Comparison

WP 34s vs DB40X

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

WP 34s

This app is a powerful RPN scientific calculator with extensive functions for mathematics, statistics, programming, and engineering. It includes programmer functions, fraction mode, probability distributions, and a stopwatch, offering a comprehensive tool for complex calculations.

Highlights
  • RPN scientific calculator implementation
  • Programmer functions (binary, octal, hexadecimal)
  • Fraction mode and probability distributions
  • Stopwatch with real-time clock
  • Mathematical, statistical, and financial functions
  • Unit conversions and physical constants
  • Extended character sets for multiple languages
Features
Read full description

WP 34s is the most powerful and complete implementation of a classic RPN scientific calculator. Now available on iOS too (see the support site for other emulators and for the real stuff). The function set of the WP 34S is based on the most powerful programmable RPN calculators built so far and we expanded the set, incorporating programmer functions (base 2, 8 & 16), a fraction mode, probability distributions, a stopwatch... We also included numerous additional useful functions for mathematics, statistics, physics, engineering, programming, I/O, etc., such as: + Euler’s Beta and Riemann’s Zeta functions, Bernoulli and Fibonacci numbers, Lambert’s W, the error function, and the Chebyshev, Hermite, Laguerre, and Legendre orthogonal polynomials (no more need to carry heavy printed tables), + many statistical distributions and their inverses: Poisson, Binomial, Geometric, Cauchy-Lorentz, Exponential, Logistic, Weibull, Lognormal, and Gaussian, + programmable sums and products, first and second derivatives, solving quadratic equations for real and complex roots, + testing for primality, + integer computing in fifteen bases from binary to hexadecimal, + extended date and time operations and a stopwatch3 based on a real-time clock, + financial operations such as mean rate of return and margin calculations, + 88 conversions, mainly from old Imperial to universal SI units and vice versa, + 50 fundamental physical constants as accurate as used today by national standards institutes such as NIST or PTB, plus a selection of important constants from mathematics, astronomy, and surveying, + Greek and extended Latin letters covering the languages of almost half of the world’s population (upper and lower case in two font sizes), plus mathematical symbols. A beginner manual can be downloaded at http://sourceforge.net/projects/wp34s/files/doc/WP_34S_Beg_Guide.pdf and a full, very complete version at http://sourceforge.net/projects/wp34s/files/doc/Manual_wp_34s_3_1.pdf

About

DB40X

A high-precision scientific calculator inspired by the HP48 series, offering arbitrary precision computations, complex numbers, vectors, matrices, and graphing. It supports RPN and algebraic operations, with over 1000 built-in functions and a hyperlinked help system.

Highlights
  • Arbitrary precision computations
  • RPN and algebraic operations
  • Complex numbers, vectors, and matrices
  • Graphing and plotting
  • Engineering units and conversions
  • Hyperlinked help system
Features
Read full description

DB40X is a high-precision scientific calculator compatible with DB48X and inspired by the legendary HP48 series from Hewlett-Packard. It is not an emulator, but a redesign from scratch, which is faster, and delivers never seen before capabilities like computations in arbitrary precision. Like the original HP48, DB40X supports an unlimited stack, RPN and algebraic operations, complex numbers, based numbers, vectors, matrices, text, symbolic computations, numerical solving and integration, graphing and plotting, statistics, engineering units, and well over 1000 built-in functions. DB40X adds several HP50G capabilities, including a library of equations and constants covering mathematics, physics or chemistry. Using modern technologies, DB40X goes well beyond the original HP48 in many ways: - It is significantly faster, uses less memory, and features a higher-resolution 240x400 pixels graphical display. - Integer and decimal values can have an arbitrarily large number of digits, so you can compute log(pi) with 200 digits in a few keystrokes. - The six function keys feature up to three function per key, giving quick access to up to 18 related functions at a time. - Complex numbers can mix and match polar and rectangular form. - Symbolic operations extend to complex numbers, vectors and matrices. - Based numbers can be in any base from 2 to 36, and support any number of bits, making it easy to emulate a 23-bit or 512-bit processor. - Text is represented using Unicode instead of the proprietary HP encoding, facilitating data exchange with the rest of the world. - Multiple graphs can be distinguished using bitmap patterns. - Engineering units include all the modern evolutions of the SI system, and can be configured by the user, e.g. to integrate currency units with the exchange rate du jour. Converting between USD/hour and EUR/day has never been so easy! - A built-in hyperlinked help system documents functions simply by holding the corresponding key, and combine a quick start guide, a user manual and a reference manual. DB40X will run many user RPL programs as is. However, since it is not an emulator, it will not run any HP binary object, and notably will not run HP48 games or anything involving system RPL. Version 0.7.14 is an early-access release. Please consult https://github.com/c3d/db48x/blob/stable/doc/5-Unimplemented.md for a list of HP48 commands that are not yet implemented. DB40X is part of a family of compatible RPL calculators that include DB48X and DB50X. DB40X lacks the ability to write programs or data to disk, and RPL programs are limited to 40K.

Screenshots

WP 34s1 screens
DB40X3 screens

Verdict

The call

WP 34s and DB40X both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 93% of WP 34s's written reviews are positive against 67% of DB40X's. WP 34s also leads on ratings volume (28 vs 7) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 14.0). DB40X's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 4 months). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for WP 34s against 4.7 for DB40X. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 28 and 7 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 93% of WP 34s's written reviews are positive against 67% of DB40X's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

WP 34s ships an update every 4 months, DB40X every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and June 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
WP 34s versus DB40X: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterWP 34sDB40X
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (28 ratings)4.7 (7 ratings) — better
Positive reviews92.6% of reviews — better66.7% of reviews
Number of ratings28 — better7
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.0 — better14.0
Further details — not scored
Size11 MB7 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPascal MeheutChristophe de Dinechin

Customer experience

WP 34s

All ratings28 ratings
Positive92.9%
Neutral0.0%
Negative7.1%
Written reviews27 reviews
Positive92.6%
Neutral0.0%
Negative7.4%

DB40X

All ratings6 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral33.3%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

WP 34s

No in-app purchases

None

DB40X

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is WP 34s free?
WP 34s is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is DB40X free?
DB40X is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, WP 34s or DB40X?
DB40X is rated higher. WP 34s averages 4.7 out of 5 from 28 ratings, while DB40X averages 4.7 from 7 ratings.
Do WP 34s or DB40X have ads?
Neither WP 34s nor DB40X shows ads.
Which is updated more often, WP 34s or DB40X?
WP 34s ships an update every 4 months, and DB40X every 3 weeks. Most recently, WP 34s was updated on September 20, 2026 and DB40X on June 4, 2026.

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