PCalc review (2026): is the free plan enough?
Scientific calculator for Mac, iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch
Black Friday: is there a PCalc sale?
PCalc report card
Very good · out of 4.0 · graded Nov 13, 2026
Best for a scientific and programmer calculator on Apple devices
PCalc is a scientific calculator with hex, octal, binary and RPN modes, plus unit conversions, and it runs on Mac, iPhone, iPad and Watch. The Mac and iOS versions are separate $9.99 purchases, and there is no Windows or Android version.
Who PCalc is for
- Fits if you want an RPN or programmer calculator on your Apple devices
- Works for people who convert units or switch number bases often
Who PCalc is not for
- Not for you if you use Windows or Android, as there is no version for either
- Pricey if you want both: Mac and iOS are separate $9.99 purchases
- Tight if you want a free Mac version, since only Lite exists, on iPhone, iPad and Watch
- Watch out: the vendor's pages give different minimum macOS versions, so check the App Store listing
Why PCalc gets a 3.0
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- AValue for money$9.99 once for Mac and $9.99 once for iPhone, iPad and Watch, each under a year of this category's middle subscription. Prices vary by country.
- CFree plan and trialPCalc Lite is free on iPhone, iPad and Watch with in-app purchases, but the Mac app has no free version.
- BFeaturesProgrammer modes, RPN, conversions, a button layout editor, a menu bar widget, Handoff and scripting. The listing names no gap in the core job.
- BEase of useNo store rating is on record, but you open it and press keys with nothing to set up.
- BPlatforms and integrationsMac, iPhone, iPad, Watch and Vision Pro, with Shortcuts and AppleScript. No Windows, Android or web.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from TLA Systems Ltd.'s own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.
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Paste this where you want the badge. It links here and follows the grade if it changes. About badges
<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/pcalc#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/pcalc.svg" alt="PCalc: 3.0 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>Where PCalc stands among desktop utilities
PCalc's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 154 of the 186 other desktop utilities we grade, and level with 27.
It stands best on value for money (A, above 55 of 186) and worst on free plan and trial (C, above 8).
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 187 desktop utilities we grade, cut by the letter each got. PCalc’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 55 of 186, level with 131
- CFree plan and trialAbove 8 of 186, level with 66
- BFeaturesAbove 113 of 186, level with 72
- BEase of useAbove 78 of 186, level with 108
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 172 of 186, level with 14
Keep PCalc, or make your own?
Keep it
The plain part of PCalc you could make: calculator. What surrounds it you could not. The 4 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.0 is higher than 154 of the 186 other desktop utilities we grade. It costs $9.99, paid once.
What you could make
- Calculator: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- A native app living in the menu bar.
- Apps for macOS and iOS that stay in step with each other.
- Hooks into the device itself: an Apple Watch app and widgets.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. PCalc’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
What is PCalc?
PCalc is a scientific calculator with hexadecimal, octal and binary modes, an RPN mode, programmable functions and a large set of unit conversions. The Mac and iPhone/iPad/Watch versions are separate purchases, and a free PCalc Lite app offers a smaller version with in-app purchases for the extra features.
Worth knowing
- Apple platforms only; there is no Windows, Android or web version.
- The Mac and iPhone/iPad purchases are separate.
- The vendor's pages give different minimum macOS versions (macOS 12 on one page, OS X 10.13 on another), so check the App Store listing.
- The developer notes the App Store has no demos, which is why the Lite version exists.
Key features
- Programmer modes
- Hexadecimal, octal and binary modes with bitwise operators.
- RPN mode
- Optional reverse Polish notation with one-button access to the stack.
- Conversions and functions
- A large set of unit conversions, plus editable user conversions, functions and constants that sync across devices.
- Button layout editor
- On the Mac, build your own calculator layout and sync it with iPhone and iPad.
- Menu bar widget
- The Mac version has a menu bar widget for quick calculations.
- Handoff and scripting
- Hands off in-progress calculations between Mac, iOS, visionOS and watchOS; the Mac app supports AppleScript and Shortcuts.
PCalc pricing
As of Nov 13, 2026, PCalc has a free plan, and paid plans start at $9.99 one-time.
- Starts at
- $9.99 one-time
- Free plan
- PCalc Lite: a free version for iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch; the extra features of the full app can be bought inside it, individually or all at once.
- Free trial
- None listed
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| PCalc Lite | $0 | Free app for iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch with in-app purchases for the full app's features. |
| PCalc for iPhone, iPad and Watch | $9.99one-time, US price; covers iPad, iPhone, Vision Pro and Watch | Full app sold through the App Store; prices vary by country. |
| PCalc for Mac | $9.99one-time, US price; separate from the iOS purchase | Mac App Store purchase with a menu bar widget, multiple calculators and a button layout editor. |
Read from pcalc.com on Nov 13, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with PCalc before you buy.
How people rate the PCalc app
4.7
out of 5 for the iPhone and iPad app
779 ratings on the App Store in the United States, read Nov 13, 2026. It rates the app, not everything the product does. See the listing
Works with
PCalc alternatives
- PCalc vs Numi
Free plan · from $29.99 one-time
- PCalc vs Soulver
Free trial · from $15 one-time
- PCalc vs Raycast
Free plan · from $96/yr
- PCalc vs Alfred
Free plan · from £34 one-time
Common questions
Does PCalc have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. PCalc is listed for macOS and iOS.
Does PCalc have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. PCalc is listed for macOS and iOS.
Is PCalc open source?
PCalc is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 13, 2026.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 13, 2026. What people say is linked where it appears.