# 1st Calc vs Hands

The clearest difference is review sentiment: 1st Calc at 100% against Hands's 0%. 1st Calc also leads on rating (3.3 vs 1.0) and price ($0.99 vs $2.99). Hands's advantage is update cadence (every 25 months vs every 50 months) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.6). On ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

1st Calc costs $0.99 and Hands $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

1st Calc holds the better App Store score, 3.3 against 1.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 1 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of 1st Calc's written reviews are positive against 0% of Hands's.

1st Calc ships an update every 50 months, Hands every 25 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | 1st Calc | Hands |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$0.99** | $2.99 |
| Rating | **[3.3 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/1st-calc/id546843701/reviews)** | [1.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hands-on-math-pentominoes/id790870896/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **3** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 50 months | **Every 25 months** |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Size | 9 MB | 29 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **12.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [medienwerkstatt](https://appshunter.io/developer/322110992) | [Ventura Educational Systems](https://appshunter.io/developer/371324172) |

## 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


### Hands

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hands-on-math-pentominoes/id790870896)

Explore geometric shapes, fractions, and problem-solving with virtual pentomino pieces. This interactive playground supports discovery-based learning and directed teaching strategies for developing mathematical understanding.

**Highlights:** Virtual pentomino playground, Geometric shape exploration, Fraction concepts, Visual problem-solving activities, Discovery and directed teaching support, Interactive manipulatives

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is 1st Calc free?

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

### Is Hands free?

Hands costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, 1st Calc or Hands?

1st Calc is rated higher. 1st Calc averages 3.3 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while Hands averages 1.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do 1st Calc or Hands have ads?

Neither 1st Calc nor Hands shows ads.

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

1st Calc ships an update every 50 months, and Hands every 25 months. Most recently, 1st Calc was updated on November 6, 2026 and Hands on November 1, 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.*