# 1st Calc vs Shaping Patterns

The clearest difference is price: Shaping Patterns at Free against 1st Calc's $0.99. Shaping Patterns also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 50 months). 1st Calc's advantage is iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.0). On ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Shaping Patterns is free to download; 1st Calc costs $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

1st Calc ships an update every 50 months, Shaping Patterns monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | 1st Calc | Shaping Patterns |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $0.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[3.3 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/1st-calc/id546843701/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **3** | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 50 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Size | 9 MB | 195 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [medienwerkstatt](https://appshunter.io/developer/322110992) | [Alexis Pott](https://appshunter.io/developer/1736380800) |

## What reviewers say

### 1st Calc

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/1st-calc/id546843701)

This app provides a visual abacus-style bead frame to help primary school children learn numbers up to 100. It supports addition and subtraction practice, making math more engaging and helping to prevent learning disabilities.

**Highlights:** Abacus-style bead frame, Learn numbers up to 100, Addition and subtraction practice, Customizable bead colors, Optional live cam background

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Shaping Patterns

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shaping-patterns/id6502413852)

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is 1st Calc free?

1st Calc costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Shaping Patterns free?

Shaping Patterns is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do 1st Calc or Shaping Patterns have ads?

Neither 1st Calc nor Shaping Patterns shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, 1st Calc or Shaping Patterns?

1st Calc ships an update every 50 months, and Shaping Patterns monthly. Most recently, 1st Calc was updated on November 1, 2026 and Shaping Patterns on November 4, 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.*