Comparison

Structural Engineering lite vs Polygon

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

Head to head
About

Structural Engineering lite

This app provides engineers with essential structural formulas and calculations for civil construction projects. It offers instant results, demand/capacity checks, and a built-in database of materials and sections, all accessible on mobile devices.

Highlights
  • 59 structural formulas (AISC/ACI)
  • Instant demand/capacity checks
  • Built-in AISC section database
  • Material and code references
  • USCS & SI unit support
  • Pass/Fail visual indicator
Features
Read full description

Structural Engineering Calculator delivers 59 AISC and ACI structural formulas with instant results, demand/capacity checks, a built-in AISC section database, and material references — all in one app. Whether you’re on site, in the office, or reviewing drawings, every calculation you need is in your pocket. 59 STRUCTURAL FORMULAS COLUMNS Critical Ratio (Cc), Effective Length Factor (K), Slenderness Ratio (KL/r), Allowable Compressive Stress (Sr less than Cc), Allowable Compressive Stress (Sr greater than Cc), Safety Factor, Maximum Axial Load. BEAMS Shear Capacity of Flexural Members, Allowable Bending Stress (Compact and Noncompact), Moment Gradient Factor (Cb), Allowable Flange Bending Stress, Plastic Moment (Mp), Lateral Unbraced Lengths (Lp and Lr), Limiting Buckling Moment (Mr), Nominal Moment (Mn), Critical Elastic Moment (Mcr), Allowable Shear Stress, Beam Deflection for UDL and Point Load. BASE PLATES Base Plate Area, Plate Thickness, Bearing Pressure, Flange and Web Thickness, Plate Dimensions N and B. COMPOSITE BEAMS Horizontal Shear for Concrete and Steel, Number of Shear Connectors, Transformed Section Properties, Modular Ratio, Elastic Neutral Axis. CONNECTIONS Allowable Shear with Tension Field Action, Allowable Bearing Stress for Rollers and Rockers, Axial Stress for Concentrated Loads, Allowable Bearing Stress on Fasteners, Number of Shear Connectors, Total Horizontal Shear. AISC CODE REFERENCES Every formula links directly to AISC/ACI clauses — AISC 360-16, AISC ASD 9th Edition, ACI 318-19, and AISC Design Guide 3. PASS / FAIL CHECK Instant visual adequacy check with demand/capacity ratio — green for PASS, red for FAIL. AISC SECTION PICKER Browse W-shapes (AISC 15th Edition) and auto-fill section properties instantly. REFERENCE TAB Built-in library with W-sections (W4–W44), ASTM materials (A36, A992, A572, A500, A325, A490, F1554), weld electrodes, concrete grades, and codes. USCS & SI UNITS Switch anytime between inches/ksi and mm/MPa with automatic conversion. All section and material data included. Supports both USCS and SI units. Compatible with iPhone and iPad. Pay once — no subscriptions. References: AISC Steel Construction Manual 15th Edition, AISC 360-16, AISC ASD 9th Edition, ACI 318-19, AISC Design Guide 3.

About

Polygon

Calculate complex properties of any polygonal figure, including centroids, moments of inertia, and perimeter. Simply input vertex coordinates for instant results, saving significant time on tedious calculations.

Highlights
  • Polygon Centroids
  • Moments of Inertia (Ix, Iy, Ixy)
  • Polar Moment of Inertia
  • Radius of Gyration
  • Principal Moments of Inertia
  • Area and Perimeter
  • Side Lengths
  • Hollow Sections
Features
Read full description

Polygon will allow you to calculate complex and tedious calculations related to any polygonal figure, whether concave or convex, regular or irregular, in a simple and instantaneous way: - Polygon Centroids - Moments of Inertia Ix, Iy, Ixy - Polar Moment of Inertia - Radius of gyration - Principal Moments of Inertia (Iu, Iv and their respective angles) - Area and Perimeter of the polygon - Length of each side of the polygon - Even incorporate hollow sections - Rotate the axes to a custom angle - Define new custom axes at any point - and much more You just have to enter the coordinates of the vertices of your polygon and press the button and it will immediately calculate all the previous properties, saving valuable time. Subscription Terms: Payment will be charged to Itunes Account at confirmation of purchase. Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turnerd off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hour prior to the end of the current period, and identify the cost of the renewal. Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Account Setting after purchase. No cancellation of the current subscription is allowed during active subscription period. For in-app purchases and subscriptions, see Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Structural Engineering lite4 screens
Polygon4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Structural Engineering lite at 4.2 against Polygon's 3.0. Structural Engineering lite also leads on ratings volume (19 vs 1). Polygon's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (weekly vs every 6 months). On price, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Structural Engineering lite sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Polygon sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Structural Engineering lite holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Structural Engineering lite has 19 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Structural Engineering lite ships an update every 6 months, Polygon weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 18, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Structural Engineering lite versus Polygon: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterStructural Engineering litePolygon
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.2 (19 ratings) — better3.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews60.0% of reviews
Number of ratings19 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 6 monthsWeekly — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.617.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size6 MB29 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperV PUGAZHENTHIAdrian Caballero

Customer experience

Structural Engineering lite

All ratings19 ratings
Positive84.2%
Neutral0.0%
Negative15.8%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive60.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative40.0%

Polygon

All ratings1 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral100.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Structural Engineering lite

One-time1
  • Structural Engineering Calc.$5.99
4 purchases

Polygon

Subscriptions3
  • Pro Access$2.991 Month
  • Pro Access$4.996 Months
  • Pro Access$6.991 Year
One-time1
  • Pro Access$9.99

Questions

Is Structural Engineering lite free?
Structural Engineering lite is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Polygon free?
Polygon is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Structural Engineering lite or Polygon?
Structural Engineering lite is rated higher. Structural Engineering lite averages 4.2 out of 5 from 19 ratings, while Polygon averages 3.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Structural Engineering lite or Polygon have ads?
Structural Engineering lite shows ads; Polygon does not.
Which is updated more often, Structural Engineering lite or Polygon?
Structural Engineering lite ships an update every 6 months, and Polygon weekly. Most recently, Structural Engineering lite was updated on September 18, 2026 and Polygon on September 20, 2026.

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