BuildCalc vs Construction Calculator
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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
Construction Calculator
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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
Verdict
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
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.
| Parameter | BuildCalc | Construction Calculator |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | — |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 11 MB | 27 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Serhii Tykhonenko | Inkal Vadodariya |
In-app purchases
BuildCalc
- Pro Monthly$4.991 Month
- Pro Yearly3 Days trial$29.991 Year
- Pro Lifetime$59.99
Construction Calculator
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is BuildCalc free?
Is Construction Calculator free?
Do BuildCalc or Construction Calculator have ads?
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