Comparison

BuilderCalc vs Deck Calculator & Planner

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

Head to head
About

BuilderCalc

Features
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The construction calculator a contractor actually uses on the job site — tile, drywall, concrete, paint, framing — every material estimate, with waste built in. Tap a project. Answer 2–3 questions. BuilderCalc tells you exactly how much to buy — humanized ("Buy 3 gallons, about $90–$140"), the shopping list to bring, and the mistakes that cost real money every year. FIVE GUIDED PROJECT FLOWS • Paint a room — wall area minus openings, primer + coats, gallon estimate • Tile a bathroom — square footage, box count, waste factor, grout volume • Build a deck (Pro) — joist spacing, beams, posts, footings, decking, fasteners • Install drywall (Pro) — sheets by room, screws, mud, tape • Pour a concrete slab (Pro) — slab, footers, columns, bags or yards EVERY FLOW INCLUDES • The humanized result, not just decimals • The shopping list to bring to the hardware store • The mistakes to dodge — sourced from JLC, Fine Homebuilding, This Old House, and the IRC PLUS 14 PRO CALCULATORS UNDERNEATH Tile · Drywall · Concrete · Paint · Flooring (LVP, hardwood, laminate, carpet) · Framing (studs, plates, headers) · Roofing (squares, underlayment, ridge cap) · Layout (diagonal squareness, stair stringer, rake/run/rise) · Materials waste · Square footage · Conversions · Volume · Coverage · Cost-per-unit WHO IT'S FOR Contractors, remodelers, handymen, framers, finish carpenters. Homeowners running a real project. Anyone who'd rather take an extra coffee break than re-measure for the third time. FREE vs PRO Free forever: paint and tile flows + all 14 calculators. Pro unlocks deck, drywall, and concrete flows; saved-job worksheets; cost-per-square-foot tracking. One-time or subscription. Subscriptions auto-renew until cancelled. Manage in your Apple ID Subscription Settings. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://doublevision.company/privacy OFFLINE. NO ACCOUNT. NO ADS. The job site doesn't always have signal. Neither does this app, by design.

About

Deck Calculator & Planner

Features
Read full description

Planning a deck? Type the width, depth and height. Deck Calculator & Planner draws the deck to scale and lists everything you need: joists, beams, posts, footings, concrete, decking, screws, railing and stairs. Free to plan. One purchase unlocks PDF export, the cut list and cost totals. No subscription. No account. What the app gives you: - A scaled plan you can see and adjust as you change the size, attached or freestanding - A full material list, grouped by framing, footings and concrete, decking and hardware, with your own prices and a running total - Stairs worked out for you: rise, run, tread count and stringers - A joist and beam check against published span tables, with a flag when a choice is outside the table - Railing counted out: posts and balusters, spaced to keep gaps under 4 inches - A PDF you can print or send, with a cut list page for the lumber yard Deck Planner helps you plan and estimate. It is not engineering advice and it does not replace your building department, a licensed engineer or a contractor. Span and footing checks come from published prescriptive tables for typical conditions. Your town may use a different code edition, snow load, frost depth or soil value. Most decks need a permit. Check with your local permit office before you buy materials or build.

Screenshots

BuilderCalc4 screens
Deck Calculator & Planner4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: BuilderCalc at every 4 days against Deck Calculator & Planner's fortnightly. On price, ads, in-app purchases 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. BuilderCalc sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and Deck Calculator & Planner sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

BuilderCalc ships an update every 4 days, Deck Calculator & Planner fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 5 level
BuilderCalc versus Deck Calculator & Planner: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBuilderCalcDeck Calculator & Planner
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 4 days — betterFortnightly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size1 MB11 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDouble Vision USA LLCCommonwealth Business Systems

In-app purchases

3 purchases

BuilderCalc

Subscriptions2
  • Pro Monthly7 Days trial$3.991 Month
  • Pro Yearly7 Days trial$29.991 Year
One-time1
  • Pro Unlock$74.99
1 purchases

Deck Calculator & Planner

One-time1
  • Full Unlock$9.99

Questions

Is BuilderCalc free?
BuilderCalc is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Deck Calculator & Planner free?
Deck Calculator & Planner is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do BuilderCalc or Deck Calculator & Planner have ads?
Neither BuilderCalc nor Deck Calculator & Planner shows ads.
Which is updated more often, BuilderCalc or Deck Calculator & Planner?
BuilderCalc ships an update every 4 days, and Deck Calculator & Planner fortnightly. Most recently, BuilderCalc was updated on October 24, 2026 and Deck Calculator & Planner on October 31, 2026.

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