# Desmos Test Mode vs Calculate84

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Calculate84 at 75% against Desmos Test Mode's 17%. Calculate84 also leads on rating (4.8 vs 1.6) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 4 months). Desmos Test Mode's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 6) and ads (none vs shown). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Calculate84 sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Desmos Test Mode asks for nothing beyond the download.

Calculate84 holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 1.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Calculate84 has 54K ratings behind it against 370, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 17% of Desmos Test Mode's written reviews are positive against 75% of Calculate84's.

Desmos Test Mode ships an update every 4 months, Calculate84 fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Desmos Test Mode | Calculate84 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [1.6 (370 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/desmos-test-mode/id977381005/reviews) | **[4.8 (54K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/calculate84/id1459712793/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 370 | **54K** |
| Positive reviews | 16.5% of reviews | **74.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#92** |
| Size | 6 MB | 71 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Desmos](https://appshunter.io/developer/653517543) | [Century Light LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1459712792) |

## What reviewers say

### Desmos Test Mode

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/desmos-test-mode/id977381005)

This app provides restricted versions of graphing and scientific calculators designed to meet exam requirements. It allows users to practice for specific state or national assessments by selecting the appropriate test mode. Full, unrestricted calculator features are available in separate applications.

**Highlights:** Exam-compliant calculator modes, Graphing capabilities, Scientific calculator functions, Data tables and statistics, Interactive sliders, Points of interest on graphs

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Useful app for tests
- 🔒 Secure calculator mode
- 👍 Free alternative to expensive calculators

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and unstable
- 🔒 Overly restrictive app lock
- 👎 Poor user interface and usability

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes and freezes during use
- Unexpected phone behavior and lockouts
- Compatibility issues across different devices and OS versions

**Requested features**

- Add customization options for the calculator interface
- Improve compatibility with older devices
- Provide more flexible calculator modes during tests


### Calculate84

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/calculate84/id1459712793)

**Currently charting:** #92 Top Free · Education (US App Store)

This app offers a modern graphing calculator experience on your iPhone. It features fast, interactive touch-screen graphing, scrollable windows, and intelligent error messages for a more intuitive user experience. Designed to be a usable alternative to physical graphing calculators.

**Highlights:** Fast, interactive touch-screen graphing, Scrollable windows, Intelligent error messages, Intuitive interface, Designed for TI-84 users

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Pro Subscription | $2.99 | per month |
| Annual Pro Subscription | $6.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Subscription | $6.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Subscription | $9.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Subscription | $12.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Pro Subscription | $29.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Identical to TI-84 calculator
- 🚀 Seamless and intuitive user experience
- 💰 Affordable alternative to physical calculator
- 📱 Convenient to have on phone
- 🔍 Comprehensive functionality matching physical calculator

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional bugs and crashes
- 🔍 Missing some advanced features like regression types
- 🔒 Previous purchases removed without warning
- 💰 Subscription model can be expensive
- 📺 Intrusive ads in free version

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when using 2-sample T/Z interval functions
- Incorrect results for inverse trig functions
- Issues with graphing parabolas and tracing points
- Regression equation not displayed correctly

**Requested features**

- Add TVM solver functionality
- Implement more regression types
- Allow disabling of ads for free users
- Restore previous purchase benefits
- Optimize for mobile experience instead of emulating physical calculator


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Desmos Test Mode free?

Desmos Test Mode is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Calculate84 free?

Calculate84 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Desmos Test Mode or Calculate84?

Calculate84 is rated higher. Desmos Test Mode averages 1.6 out of 5 from 370 ratings, while Calculate84 averages 4.8 from 54K ratings.

### Do Desmos Test Mode or Calculate84 have ads?

Calculate84 shows ads; Desmos Test Mode does not.

### Which is updated more often, Desmos Test Mode or Calculate84?

Desmos Test Mode ships an update every 4 months, and Calculate84 fortnightly. Most recently, Desmos Test Mode was updated on October 24, 2026 and Calculate84 on October 27, 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.*