Comparison

GearCalc Pro vs PDF Key

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

Head to head
About

GearCalc Pro

Features
Read full description

GearCalc Pro is the most professional gear ratio calculator and 3D simulator for hobbyists, makers, and engineers working with motorized projects. WHAT IT DOES - Calculate exact gear ratios for any motor + target speed/torque - Auto-suggest optimal gear teeth combinations across 1-6 stages - Real-time 3D visualization of compound gear trains with proper meshing - Simulate gear rotation at adjustable input RPM with live output display - Battery life estimation across 11 battery types - Reverse motor finder - given target RPM/torque, find the best motor MOTOR LIBRARY (18 models) - Ultra Micro: N10 - Micro: N20, N30, GA12-N20 gearmotor - Small: TT, DC 130/FA-130, DC 180, DC 260, DC 280 - Medium: DC 380, RS-540, RS-545, RS-550 - Large: RS-775, RS-895 - BLDC: 2208 drone motor - Stepper: NEMA 14, NEMA 17, NEMA 23 - Servo: SG90, MG996R - Custom motor input - add your own specs ENGINEERING FEATURES - Standard gear theory: D = teeth x module - Per-stage efficiency (Spur, Helical, Worm, Bevel, Planetary) - Gear pair recommendations from 21 standard tooth counts (8T to 120T) - Worm gear support with 1/2/4-start configurations - Standard ISO modules (0.3 to 4.0) - Motor dimension diagrams with shaft, bore, and mounting specs - Save/load configurations 3D VISUALIZATION - Real PBR-rendered gears with metallic shading - Color-coded stage badges - Auto-fit camera, free 3D rotation - Reset view to recenter - Start/stop animation with physics-correct rotation 8 LANGUAGES Traditional Chinese, English, Simplified Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, French, German. EXPORT - Generate spec sheet image - Copy text spec to clipboard - Share via standard iOS share sheet Whether you're designing a robot, toy, RC car, 3D printer, or CNC machine, GearCalc Pro gives you the math, the visualization, and the engineering data in one beautifully designed app.

About

PDF Key

Features
Read full description

PDF Key is a simple app for adding an open password to PDF files. Choose a PDF, enter a new password, and save it as a password-protected PDF. If the selected PDF is already password-protected, you can unlock it with the current password first. Leave the new password blank to export a PDF without a password. PDF Key does not include editing, merging, splitting, OCR, scanning, cloud sync, or password recovery features. It is focused on one job: protecting PDFs with a password. Features: ・Add an open password to PDFs ・Open password-protected PDFs ・Export without a password by leaving the new password blank ・Save as a new file without overwriting the original ・On-device processing ・No account

Screenshots

GearCalc Pro4 screens
PDF Key2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: PDF Key at monthly against GearCalc Pro's every 3 months. 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

GearCalc Pro ships an update every 3 months, PDF Key monthly. Both last shipped on October 25, 2026.

Scorecard1 real difference · 5 level
GearCalc Pro versus PDF Key: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGearCalc ProPDF Key
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsMonthly — better
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS17.016.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size8 MB5 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSui Fai LawRiku Kanai

In-app purchases

None

GearCalc Pro

No in-app purchases

None

PDF Key

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is GearCalc Pro free?
GearCalc Pro is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is PDF Key free?
PDF Key is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do GearCalc Pro or PDF Key have ads?
Both GearCalc Pro and PDF Key show ads.
Which is updated more often, GearCalc Pro or PDF Key?
GearCalc Pro ships an update every 3 months, and PDF Key monthly. Most recently, GearCalc Pro was updated on October 25, 2026 and PDF Key on October 25, 2026.

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