Head-to-head

Calculator‰ vs Calculator for iPad₊

Calculator‰ 4.9★ · Free to download · ⚠ stale 70

Winner Calculator‰

Calculator for iPad₊ 4.5★ · Free + IAP 45

Calculator‰ is generally preferred for its basic functionality and ease of use, despite recent issues with intrusive ads, while Calculator for iPad₊ suffers from similar ad problems and additional concerns about its paid features.

Full reviews: Calculator‰ · Calculator for iPad₊

Calculator‰ (App A) is a highly-rated, simple calculator app praised for its ease of use, though recent updates have introduced frequent and disruptive ads. Calculator for iPad₊ (App B) also faces significant criticism for intrusive ads, with some users reporting issues with in-app purchases and a lack of unique features compared to built-in options.

Head to head

Features edge: Calculator‰^R8^R11^R13^R17

Calculator‰ Users appreciate Calculator‰ for its simple, basic, and easy-to-use interface, often highlighting its large buttons and straightforward functionality ^R8^R11^R17^R23. Some users mention a desire for more customization like background options or a clear button for the last entry .

Calculator for iPad₊ Calculator for iPad₊ is noted for being functional and capable of handling various math problems . However, some users find its layout clumsy or don't understand half of its components . There's also a specific complaint about the calculator not clearing or altering results automatically ^R13.

Ease of Use edge: Calculator‰^R11^R17^R23^R35

Calculator‰ Calculator‰ is consistently praised for being user-friendly, simple, and easy to use ^R11^R17^R23^R35. Many users highlight its big buttons as a positive .

Calculator for iPad₊ Users find Calculator for iPad₊ functional and easy to learn the buttons . However, the constant ad interruptions make it extremely annoying and literally impossible to use for many .

Reliability tie^R1^R3^R4^R6

Calculator‰ Historically, Calculator‰ was considered reliable and worked well for years ^R1^R3. However, recent updates have introduced significant reliability issues due to ads, with users reporting the app becoming unusable, crashing, or not clearing properly ^R1^R4^R6^R13.

Calculator for iPad₊ Calculator for iPad₊ is described as dependable and always ready for mathematical queries . However, many users report that ads crash the app or make it unusable, especially full-screen ads that cannot be closed . Some users also report issues with paid features not working ^R88.

Price/Value edge: Calculator‰^R1^R3^R4^R6

Calculator‰ Calculator‰ is a free app, and users historically appreciated its value as an inexpensive, basic tool ^R8. However, the recent increase in intrusive ads has led many to feel it's no longer worth using, even for free, and they are looking for ad-free alternatives, even if paid ^R1^R3^R4^R6.

Calculator for iPad₊ Calculator for iPad₊ is free to download but offers in-app purchases to remove ads ^R67^R68. Users are highly critical of the need to pay to remove ads from a basic calculator app, especially when the ads are so disruptive ^R67. Some users also report being double-charged or that paid features like history don't work after purchase ^R70^R88.

Support tie^R5^R26^R70^R88

Calculator‰ Reviews for Calculator‰ do not directly mention user support. One user notes that clicking 'legal' goes to a blank page ^R5. Another user reports a bug where the phone started talking after leaving the app, which they hoped was a bug ^R26.

Calculator for iPad₊ Reviews for Calculator for iPad₊ do not directly mention user support. However, issues with paid features not working ^R88 and being double-charged ^R70 suggest potential support gaps or problems with in-app purchase fulfillment.

Pick Calculator‰ if

You need a very basic, simple calculator and are willing to tolerate some ads, or you hope for a future update that reduces ad frequency ^R8^R11^R17^R23.

Pick Calculator for iPad₊ if

You specifically need a calculator for iPad and are willing to pay to remove ads, hoping for a better experience than the free tier ^R68.

Evidence note: Both apps suffer from significant recent negative reviews primarily focused on intrusive ads, which impacts their lifetime ratings. Many positive reviews for Calculator‰ predate the recent ad changes, making current user sentiment more negative than the lifetime average suggests. Calculator for iPad₊ also has a substantial number of reviews complaining about ads, even with an IAP option.

Frequently asked

Are there ads in Calculator‰ and Calculator for iPad₊?

Yes, both Calculator‰ and Calculator for iPad₊ have frequent and intrusive ads, with many users reporting that the ads interrupt calculations, are long, and sometimes prevent app usage (^R1, ^R4, ^R6, ^R7, , , , for Calculator‰; , , , , , for Calculator for iPad₊).

Can I remove ads from Calculator for iPad₊?

Yes, Calculator for iPad₊ offers in-app purchases to remove ads ^R67^R68. However, some users have reported issues with these purchases, including being double-charged or paid features not working after purchase ^R70^R88.

Is Calculator‰ still a good basic calculator?

Historically, Calculator‰ was praised as a great, simple, and easy-to-use basic calculator ^R8^R11^R17^R23. However, recent updates have made it nearly unusable for many due to constant, long, and unskippable ads that interrupt calculations ^R1^R4^R7.

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 120 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

[R8] Calculator‰ 5/5 · US Inexpensive, basic.: Works like a charm!
[R11] Calculator‰ 5/5 · US Easy!: Thank you for simple… sometimes we just don’t need 50 choices
[R13] Calculator‰ 1/5 · US Calculator: Won’t clear
[R17] Calculator‰ 5/5 · US From: This Calculator app is very easy to use & accurate.
[R23] Calculator‰ 5/5 · US Calculator: User friendly. Thanks.
[R35] Calculator‰ 5/5 · US The Best: Favorite Calculator. Ease of use. The best.
[R1] Calculator‰ 1/5 · US Constant Ad Interruption: I used this app for years but now the interruptions with ads make it unusable. I’ve deleted and moved on. Not worth downloading.
[R3] Calculator‰ 3/5 · US Ads: I realize you need to make money, but EVERYTIME I hit total an ad comes up. This used to be my favorite calculator. Time to move on
[R4] Calculator‰ 1/5 · US Long ads: Almost impossible to use. This app has now incorporated long ads which begin shortly after opening. No way to close the ad without seeing it the full way through.
[R6] Calculator‰ 3/5 · US Ad monster gets bigger and bigger: Worst part is when the ads popped up, you couldn’t get the pop up to go away to get back to the calculator screen. Had enough of it, changed to a different calculator program
[R5] Calculator‰ 5/5 · US Great Calculator: I love your app, thankyou! Just wanted to mention that some of your ads go to a "url not found" page and also when I click "legal," it goes to a blank page.
[R26] Calculator‰ 4/5 · US Used to be my fav: Basic and easy to use I’d give 5 stars if the tap the star thing worked- then today I use it and my phone starts talking!!! After I left the app! I get back to it to see what’s happening and it’s running an ad and apparently it doesn’t care what else you may be doing at the time. You better tell me this is a bug or I’ll start looking for another calculator Phone was defective an
[R70] Calculator for iPad₊ 1/5 · US Double charge?: They want you to pay 1 fee to use on iphone and another to use on ipad…even on same apple account. Not ok
[R88] Calculator for iPad₊ 1/5 · US Selling upgrade that doesn’t work: Have used the app for years and the out of the blue you have to pay a subscription fee to unlock the history. Ok, but I have paid twice now and still can’t see my history. Con!!
[R7] Calculator‰ 1/5 · US ANNOYING ADS!!: I just want a calculator! Nothing fancy, just a nice, basic calculator. This has now turned into an annoying ad machine. Deleting it from my phone.
[R67] Calculator for iPad₊ 1/5 · US Fruity, requires in app purchases get rid of ads.: Fruity, requires in app purchases get rid of ads.
[R68] Calculator for iPad₊ 4/5 · US Works Fairly Well: I use it almost every time I need a calculator. Some ads but you can upgrade away from ads. It overall works fairly well. You should see for your self!

Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store