Comparison

BuildCalc vs Construction Calculator

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

Head to head
About

BuildCalc

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Type the sizes. Get the shopping list. BuildCalc turns measurements into exact material quantities — concrete, tile, lumber, paint, gravel, drywall and more — with waste, price and “already have” built in. 200 CALCULATORS, ONE SEARCH • Concrete: slabs, footings, piers, stairs, block walls, rebar • Framing: studs, joists, sheathing, board feet, deck boards • Roofing & exterior: shingles, underlayment, siding, roof pitch, rafters • Interior: paint, drywall, tile, thinset, wallpaper, baseboard, insulation • Landscaping: mulch, gravel, topsoil, sod, pavers, raised beds • Electrical & plumbing: Ohm’s law, voltage drop, conduit fill, pipe volume, BTU, CFM • Converters: metric ↔ imperial, fractions, board feet and more SEE IT BEFORE YOU BUILD • Live 3D previews drawn from your numbers: stairs, decks, fences, roofs, tile layouts • AR tape measure: point the camera, tap, and the length drops into the field • AR at real size: place your finished deck, stairs, fence, patio or garden bed in your yard at 1:1 scale and walk around it LIVE PROJECT TEMPLATES • Deck, fence, raised bed, paver patio, deck stairs, garden shed • Move the sliders — the full bill of materials recounts live, down to the screws • Build sequence included, add everything to the shopping list in one tap PLAN LIKE A PRO • Waste percentage, price per unit and “already have” on every calculator • Feet-inches-1/16 tape-measure keypad for imperial sizes • Shopping list with check-off and running totals • Projects with budget tracking and PDF estimates • History, Spotlight search, Siri shortcuts and a Home Screen widget WORKS WHERE YOU WORK • 100% offline, no sign-up • Optional iCloud sync across your iPhone and iPad • Light and dark themes • 40 languages, metric and imperial • iPhone and iPad Estimates only — always verify quantities before ordering materials. — BuildCalc Pro (optional in-app purchase) Unlock all 200+ calculators and every pro tool — Cut Optimizer, Canvas, AR, PDF estimates, saved projects and unlimited history. • Monthly — $4.99 per month • Yearly — $29.99 per year, including a 3-day free trial • Lifetime — $59.99, a one-time purchase Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase. A subscription renews automatically unless it is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can manage or cancel auto-renewal anytime in your Apple Account settings. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://sites.google.com/view/buildcalc-material-calculator/privacy-policy

About

Construction Calculator

Features
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Construction Calculator Pro is the ultimate professional construction, carpentry, and civil engineering calculator—built specifically for general contractors, framers, finish carpenters, masonry builders, and estimators. Engineered to replace bulky handheld jobsite calculators, Construction Calculator Pro puts tactile, sunlight-readable precision right in your pocket. It works 100% offline with zero account requirements, zero cloud dependencies, and zero monthly subscriptions. ► FRACTIONAL DIMENSIONAL MATH • Add, subtract, multiply, and divide feet, inches, fractions (down to 1/64"), yards, meters, centimeters, and millimeters. • Instant unit conversions across imperial and metric dimensions with a single tap. • Visual 0–15 fraction picker for lightning-fast entry without decimal typing errors. • Continuous paperless history tape with labeled annotations. ► STAIR STRINGER & RAFTER LAYOUT (WITH CODE CHECKS) • Stair Layout: Calculate total rise, run, number of risers/treads, stringer throat cuts, and incline angle. • Built-in IRC / IBC code validation instantly flags non-compliant riser heights or tread depths. • Rafter Cuts: Calculate common rafters, hips, valleys, jacks, ridge deductions, and birdsmouth seat/plumb cuts with real-time 2D CAD diagrams. ► RUNNING TAPE & BALUSTER SPACING • Mark framing studs, joists, and baluster center-to-center layouts in a single continuous pass. • Built-in 4-inch sphere safety check ensures railings meet building code standards. ► CUT LIST & BOARD OPTIMIZER • First-Fit Decreasing (FFD) 1D bin packing optimizer minimizes scrap and lumber costs. • Automatically factors in saw blade kerf thickness so your physical cuts match your calculations. ► CIVIL & STRUCTURAL TAKEOFFS • Concrete Estimator: Slabs, footings, round columns, and curbs with custom waste factors. • Drywall & Sheathing: Sheet counts, joint compound, and screw estimates. • Brick & Block Masonry: Modular brick and CMU block counts with mortar volume. • Concrete Mix Proportions: Cement, sand, aggregate, and water weights for nominal mixes. • Rebar BBS (Bar Bending Schedule): Total length, weight, and cutting lists. • RCC Structural Elements: Beams, columns, and slabs. • Earthwork & Excavation: Trench, pit, and swimming pool volume estimations. ► INTERNATIONAL BUILDING CODES (195+ COUNTRIES) • Select your jurisdiction to automatically apply local stair rise/tread rules, baluster maximums, and safety guard regulations. ► PRIVACY & TRANSPARENCY • 100% Offline: Calculates entirely on your device. • Zero Data Collection: No tracking, no user accounts, nothing sent to external servers. • Fair Pricing: Free with non-intrusive banner ads that never block your keypad. Optional one-time $9.99 purchase removes all ads forever—no subscriptions. Support & Privacy Policy: https://chronos-labs.tech

Screenshots

BuildCalc4 screens
Construction Calculator4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Construction Calculator at none against BuildCalc's 3. BuildCalc's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, device support and iOS requirement 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. BuildCalc sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Construction Calculator asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard2 real differences · 4 level
BuildCalc versus Construction Calculator: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBuildCalcConstruction Calculator
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 2 months—
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size11 MB27 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSerhii TykhonenkoInkal Vadodariya

In-app purchases

3 purchases

BuildCalc

Subscriptions2
  • Pro Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Pro Yearly3 Days trial$29.991 Year
One-time1
  • Pro Lifetime$59.99
None

Construction Calculator

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is BuildCalc free?
BuildCalc is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Construction Calculator free?
Construction Calculator is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do BuildCalc or Construction Calculator have ads?
Construction Calculator shows ads; BuildCalc does not.

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