A4Calc vs AC Control
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side โ with what reviewers say about each.
A4Calc
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A4 Small Format Interchangeable Core Calculator (sister app of A2Calc and A3Calc) ---Programmed by a Locksmith, for Locksmiths--- Automatically calculates the pinning chart for A4 SFIC. Built for 6 or 7 pin systems, however, less can be achieved by using a decimal to erase a chamber. Minimum of a control and master key are required to make a chart. Additional change key available for all devices; 2 change keys available for 16:9 screen devices. Randomize function will generate completely random charts each time it is triggered. "Lock/Unlock" toggle disables/enables all inputs and functions to prevent unwanted/lost changes. Control Finder is an added bonus by reverse engineering a core to determine the control key's bitting. This is perfect when needing to remove multiple cores in a building when the control key has been lost. There are two methods for achieving the control key: 1. using the master, control, and bottom pins, or 2. using only the top/driver pins. Up to 16 different projects can be saved at any one given time. All projects are encrypted and protected with a passcode when stored on your device. All projects can be exported via AirPrint and Email. Compatibility: iPhone / iPod touch on iOS 8.0 or later and iPad on iOS 12.0 or later. Found a bug? Something not working? Have a suggestion? Feel free to contact me via email: farren@phoxlocks.com
AC Control
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One remote for every smart air conditioner in your home. AC Control discovers and operates Wi-Fi air conditioners on your local network without forcing you to install a separate app for every brand. Open the app, tap Scan, and the units around you appear in seconds โ sorted by protocol, ready to control. The app reads accessories already paired in your Apple Home, listens for Matter announcements, polls Daikin BRP069 adapters via REST, and watches the standard broadcast ports used by Tuya, Midea, and Gree. No cloud round-trip. No login. No tracking. DETECTS - HomeKit accessories (mDNS _hap._tcp) โ Apple-certified ACs and thermostats - Matter 1.2+ devices (mDNS _matter._tcp + _matterc._udp) โ Room Air Conditioner cluster, Thermostat, Fan - Daikin BRP069A/B/C adapters (mDNS _dkapi._tcp + HTTP REST) โ native Daikin local API - Tuya / Smart Life devices (UDP broadcast 6666 / 6667) โ Midea, Hisense, TCL, Pioneer, Kelvinator and 500+ rebrands - Midea V3 native protocol (UDP broadcast 6445) โ Comfee, Toshiba Wi-Fi adapter, Senville, Inventor - Gree EWPE Smart (UDP broadcast 7000) โ Gree-branded ACs and global rebadges - Bluetooth Low Energy peripherals โ Matter commissioning, HomeKit Accessory Protocol BLE FEATURES - Live temperature dial with mode-aware color (cool / heat / dry / fan / auto) - Temperature controls with min and max limits read from each device - Mode selector โ auto, cool, heat, dry, fan - Fan speed picker โ auto, low, medium, high, turbo - Swing โ off, vertical, horizontal, both - Power toggle with sensory feedback - Per-protocol color-coded badges and capability chips - Pull-to-refresh scan - Empty state with clear next steps - Designed for iOS 26 with Liquid Glass effects and Dynamic Type - VoiceOver labels on every interactive element PRIVACY AC Control does not require an account. There is no signup, no profile, no cloud login. Every byte of discovery and control traffic stays inside your home network โ the app never sends your AC list, IP addresses, or commands to any server owned by us. - No third-party analytics SDKs - No advertising identifiers (IDFA, ATT) - No telemetry, no crash reporting, no fingerprinting - HomeKit framework data is read-only and used in-process - Local Network and Bluetooth permissions are used only for AC discovery - UserDefaults stores UI preferences only (selected tab, scan toggle) - Keychain stores Tuya local key credentials when you pair a Tuya AC, used solely for LAN control INDIE-BUILT, NO STRINGS AC Control is hand-built by an indie developer. No upsells, no nags, no tier system. Honest about what it does and what it doesn't โ Tuya, Midea, and Gree LAN scan requires Apple's multicast networking entitlement, which is approved per-app; the in-app banner makes the status visible. LINKS Privacy Policy: https://legal.ingenieria.dev/ac-control/privacy-policy.html Terms of Use: https://legal.ingenieria.dev/ac-control/terms-of-use.html Support: https://legal.ingenieria.dev/ac-control/support.html License Agreement (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: AC Control at every 2 months against A4Calc's every 8 months. A4Calc's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 26.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS
A4Calc costs $4.99 and AC Control $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
A4Calc ships an update every 8 months, AC Control every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | A4Calc | AC Control |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4.99 | $4.99 |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | Every 2 months โ better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod โ better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 โ better | 26.0 |
| Further details โ not scored | ||
| Size | 2 MB | 6 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Farren Domenici | Christian Irack Flores Maldonado |
In-app purchases
A4Calc
No in-app purchases
AC Control
No in-app purchases









