# Basic Calculator vs Big Button Calculator Pro Lite

The clearest difference is ads: Basic Calculator at none against Big Button Calculator Pro Lite's shown. Basic Calculator also leads on monetization model (free vs ad-supported). Big Button Calculator Pro Lite's advantage is review sentiment (83% vs 69%) and ratings volume (14K vs 1.9K). On price, rating, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Basic Calculator against 4.7 for Big Button Calculator Pro Lite. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Big Button Calculator Pro Lite has 14K ratings behind it against 1.9K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 69% of Basic Calculator's written reviews are positive against 83% of Big Button Calculator Pro Lite's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Basic Calculator | Big Button Calculator Pro Lite |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (1.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/basic-calculator/id790580942/reviews) | **[4.7 (14K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/big-button-calculator-pro-lite/id1131056808/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1.9K | **14K** |
| Positive reviews | 69.4% of reviews | **82.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Ad-supported |
| Size | 27 MB | 45 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.2 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [SuperDG Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/635709768) | [Cider Software LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/465180756) |

## What reviewers say

### Basic Calculator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/basic-calculator/id790580942)

A straightforward calculator app designed for everyday use. It offers a clean interface with essential functions, displaying current calculations and providing a history of your operations. Ideal for users who prefer simplicity over advanced features.

**Highlights:** Basic calculation system, Intuitive design, View present modifications, Calculation history, Universal app support

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Efficient calculator
- 💡 Useful history feature
- 🔒 No data collection

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Ads interfering with usage
- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
- 🔍 Limited functionality

**Reported bugs**

- Percentage key not working on iPad
- Calculation history not updating correctly

**Requested features**

- Support for fractions and advanced calculations
- Ability to correct mistakes without restarting
- Customization options like themes and fonts


### Big Button Calculator Pro Lite

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/big-button-calculator-pro-lite/id1131056808)

A user-friendly calculator app featuring large buttons and customizable colorful backgrounds. It offers a dual-line display, multi-line input for complex equations, and convenient gesture controls for editing and copying.

**Highlights:** Large buttons, Dual-line display, 18 color themes, Multi-line input, Gesture controls, VoiceOver accessibility

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 💡 Customizable backgrounds
- 🚀 Accurate calculations
- 👍 Large, clear numbers
- 👍 Helpful for homeschooling

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Ads can be intrusive
- 🐛 Ads in foreign languages
- 🐛 Ads take time to close
- 🔋 High battery consumption due to ads

**Reported bugs**

- Occasionally shows answer before calculation is complete
- Rounding issues leading to inaccurate results

**Requested features**

- Add more background options
- Allow custom background uploads
- Add option to change button colors
- Improve ad experience or offer ad-free version


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Basic Calculator free?

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

### Is Big Button Calculator Pro Lite free?

Big Button Calculator Pro Lite is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Basic Calculator or Big Button Calculator Pro Lite?

Big Button Calculator Pro Lite is rated higher. Basic Calculator averages 4.6 out of 5 from 1.9K ratings, while Big Button Calculator Pro Lite averages 4.7 from 14K ratings.

### Do Basic Calculator or Big Button Calculator Pro Lite have ads?

Big Button Calculator Pro Lite shows ads; Basic Calculator does not.

### Which is updated more often, Basic Calculator or Big Button Calculator Pro Lite?

Basic Calculator ships an update every 3 months, and Big Button Calculator Pro Lite every 3 months. Most recently, Basic Calculator was updated on November 1, 2026 and Big Button Calculator Pro Lite on November 4, 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.*