Comparison

VetCalc vs Army IDES

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

VetCalc

This app helps veterans understand how the Department of Veterans Affairs calculates disability percentages and monthly benefit payments. It accurately applies the Bilateral Factor, which is often missed by other calculators, potentially increasing your overall disability rating and monthly compensation.

Highlights
  • Combined disability percentage calculation
  • Monthly benefit payment calculation
  • Accurate Bilateral Factor application
  • Addresses 'VA Math' complexities
  • Provides correct combined disability percentages
Features
Read full description

VetCalc, short for “VETeran Combined Disability CALCulator,” is the solution to all of your questions relating to 1) “How” the Department of Veterans Affairs calculates disability percentages pursuant to the Combined Ratings Table (See 38 CFR 4.25 and 4.26) and 2) “How” the Department of Veterans Affairs calculates your monthly disability benefit payment using the Veterans Affairs Compensation Benefits Rate Table. Often times the process the Department of Veterans Affairs uses to combine these disability percentages and calculate monthly benefit payments is referred to as “Veterans Affairs Math” or “VA Math.” You can rest assured that VetCalc addresses ALL of your questions relating to calculating disability benefit percentages and payments in seconds. During the several years I worked for the Department of Veterans Affairs as a Rating Specialist, I would quite frequently discover that the Bilateral Factor was not properly entered into disabilities that REQUIRED it, pursuant to 38 CFR 4.26. After correcting this error by properly including the Bilateral Factor, the Veteran’s overall disability percentage would, quite frequently, increase to the next higher level! Please check out the “Examples” page above for hypotheticals exposing the effect of this Bilateral Factor error on the overall monthly payment! You may have noticed that several websites offer free calculators that similarly attempt to provide you with solutions to VA Math problems. Although these calculators bear many different names, for instance: “Veterans Affairs Disability Calculator,” “Veteran Combined Calculator” and “Disability Percentage Calculator” they all seem to have 3 things in common: 1) They are not easy to use 2) They do not include Bilateral Factor calculations and 3) THEY DO NOT PROVIDE THE CORRECT COMBINED DISABILITY PERCENTAGES. Trust my experience; don’t expect the Department of Veterans Affairs to correct the problem for you. Double check the VA Math today by purchasing VetCalc and take the necessary steps to force the Department of Veterans Affairs to correct the error in YOUR claim. Isn’t your peace of mind worth 99¢? After all, VetCalc could literally save you THOUSANDS!!!

About

Army IDES

Features
Read full description

*** This has been branded as an official U.S. Army app *** The Integrated Disability Evaluation System (IDES) is a joint DoD and VA disability evaluation process. Under this system, VA helps DoD determine if wounded, ill, or injured Service members are fit for continued Military service and provide disability benefits to Service members and Veterans, if appropriate. IDES allows VA and DoD to share information and to complete each agency’s respective process simultaneously, without the need for duplicative exams and ratings This app answers FAQs and offers important resource information to Soldiers guiding them through the Disability Evaluation System process.

Screenshots

VetCalc2 screens
Army IDES4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: VetCalc at 12.0 against Army IDES's 15.1. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

UpkeepUpdate frequency

VetCalc ships an update every 9 months, Army IDES every 10 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
VetCalc versus Army IDES: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterVetCalcArmy IDES
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (976 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews82.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings976 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 9 months — betterEvery 10 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaid—
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS12.0 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size13 MB46 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperDBQ Solutions, LLCTRADOC Mobile

Bugs and requests

VetCalc

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • App crashes or freezes for some users
  • Calculations do not match actual VA ratings
  • Inability to navigate beyond certain screens

Requested features

4 requests
  • Update app with latest VA compensation rates
  • Add support for special monthly compensation (SMC) calculations
  • Improve user interface and allow editing of inputs
  • Integrate with user's medical records for more personalized estimates

Army IDES

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

VetCalc

No in-app purchases

None

Army IDES

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is VetCalc free?
VetCalc is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Army IDES free?
Army IDES is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do VetCalc or Army IDES have ads?
Neither VetCalc nor Army IDES shows ads.
Which is updated more often, VetCalc or Army IDES?
VetCalc ships an update every 9 months, and Army IDES every 10 months. Most recently, VetCalc was updated on November 1, 2026 and Army IDES on October 28, 2026.

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