# Basic Calculator vs Essential Calculator

The clearest difference is rating: Basic Calculator at 4.6 against Essential Calculator's 4.0. Basic Calculator also leads on ratings volume (1.9K vs 8). Essential Calculator's advantage is iOS requirement (12.4 vs 15.0). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

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

Basic Calculator holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Basic Calculator has 1.9K ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 69% of Basic Calculator's written reviews are positive against 75% of Essential Calculator's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Basic Calculator ships an update every 3 months, Essential Calculator every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Basic Calculator | Essential Calculator |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (1.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/basic-calculator/id790580942/reviews)** | [4.0 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/essential-calculator/id1151178028/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.9K** | 8 |
| Positive reviews | 69.4% of reviews | **75.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 27 MB | 2 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **12.4** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [SuperDG Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/635709768) | [CyberMoai](https://appshunter.io/developer/553890347) |

## 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


### Essential Calculator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/essential-calculator/id1151178028)

Perform basic mathematical calculations with a clean, minimalist interface. Get instant results for your equations on your iPhone or iPod touch.

**Highlights:** Basic mathematical equations, Instant results, Minimalist interface, iPhone and iPod touch support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Basic Calculator free?

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

### Is Essential Calculator free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Basic Calculator or Essential Calculator?

Basic Calculator is rated higher. Basic Calculator averages 4.6 out of 5 from 1.9K ratings, while Essential Calculator averages 4.0 from 8 ratings.

### Do Basic Calculator or Essential Calculator have ads?

Neither Basic Calculator nor Essential Calculator shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Basic Calculator or Essential Calculator?

Basic Calculator ships an update every 3 months, and Essential Calculator every 4 months. Most recently, Basic Calculator was updated on November 6, 2026 and Essential Calculator on November 2, 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.*