# ResearchCalc vs BenchBuddy

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: BenchBuddy at none against ResearchCalc's 1. BenchBuddy also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs every 3 weeks) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.1). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ResearchCalc sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. BenchBuddy asks for nothing beyond the download.

ResearchCalc ships an update every 3 weeks, BenchBuddy every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ResearchCalc | BenchBuddy |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 3 days** |
| Size | 47 MB | 32 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Akira Sugiyama](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896605311) | [HKraft Labs](https://appshunter.io/developer/6780690745) |

## What reviewers say

### ResearchCalc

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/researchcalc/id6768794176)

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Unlock | $3.99 | one-time |


### BenchBuddy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/benchbuddy-lab-toolkit/id6780690743)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ResearchCalc free?

ResearchCalc is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is BenchBuddy free?

BenchBuddy is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do ResearchCalc or BenchBuddy have ads?

Both ResearchCalc and BenchBuddy show ads.

### Which is updated more often, ResearchCalc or BenchBuddy?

ResearchCalc ships an update every 3 weeks, and BenchBuddy every 3 days. Most recently, ResearchCalc was updated on October 8, 2026 and BenchBuddy on October 5, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*