Pcalc App Reviews

I looked forward to the update — is it possible to use 4 columns of calculator buttons on Apple Watch 4? The main operators would make this app and watch awesome! You’d still go to the second screen for the four that don’t fit.

I've bought most of the other popular and highly rated calculators, but this is the one I use most of the time. It's simple and intuitive, but very deep. You don't need to read a manual to use it - but there is one if you want to go further (and it's a very good manual at that). Invest some time learning and you can do some amazing things with this app.

PCalc is a good app but if it is going to provide number base operations (hex, octal, decimal, binary) then it needs to add 64 bit support. Even cell phones are 64 bit. Software developers work in 64 bit environments while PCalc only provides support for 48 bits. I have emailed the developer at least 4 times since 2011 and still no 64 bit support. Lack of 64 bit support is inexcusable in this day and age. The best calculator for iOS bar none is free and the name of the app is Sci:Pro. It is 64 bit and has everything that you need at no cost. I give PCalc 3 start because it does everything else very well, but if you want to save some money and deal with a very responsive app developer, give Sci:Pro a try.

Love the app, the most customizable and useful there is. Well worth the price! I would love it if you could change the layout on the Apple Watch, or take advantage of the Series 4 larger display to show buttons for add/multi/div/sub

This app runs circles around any other calculator in the App Store, and is well worth the price. No problem installing it on phone or Watch, also version for TV and macOS, and functions great on all devices. App author is very responsive & regularly updates the app with new features. if you run into a problem email or Twitter him instead of writing negative reviews! Holy 💩! Animated 🐼 stickers now! This calculator app does everything you could dream up — except for a kitchen sink — but it can calculate the size of one if you give it the dimensions!

I definitely recommend this calc

I much prefer RPN (it’s really RPL) and this app has worked great for years. I prefer this over others.

I have used many calculators over the last 50 years, and using those in comparison, this is the best one yet. Not convinced? Go to the pcalc website and download the manual!

The first point of a computing device is to calculate. PCalc. It’s in my dock on MacOS and iOS: first 3rd party app I sought. Fast and stable. Feature-rich. Perfect for conversions, science, advanced math. Customizable keyboard. Superb tape (for fat fingers or printing for CPAs at tax time). Built-in constants, functions, and conversions out the wazoo. The icon says it all. 42: the ultimate answer. Uneeda PCalc.

Amazing calculator and one which is vigilantly overseen by its developer who keeps it as good as it gets. Well worth the investment.

I am a retired biochemist. I used a slide rule for the first 10 years of my career and then the finest HP calculators that were available until I retired. This PCalc is as good or better for my purposes than any other calculator I have ever owned. I use strictly RPN, and there are a couple of quirks that you have to get use to, e.g. you have to use the “swap” key when solving combinatorics with the built in combination and permutation keys, which is anti intuitive, but easy to get use to. Overall this is a really nice calculator and I can recommend it for most common math applications with no reservations.

The answer to “Life, the Universe, and Everything.” Darned near!

Using iPhone in landscape view, keys are scattered; completely unusable - keys are on top of each other - you can’t use some built in functions.

Nothing but good things to say - outstanding app and a template for how to properly execute software development. My highest compliments to you! David

I love this app. My favorite calculator!

As an engineering student, I was looking for an iPad calculator equivalent to my TI Nspire CX CAS. I saw this advertised as exactly what engineers and scientists need in a calculator, and foolishly purchased it without exploring its limitations. I figured for ten bucks it would at least be able to graph and have CAS capabilities. It doesn't, and I'm out $10 because this rather unexceptional app is apparently ineligible for a refund. I'll stick to the free web-based calculators that blow this out of the water.

I am disappointed in. Is app. This app was in the App Store for the Apple Watch and I thought it could do the scientific calculations from the Apple Watch but you can’t. You can only do simple math problems with multiplication, addition, subtraction, division and tip calculations, etc,. I thought that it could perform scientific calculations on the watch (since it was in the Apple Watch App Store) but that’s only if you used you iPhone which is stupid because your iPhone can already do that out of the box. I think this app is well overpriced and it doesn’t offer any special features to carry a price tag of $9.99. I wished that I could get my money back. It can’t even do simple currency conversions! It’s just an overpriced calculator app that I’ll never use on my iPhone 10s because I’ll just use the default calculator.

This is the first and only calculator app to get me to retire my HP32s. THE standard.

I enjoy using this app for the following reasons: the multitude of interchangeable appearances, colors, styles & layouts, converting units, calculating in normal - engineering - scientific - accounting - fractional modes. I dislike viewing the delayed branding on startup, which inclines me to use my native iOS calculator app for visual simplicity. I would also prefer one less step to enter fractional calculations.

It's $10 up front and the dev locks some other features behind another paywall, this time described as a "tip" jar. Here's the thing: it doesn't count as "tipping" or "donating" if you have to pay that money to access other features. I paid $10 non refundable, I wasn't expecting to be asked to pay more. For this reason I am docking a star

This calculator does not appear to support 64 bit hex calculations, so I just wasted 9.99, since a calculator that does not support 64 bit is worthless to me.

Supports RPN which is much faster, and has an excellent watch app.

I love this app and how customizable it is. It has all the functions you need. The one problem I have is that even though you pay 10 dollars for the app you still have to give to the tip jar to unlock all the app icons. They should come with the full version since it is $10. Great calculator though!🙂

Tip calculator function is available on the Apple Watch app -- but not on the iPhone app. Please make this the perfect calculator app by adding a tip calculator with widget support to the iPhone. Thanks!

This is the last calculator you will ever have to enjoy! It rules all other calculators. I have a few others and they are permanently shelved after using 42. It as simple as that.

I have downloaded (and bought) many iPhone calculators and PCalc is by far the best. The depth and breadth of this app is a true labor of love by the author who has spend decades perfecting it (see his website). As an RPN lover and HP calculator addict, I have searched for and tried most of the offerings in the app store only to be disapointed by the rediculous skeuomorphic designs that abound. With PCalc, the amount of custimization possibilities is dizzyingly vast but, once the shock of available options wears off, you are rewarded with a true sense of empowerment. Case in point: I love the elegance and simplicity of the original HP35 from 1972. I was able to duplicate this keyboard layout and, with the appropriate theme, I was able get it looking very nice. This took me a while but my layout is automatically saved to iCloud where it syncs with my other iOS devices. The layout customization is very sophisticated, allowing you to have keys that are hidden until the 2nd key is pressed. All the labels for each key can be set to whatever you want. I'll stop here not because there is not more to say, but because this calculator shines once you start exploring the many options available. The point being, if you don't like what you see in the default layouts, you can make it be anything you want it to be.

First, I really like PCalc overall, from its customization options to the Hitchhiker’s Guide reference to the widget. Great features and easy to use. My issue is that it still has accuracy problems. Enter .5 - .4 - .1. Instead of 0, PCalc returns -2.7755575616E-17. A few years ago I emailed the developer about this issue and he explained it was a problem in Apple’s libraries used to create the PCalc. Fair enough. At the time, Apple’s calculator app and Numbers both exhibited the same problem, as did many other calculators (but not all). However, for more than two years Numbers, Apple’s calculator app, and every other “current” calculator app , correctly handle the above equation. PCalc STILL gives the same incorrect answer (just tried it on a fresh install on a new iPhone). So either Apple fixed their libraries or the Numbers team and every other calculator programmer/team is using an alternative math library. Some will consider this an outlier issue, but I’ve had it crop up several times in calculations where precision mattered (it’s one reason I stopped using Numbers until Apple fixed it). You may ask why I use this app if I feel I can’t trust it. Well, I don’t. But I do keep checking it to see if it’s fixed because I’d like to use it. Please fix this issue once and for all and I’ll happily give PCalc the 5 stars it deserves. But right now it gets 2 stars for accuracy. 2018-8-23 Update Same issue remains. Great app marred by accuracy. And no word from the developer 😕. At this point I’ve switched to Calzy. Cool features and accurate.

The best and most comprehensive and customizable calculator app for I have ever used. Really impressive. I ended up buying for MacOS too. I use primarily for mathematics and physics.

I own several calculator apps but with this one I can’t seem to get beyond basic function capability. Even after paying $10 for the full version it looks like I paid for just a basic calculator. That means the advanced functions are really not there or to difficult to figure out how to get to. It’s great for doing conversions or using physical constants. However, for any kind of advanced math, I will have to go to my other apps.

Tech finally got back to me and suggested a reset that worked and restored everything back to normal...so revised back to 5 stars! Ever since iOS 11, whenever I attempt to download/operate it, all I get is a fragmented keyboard and multiple blank squares. Hoping one day it will get fixed.

I've used it since nearly the start. It does everything well and is customizable. The developer is great. Buy it!

Yea, it’s a great calculator...no doubt. But I cannot get that last banana. I have tried traction mode...heck, all the modes...i’ve tried the chunky truck and the semi-racer car...but every time I jump, I OVER jump and miss the mark. I will try firing light at it...maybe I can get it that way....ok, I’ll try that... I am also highly suspect of that regular flight that passes over me...and the tiny train. I am convinced that I can somehow hit the plane with light (or maybe a 42??) and then I will be flying instead of driving. The dance continues... Update...I spoke too soon...I am now a helicopter pilot, so still lots to explore...

I want to a Chinese edition.

PCalc has lots of features but no feature-brag: You can customize layout, appearance, behavior… to the point where any more would be satirical. What’s left after you have molded PCalc to the way you work is a calculator that does what you ask of it, crisply and without fuss. It does one thing well, and gets out of your way. It’s not an easy balance to strike.

Simply the best calculator app for the Apple platform. It has everything I’ve needed, and it’s super easy to use.

Incredibly versatile and stable.

This app makes me so upset. It does not do what I expected from it. Completely and utterly ridiculous that there is no obvious way to keep track of your score and find other players!!!!

I’ve tried lots of calculator apps. A calculator is usually one of the first apps that a developer makes because it is relatively easy to make a simple calculator and skin it to look pretty. This app was not a weekend project or a simple calculator that looks good. This is the calculator app that is made by calculator enthusiasts. The customizability is insanely accessible. Not only can you create entirely new button layouts, but the core functionality can be tuned to fit your workflow. This app is created and maintained by a developer who uses their passion to directly benefit their customer. I rarely see such dedication towards providing a functional product. This app even includes settings for Reverse Polish Notation (RPN) calculators. A calculator workflow that is obscure, but loved by many. I still use Wolfram|Alpha for graphs and really complex stuff, but PCalc offers the best basic calculator option around. Even the widget is well thought-out!

What’s not to love? The “fit and feel” are as good as grabbing a physical calculator. It handles everything and more that you’d expect from a standard scientific calculator and more. The functions and conversions are more useful than you’d think and this single app replaces many other apps on my phone. It’s also one of the few iOS calculators that is just as useful whether or not you fall into the rpn crowd. The real standout is the endless customizations. Custom functions, custom conversions, custom display, even custom key layouts. You can really make it as custom as you need it. This is the heart of making useful to you. You can make it into anywhere from a financial calculator to a carpenters calculator with smart custom functions and layouts. While this calculator has evolved into a useful program, it has a few areas that are lacking in making it a truly amazing scientific calculator. 1. It needs real complex number support. You can do some complex calculations using special functions and multiple registers but it’s extremely clunky and not in line with the ease of the rest of the app. It discourages one from doing complex math that many engineers and scientists deal with. 2. The functions need more flexibility in terms of loops and subroutines. The current functions are fine for simple formulas, but some things (like a root finder) need iterative solvers and the ability to call subroutines. At that point one may say you should use an hp or ti emulator, but those are not nearly as smooth as PCalc. A few more features and it will truly be the best calculator in your pocket.

The layout is broken on iPad, some of the buttons are at random places, that's been going on for at least a few months. I falled back to use the app in my phone... Just discovered that the lite version with IAP fixed the issue, not sure if the "pro" version will ever see a fix... not really acceptable, the App store is really a shambles since virtually all apps have IAP now :(

This calculator can be infinitely customized. Keyboard arrangements, constants, functions, and conversions can be setup to whatever I want. I am a very happy user.

It does more than I'll ever need, but includes multiple memories, paper tape, RPN toggle, AND a downloadable FREE MANUAL. The manual is understandable. Finally, you can slick the interface down so you have a clean screen with the tools you don't need stashed out of the way (I dislike doitall on one screen Cuz it's cluttery). Well, a last comment: I love the 42 homage to Douglas Adams answer to "life, the universe and everything 😎

I typed 5318008 and when I flipped it it said censored.

I just had to convert dollars to zlotys. What a brilliant interface. I love the way you can jump between currencies. Will add item to my calendar to send periodic tips.

Update: 4/14/18 One suggested improvement: the ability to edit a tape of entries would be sweet. There are a few calculators in the App Store that offer this function. When I need it, I move away from PCalc. Would be nice to have it here. That feature would make it a perfect app for me. Suggested the feature to the developer about a year ago. Don’t ever see it happening. That said, it is still a fantastic calculator app. PCalc has more functions than I will ever use. Pleasing UI on both iMac and iOS 8. It is the only calculator that I use both on my computer and phone. One suggested improvement is to develop an Air Print procedure for quickly printing a register tape. I can cut and paste to MS Word, but it would be helpful to reduce the number of steps for a fast print. This did not warrant dropping a star because the developers really got this app right. Well done!

I used to use and enjoy this app but I’m removing it now because it doesn’t allow 64-bit calculations in hex (at least). It is limited to 48-bit hex — not sufficient for my needs. I need a 64-bit hex/binary calculator now and may well need 128-bit within a year or less.

The are correct, this is the best calculator.

This is the best calculator app I've ever tried.

For trading or moving money between countries, currencies, and just doing calculations, this would be a big help. I already have formulas made for currency conversion, but this would be really helpful, especially since the figures change so rapidly.

PCalc is excellent. I'm shocked that it isn't more prevelant in searches on the App Store. I downloaded far too many awful calculators to find this one. Keep up the great work!

Give $9.99 and still get hounded for a tip to open minor visually aesthetic features.

You can‘t fine any better.

I’ve always loved this app and I’m still a fan, but there is an issue with PCalc not retaining calculations once I go from the app to the home screen (or swipe to another app) and then go back into the app. I thought this may be an issue with iOS 11 being poor at memory management, but I restarted my phone, only opened up PCalc and had the same results (UPDATE) This turns out to be a setting under the Advanced section. Once I unchecked the Clear On Open option the behavior returned to what I expected. My rating is back to 5 stars, though I don’t know how that option got set as I wasn’t even aware of the Advanced Settings section

My trusty HP 41CV finally died after 30 years of faithful service. This app is a great replacement for it. It has all the old functionality and simplicity I loved but so much more. You can customize just about anything and create any functions you want. Well done.

It’s a wonderful calculator - the fully customizable layout and RPN support are particularly powerful. My only nit is the cold start time. I do wish startup were faster, or if the splash could be avoided to at least provide the illusion (though that may be difficult with the aforementioned custom layout support).

I love the tape feature! I’m studying for the CPA exam and this app is a godsend! It saves me so much time! No more having to countlessly go back and run calls again because I think I forgot or fat fingered a number. Parentheses for calculating net of tax too! 😯 I wish I knew what this calculator could do when it went on sale during Christmas but 9.99 is way worth it. In time savings alone!

Amazing calculator. Small nit, i think that you should develop a more clean look. The fade colors are distracting and not consistent with a truly first class product.

I found PCalc when I bought my first Apple product way back when. Been a loyal fan since. (Without PCalc I’d have to return to my Radio Shack EC-4075 Programmer’s Hex/Time Calculator—which doesn’t have a Tape.) PCalc has a permanent place on the dock of my iPhone, iPad, and MacBook Pro. This time of year we pre-figure taxes, email ourselves and then print the PCalc Tape, and hand it over to our CPA. Handy. The Hex converter I use daily, for fiddling with CSS and SVG code (often colors or UTF stuff). Tip figuring’s handy when we’re tipsy enough not to do it in our heads. (Get it? Tipsy? Tip?) Keyboard editing, icon fiddling, a game: all great. But the basic full-bodied calculator is the strong point. Worth the full price. The coffee of calculators. Or bacon. That’s saying a lot.

I just bought this app and i have to say its great. Definitely the best calcualtor app out there. I really like the conversions, which i use a lot. A nice addition would be to add in a Construction Calculator for Feet and Inches. I would be willing to pay another $15 just for that. Please consider adding this calculator.

Best calculator app on the iwatch, hands down!!! All the conversions on your wrist, so convenient.

I have been developing something of a calculator hobby, collecting vintage HP calculators, reading manuals for fun, watching YouTube videos about them, etc. I’ve tried a number of different calculators on the Apple platform (macOS and iOS), both the stock calculators and several custom calculators. PCalc has more features, is better supported, and has more fiddly details available when the user wants them than any other dedicated calculator I’ve tried. The apps work exactly as I would expect, and most importantly fit in with the rest of the OS. There’s so much polish and attention to detail here; PCalc stands out as a gem on the Apple platform. If you want more than the stock calculator, but don’t want a fancy CAS or graphing tool, PCalc is where you should start looking. Bonus points for all the details emulating vintage HP calculators, particularly the RPN support and the Voyager series layout.

Just, the themes!! Go from classic Mac & Tron (mechanical keyboard sounds too!) all the way to the wonderfully plastic-y round buttons of 2006. The app icons come from a variety of backgrounds, including: classic movies, internet communities, Trans pride, and a good ol' smattering of colors. Oh, by the way, did I mention the pandas? Pascal is my favorite mascot of all time. Their expressions are so vivid and clear, I am genuinely filled with joy every time I see them. And the sticker pack is to die for!! Please, play around with this app. I don't use calculators often, but when I do, I choose PCalc.

There are a lot of nice calculator apps out, but this one is unquestionably the best. A stellar interface, extensive functionality, configurable, what more could one ask for?

This really is the best calculator on the iPhone. I only wish they would add some financial functions. Having NPV, FV, IRR, and loan calculations would be a great addition to an already superior app. Either way the developers have done a fine job.

I originally bought and updated the light version to get all the functionality. When I got a chance I also bought the full version since I hated the app showing the ‘lite’ version on my phone. Hey the developer has to eat too! This is my goto calculator period. Does everything and more. It also is the best functioning Apple Watch calculator. Buy it! The developer is great, responsive and updates frequently!

This is a great calculator and I have been using the lite version for some time. This morning I purchased the full version and not twelve hours later it is deeply discounted. It would be great if the developer would refund a portion of the purchase. If not it is still a great calculator and worth the cost.

PCalc is the ultimate answer to calculators. Customizable keyboard, dual-purpose keys, base conversions, constants, built-in functions, memories, and—the ultimate memory, with an attitude—a tape. Easy copy and paste of results or new operands. And more. PCalc has been my pal for over a decade now. If I could have only one app outside of what Apple supplies, PCalc would be it. Highly recommended. (James Thomson has assured me PCalc is available on no other platform—e.g., Android. PCalc is one of the very few apps it would near break my heart to lose were I to leave the Apple ecosystem.)

Great calculator! Cannot wait for an update that allows me to edit the numbers on a tape or from the screen. Saves major time and I doesn't have to keep swiping left and retyping everything again. Thank you

Would be perfect if it had units associated with data. I was a long user of HP48s and the the M48+ app. Sadly when I upgraded my iPad recently I found that M48+ is no longer available. PCalc seems to be the closest match. Programming is not near as nice as HP48 style. Also PCalc cannot work with units tagged data. It does have units conversions but the unit is not associated with the data. The best feature of PCalc is the customized key layouts. You can setup layouts for different types of work that needs to be done.

Great program! I especially like the Apple Watch app! They keep adding features! I wore a Casio scientific calculator on my wrist for 30 years, but I have finally have a modern replacement. Thank you!!!

Best Calc app that I have used. Have lots of Calc apps but this is the one I keep coming back to for all needs. Engineering, Math, and even casual grocery store stuff. The nicest thing is this developer actually understands and supports all of the iOS versions that are claimed to be supported. Can't say that for other developers, some even "big name" developers. Thank you guys for a great product!!!

I had PCalc on my iPhone and Watch 4 and it worked. I upgraded to v5.1 on the watch and then that was pulled a few hours later. I did this current update and it works on the iPhone but will not install on my watch.

Obviously this is the best calculator on the phone. But the watch complication work is not there. Friendly suggestions: 1) offer a variety of options for what the various complications look like. 2) offer an infograph modular complication that displays info from the calculator, at least showing numbers or constants or something... 3) the top of the infograph complication should serve a similar purpose with text. Use the watch guys!!

I can’t give this app enough stars. Brilliant!

This is the best calculator you could ever want, especially if the calculator you want has a full 3D video game built in. Take a break from those numbers and relax.

I came here because Apple’s iOS 11 calculator now can’t keep up with even moderate typing speeds. Pcalc is a great replacement for Apple’s broken app. I hope Apple realizes that accuracy is more important than animation in a calculator app!

I use this so much it’s in my dock. Whether it’s the quality button layout, formulas or conversion utilities it does it. This is a must have for just about anyone. They also have always been on top of iOS upgrades too. It also has the most functional calculator app for Apple Watch users.

A long-time user of PCalc lite, I recently upgraded to the full version. I am delighted. This is the best calculator of ANY kind. As a physicist, mathematician and programmer I really appreciate the easy access to constants of all kinds, unit conversions, base arithmetic, RPN. It’s all in there. It turns my iPad into the ultimate calculator and numerical tool. Better yet, it requires no documentation. It all works the way you would expect it to. Get it now—you will not be disappointed.

PCalc is customizable in more ways than I’ll ever use, looks great on iPad, iPhone, and Mac, and unlike calculators from certain large fruity companies, doesn’t have any difficulty with how fast you enter digits. It does RPN, too, if you’re a fan of old school HP calculators as I am. Nothing but praise for this app and its developer.

Let's face it - ten bucks for a calculator app is a lot. For the tool that does the job I'm happy to pay it. This app has been maintained diligently for years and continually improved.

I love this calculator and use it daily. Would like to see the binary feature go beyond 16bits though.

Best calculator I have ever had on my iPhone!! Reminds of of when I bought my HP 35 in the old days!!

Absolutely in love with this calculator app. How can anyone in the right mind give this app anything lower than 5 stars?? With all the features included, this thing is worth more than the price tag of $9.99. I even gave the devs some tips for the generous updates and loaded features. If you don’t have money and don’t know what you’re buying then use the free version, ahem* those 2-3 reviewers. Update: I’ve been overwhelming impressed by the quick responses from the dev (James).

really good app

I don’t even use the calculator functionality. I have PCalc installed solely for the about screen Easter eggs.

I heard great things about PCalc, but it’s pretty disappointing. You can’t use parentheses yourself; it auto-adds them in the ticker tape, and not very clearly. Honestly this is just a beefed up stock calculator app. If you want a TI-83 replacement/alternative, this app isn’t it.