# RPN vs Plus42

The clearest difference is update cadence: Plus42 at weekly against RPN's every 3 months. Plus42 also leads on chart position (#195 vs unranked) and ratings volume (79 vs 11). RPN's advantage is price ($4.99 vs $9.99). On rating, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

RPN costs $4.99 and Plus42 $9.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for RPN against 4.9 for Plus42. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Plus42 has 79 ratings behind it against 11, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 100% of RPN's written reviews are positive against 92% of Plus42's.

RPN ships an update every 3 months, Plus42 weekly. The most recent releases landed on June 1, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | RPN | Plus42 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$4.99** | $9.99 |
| Rating | **[4.9 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rpn-97-pro/id816249055/reviews)** | [4.9 (79 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/plus42/id1597963622/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 11 | **79** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 92.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | — | **#195** |
| Size | 75 MB | 11 MB |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Willy Kunz](https://appshunter.io/developer/424873503) | [Thomas Okken](https://appshunter.io/developer/337692632) |

## What reviewers say

### RPN

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rpn-97-pro/id816249055)

This app simulates a legendary 1970s programmable calculator, offering advanced features for scientists and engineers. It allows users to run programs, manage virtual cards, and access hundreds of free program cards from its website.

**Highlights:** Virtual program and data cards, Virtual paper tape printer, Database-driven card manager, Create, label, and organize unlimited cards, Effortless saving of card collections, Formatted program listings, Live display of stack and registers

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Plus42

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/plus42/id1597963622)

**Currently charting:** #195 Top Paid · Utilities (US App Store)

This advanced scientific calculator simulates the classic HP-42S RPN calculator with enhanced features. It offers algebraic expressions, unit conversions, directories for storage, a larger resizable display, financial functions, and 2D plotting with integral and root finding.

**Highlights:** HP-42S RPN calculator simulation, Algebraic expressions, Attached units and conversions, Program and variable directories, Resizable 8-row, 22-column display, Time value of money and amortization, 2D function plotting with zoom and pan

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is RPN free?

RPN costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Plus42 free?

Plus42 costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, RPN or Plus42?

RPN is rated higher. RPN averages 4.9 out of 5 from 11 ratings, while Plus42 averages 4.9 from 79 ratings.

### Do RPN or Plus42 have ads?

Neither RPN nor Plus42 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, RPN or Plus42?

RPN ships an update every 3 months, and Plus42 weekly. Most recently, RPN was updated on June 1, 2026 and Plus42 on September 22, 2026.

---

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