14, 2026 and Five Bells on November 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.*