In Summary
- Apple doesn’t offer a built-in calculator and weather app for the iPad because the world’s most famous innovative company doesn’t know how to develop a calculator app.
- Thankfully, there are plenty of third-party calculator apps for iPad that offer various functions from basic to advanced calculations.
- In this guide, you’ll find a list of the best calculator apps for iPad, both basic and advanced calculator apps.
It’s hard to be an iPad user, especially when a discussion breaks out in my friend’s group about the calculator app. Aside from the powerful hardware, Apple Pencil support, seamless integration with other Apple devices, and dedicated tablet OS, iPad users are still ridiculed by others because the iPad does not have a calculator app. The discussion gets worse when they say that this is the most important thing to have when spending so much money.
Apple has a whole bunch of reasons why they did not include a calculator app with the iPad. The only known story is that Apple still has not figured out the best design for a calculator app on the iPad. What bothers me even more, is that we are in the seventeenth iteration of the iPad OS, and there is still no sign of Apple bringing a calculator app to the iPad. Finally, I have decided to install a third-party calculator app on my iPad and hold out hope that one day we might hear from Apple, “The most innovative calculator ever.”
In this guide, we have compiled a list of the ten best calculator apps for your iPad. These apps were carefully selected based on their features, user reviews, and overall app performance. Each app offers a unique set of features to meet the different needs of users. From basic calculators to advanced scientific calculators, this list contains a variety of options to suit your needs.
Table of Contents
Best Calculator Apps for iPad
- Pcalc Calculator app (Free): The most popular and best iPad calculator app that lets you perform basic and advanced calculations. The app offers a simple and easy-to-use interface.
- Calculator Pad Editon (Free): The best calculator app for an optimal iPad experience. The app has a similar interface to the calculator app on iOS and offers a simple and easy-to-use interface with support for basic and scientific calculations.
- Calculator Plus V2 (Free): Easier to use interface with minimal design, and the free version contains no ads.
- Calculator with History+ (Free): The best calculator app for iPad that lets you track and manage the history of your calculations.
- Solves Calculator for All (Free): Another nice app that focuses on keeping track of your calculation history. With its simple, clean, and user-friendly interface, Solver is a good choice for many people.
- OneCalc (Free): The best option for people who want to perform simple and advanced calculations with templates. With a user-friendly interface and support for resizing, OneCalc is ideal for many users.
- Calculator & Maths Solver (Free): As the best calculator app for iPad with advanced math problem-solving capabilities, Calculator & Maths Solver is the best option for you. Everything about the app is great except for the ads, which are very annoying.
- NCalc Scientific Calculator Plus (Free): The best option if you are looking for an advanced scientific calculator app for your iPad. It’s like having a full-fledged digitized scientific calculator on your iPad.
- Graphing Calculator X84 (Free): An advanced graphing calculator app for math and engineering students.
- ClevCalc (Free): The best option for those looking for multiple calculators in a single app. With its user-friendly interface and multiple calculator categories, it’s a great app to download for iPad.
Pcalc Lite
Pcalc is the most popular and best iPad calculator app that allows you to perform basic and advanced calculations. The app offers a simple and easy-to-use interface that can adapt to different sizes and can customize the user experience with advanced customization options, making it the ideal calculator for many people.
Right from the design, the app offers a simple, clean, and modern interface that resembles the iPad’s user interface. With the additional settings and customizable options, you can personalize the app even further. In the free version of the app, you can choose between Samurai and Twilight themes. You can change the style of the digits to thin, LCD, and easy-to-read text while performing calculations, in addition, you can also customize the size of the keys, the key click animation, the sound, the size of the vertical and horizontal lines, the app icon and more.
The app also resizes dynamically when you use it in Standard mode and Stage Manager. The app also supports split screens and can also be used as an overlay so you can perform calculations without leaving the app you are using.
As for calculations, which are another important factor, you can perform basic calculations. The app includes arithmetic calculations, unit conversions, technical and scientific notation, and support for hexadecimal, octal, and binary calculations. In addition, the app also supports the optional RPN mode.
You can view the results immediately at the top. There is no option to view calculation history, which may be a disappointment for some people who want to view their calculation history. Among the features of the app are that you can copy and share the result, the app does not contain ads, it is free, and there are no calculation restrictions. The app also offers a premium version that unlocks new features and advanced calculation options. The app is free to download from the Apple App Store. Pcalc is also available for other Apple devices, such as iPhone and Apple Watch.
Download the PCalc app for iPad
Calculator – Pad Edition
Calculator – Pad Edition is, as the name suggests, the iPad version of the calculator app already available on the iPhone. The app offers a simple and easy-to-use interface with a modern design reminiscent of the original iPad calculator app. The app lets you perform basic and scientific calculations in both portrait and landscape modes.
The user interface is the biggest highlight of the app. This is the closest app out of all the apps listed in this post that offers users a modern interface that resembles the design of the iPad OS. All buttons are rounded, and the text is large enough to be visible from any corner of the screen. All settings of the calculator are located on the right side. The displays are shown on the right side with large fonts that you can long press to copy if needed.
You can also set the calculator size, auto-size, and position, switch between scientific and simple calculators, key tones, border lines, and much more. You can also switch to different themes if you have a premium subscription.
You can perform basic arithmetic and scientific calculations with the app. The app also has built-in unit, fraction, and peak converter options to perform calculations according to the user’s needs. The app also remembers all your calculations, you can access them in the history tab and delete them with just one click.
The free version of the app contains ads, which can be annoying for some people, as the ads are placed right on the home page. You can get rid of them by purchasing a premium subscription. You can also unlock other features when you upgrade to the premium version.
Overall, Calculator Pad Edition is the best option for you if you are looking for an iPad that is closest to the iPad interface. The app offers simple and user-friendly features and supports basic and advanced calculators. The only thing that is distracting is the vertical hand on the home screen, which is very distracting.
Download Calculator Pad Edition for iPad
Calculator Plus V2
If you are looking for a calculator app that does not contain ads and has simplicity at its core, then Calculator Plus v2 is the best option for you. It offers an easy-to-use interface inspired by the built-in calculator app on iOS and provides an ad-free experience. The app also offers a number of other useful features.
Let me tell you what this app can do. You can perform basic and advanced calculations. The app offers a simple and round button. One of the few things I really like about the app is the animation. Seeing it on a 120 Hz refresh rate screen is even more appealing. The app also saves all your calculations, and you can access them in the history tab. You can long press on the results and copy them.
Other useful features of the app include support for the Apple Pencil. You can write anywhere on the screen, and the app will automatically recognize the numbers and inputs for you. (The only problem is that it does not know the difference between 1 and 7, every time I draw 7, it shows me 1).
The app supports dictation input, which can understand most mathematical expressions. You can simply long-press on the results tab and start dictating. The app also allows you to customize various key settings, calculator functions, and more.
Overall, Calculator Plus V2 is the best app if you are looking for a simple and ad-free calculator on iPad. The app is free to download and is also a good option for people who want to use third-party calculator apps on iPad.
Download Calculator V2 plus app for iPad
Calculator With History+
Next, we have a calculator plus, designed specifically for people who want to save their calculations and recall them at any time. The app is simple and easy to use and offers basic and advanced calculations. The only problem with this app is the design.
The calculator doesn’t fit on the entire screen, and although there is a maximize button on the bottom right, the calculator barely enlarges when you press it, plus the calculator is aligned with the button. Perhaps this was done on purpose to make it easily accessible when holding an iPad. The design is simple, as mentioned, offering black, gray, and orange colors similar to the calculators in iOS. There is an option to customize the color, you can choose 6 different colors in the free version, and the rest is only available in the premium version.
Speaking of calculations: You can perform basic and advanced scientific calculations with the app. The calculation history is saved on the top of the screen, where you can also delete and restore the entire history by long pressing the delete button. There is also an option to disable the history in the settings if you don’t want the app to save the entire calculation history.
The only annoying thing about the app is that it can’t be resized, and it doesn’t support an overlay for others, which can be a drawback for some people who want to do calculations as an overlay. Other highlights of the app include a premium version that unlocks additional features and a free version that doesn’t include ads.
Overall, Calculator+ is the best option if you’re looking for a calculator app with history support. The only annoying feature of the app is that it doesn’t support resizing, which can be a disappointment if you do a lot of multitasking on your iPad.
Download Calculator with History+ App
Solves: Calculator for All
Solves Calculator for All is another simple calculator that focuses on keeping track of all your calculations. If you are looking for a calculator that lets you view and manage all your calculations, the Solver Calculator app is the best option for you.
This calculator offers a simple and easy-to-use interface with a dedicated area on the left to keep track of all your calculations. You can view, retrieve, and delete them instantly when you no longer need them. With the Calculator app, you can perform basic and advanced calculations.
Another thing I really like about the app is the user interface. The app offers a simple, clean, and easy-to-use interface with no ads. The app also supports themes for which you can select two different themes. The app comes with blue themes as default, and you can change it to classic to get a traditional iOS calculator experience. The app is free to use.
Overall, Solver Calculator is another best app that focuses on keeping track of your calculation history. With its simple, clean, and easy-to-use interface, Solver can be a good option for many people.
Download Solves Calculator for Everyone app for iPad
OneCalc
Next, we have OneCalc for your calculations. OneCalc offers basic to advanced calculations in finance, math, rounding, date and time, construction, and more. The app offers a simple and modern experience and also supports split-screen and overlay support.
The first and most important thing we like about the app is the user interface. It fits perfectly on the large 12.9-inch iPad we use and is perfectly aligned at every corner. There’s a bottom navigation bar that lets you access advanced calculations, add favs, and also the app’s settings.
The app offers a simple calculator as the default calculator. You can perform the basic arithmetic operations. You can switch to the scientific calculator in the settings, which offers advanced options for scientific calculations. You can perform all basic and scientific calculations. The app also saves the entire history of your calculations.
You can also perform advanced calculations like finance, math, date, and time. Under each category, you can select the appropriate calculations. For example, in the Health category, you can select the BMI calculator and enter the required fields, after which the app will display the results. This is especially useful for most people looking for specific calculations and also for students who can use existing calculator templates to complete homework assignments.
Speaking of customization, the app also offers several customization tools that allow you to personalize your experience. You can choose the theme and sounds, add vibrations, edit the decimals, and more.
The free version of the app includes ads that you can only see while using the templates. You can upgrade to the premium subscription to get rid of them and unlock additional features. Overall, OneCalc is the best option for those who want to perform simple and advanced calculations with templates. Thanks to its user-friendly interface and support for resizing, OneCalc is ideal for many users.
Calculator and Maths Solver
Calculator and Maths Solver is the best app if you are looking for a calculator app with advanced mathematical calculations. The app also allows you to scan the math problem with the camera and solve it with simple steps.
You can switch to different calculators from the home screen by using the Toggle tab, which includes basic, scientific, fractions, and currencies. With the basic calculator, you can do basic arithmetic calculations, and with the scientific calculator, you can do advanced calculations and similar fractions and also convert currencies which are updated automatically.
After calculating, you can copy the result, divide it, and also copy the equation. The app also remembers all your calculations and displays them in the history, which you can access from the History tab.
The user interface is simple and easy to use. You can set different themes in the settings. The default theme is adapted to the iPad. You can split the app, resize it, and also use it as an overlay.
In addition to calculations, the app supports math problem solvers that let you scan the task and get a simple step-by-step solution. In addition to scanning text, the app also offers a sketch option that lets you write the problem on the drawing table, which is especially useful if you use an apple pencil. A premium subscription is required to use it.
Everything about the app is great, except for the ads, which are very annoying. The huge vertical banner is placed on the home page, which is very annoying when calculating, plus you have to see an ad every time you open the app. One can get rid of all that by upgrading the premium account and also getting access to the math-solving feature.
All in all, Calculator & Maths Solver is the best option for you if you are looking for a calculator app for your iPad with advanced math problem-solving features. Everything about the app is great, except for the ads, which are very annoying.
Download Calculator and Maths Solver app
NCalc Scientific Calculator +
If you are a student or engineer looking for a calculator app for your iPad to solve complex calculations, NCalc is the best app for you. With the calculator, you can perform basic arithmetic operations to solve complex number equations and much more.
The keyboard layout of this calculator app is designed just like 115 es, 91 es plus, and 991 ex calculators, and you can easily switch between them in the settings.
As mentioned earlier, you can use the app to solve basic arithmetic calculations and perform advanced scientific calculations, as well as solve complex equations. You can tap on the results and get even more insights about the result, for example, 1+1 = 2, tap on the results or details tab shows everything about the 2, which includes prime factorization, Roman numerals, divisors, binary 64-bit signed, scientific notation and more.
In addition to the calculations, the app also offers a huge database of all mathematical formulas divided into different categories. You can tap on each category to expand the formula or use the search bar to look for specific mathematical formulas you are looking for. You can also run programs in different programming languages, convert units, calculate diagrams, and much more.
The app also records all the calculations you have done within the app. You can access the history only in the premium version. The free version of the app contains ads, which you can get rid of by upgrading to the premium version. Overall, NCalc is the best option if you are looking for an advanced scientific calculator app for your iPad. It’s like having a full-fledged digitized scientific calculator on your iPad. Alternatively, you can try Desmos Scientific Calculator if you like NCalc Scientific Calculator +
Download NCalc Scientific Calculator+ for iPad
Graphing Calculator X84
Graphing calculators are advanced calculators designed for graphing and analyzing mathematical functions. Compared to simple or scientific calculators, they have advanced capabilities for performing mathematical operations. If you are looking for an advanced graphing calculator, this app might be the best solution for you.
Already, the calculator’s interface is full of options needed for advanced calculations. You can also perform basic calculations and advanced calculations like advanced functions (Sin, Cos, Ln, E,… ), Y-Var & Customize Functions (Y1, Y2), fraction and degree/angle calculation, numerical integral & derivative calculation, calculation of local maxima, minima, statistics & regression, solving equations & polynomials, calculating integral functions and much more.
The results are displayed on the left side instead of the right side, which I got used to. You can switch to the graphing calculator by tapping the graph button in the upper right corner of the screen. The app also saves all your calculations and you can easily access them through history. The free version of the app contains ads and offers limited options. You can upgrade to the premium version to get rid of apps and also unlock features.
Download Graphing Calculator X84
ClevCalc – Calculator
ClevCalc Calculator is the best app for people who are looking for various calculators in a single app. Besides basic and scientific mathematical calculations, the app offers various calculators, including discount calculator, tip calculator, date calculator, GPA calculator, GST calculator, loan calculator, savings calculator, hexadecimal calculator, and more.
Depending on your needs, you can select any calculations, enter the required values and calculate the results instantly. In addition, the app also provides a currency converter where the app downloads the latest exchange rate data (your iPad should be connected to the Internet) and converts the currency.
The user interface of the app is simple and easy to use. There are ads in the free version of the app. You can get rid of them by purchasing a premium subscription. You can also change the theme of the app, set the default calculator when you open the app, keep the screen on while using the app, and keep track of all your calculations.
Overall, ClevCalc is the best option for people who are looking for multiple calculators in a single app. With its easy-to-use interface and different calculator categories, it can be a great app to download for iPad.
Download the ClevCalc app for iPad
How to choose the best calculator app for iPad
- Functionality: Look for a calculator app that meets your specific needs. Some people use calculators for basic calculations, while others prefer advanced calculation settings. Consider a calculator app for most basic calculations, or it can perform scientific functions, graphing functions, unit conversions, or specialized calculators for finance, engineering, or programming.
- User Interface: Desing is the most important aspect you should consider when choosing the best calculator app for your iPad. Look for a calculator app with an uncluttered layout, easy-to-read buttons, and a clear menu. The user interface should be user-friendly and visually appealing. A good design will also bring the best user experience.
- Features: Additional features such as a history log, memory functions, customizable settings, equation solving, and support for complex calculations can be beneficial for the calculator app. Make sure you choose a calculator app with benefits that meet your needs.
- Offline Capability: Determine if you need a calculator app that works offline. Some apps require an internet connection to work. If you want to work offline, go for an app that offers offline support.
- Customization Options: Consider whether you prefer a calculator app that can be customized. This includes features like choosing different themes, button sizes, or fonts that allow you to customize your calculator.
- Pricing and Ads: Some calculator apps are free but supported by ads, while others offer a one-time purchase or subscription to remove ads and access additional features. Choose the best app depending on your needs and preferences.
Get the Best Calculator App for iPad
Honestly, after using all these third-party calculator apps, I feel like I do not need the default calculator app on my iPad anymore. These apps are perfectly designed and offer advanced calculation options. I hope you find this list helpful. If you are someone who misses a standard calculator app for iPad like me, I am very sure this list has given you the same feeling. If you have any other suggestions for calculator apps, feel free to suggest them for download in the comments.
FAQs on Best Calculator Apps for iPad
Can I customize the appearance of the calculator app?
Yes, most apps offer different themes and other advanced customizations to the calculator. Just go to the settings of the particular app and customize it. It's important to note that the availability of customization features can vary depending on the specific calculator app you choose.
Can calculator apps store and retrieve previous calculations?
Yes, with apps like Calculator with History Plus and Solves Calculator for All, you can save and retrieve previous calculations. The other apps also offer other ways to manage the history of your previous calculations.
Can calculator apps integrate with other productivity apps on iPad?
Yes, most calculator apps support resizing options, so you can use the app along with other apps without quitting them. Also, these apps offer various ways to manage the calculation history and results, which helps you increase your productivity overall.
Which calculator app is best for scientific calculations on iPad?
PCalc is widely regarded as one of the best calculator apps for scientific calculations on the iPad. It provides a comprehensive set of scientific functions and customizable layouts and supports RPN (Reverse Polish Notation) if you prefer that input method. PCalc also offers a range of customization options, including themes, button layouts, and the ability to add additional functions and conversions.
Can I use a calculator app that syncs with other devices?
Yes, there are calculator apps that offer synchronization across multiple devices. PCalc, for example, provides syncing options through iCloud or Dropbox, allowing you to access your calculations and settings on different devices. Additionally, some calculator apps have companion apps or web versions that enable cross-device syncing and data sharing.
Are there calculator apps that support handwriting recognition on iPad?
Yes, there are calculator apps that support handwriting recognition on the iPad. One such app is MyScript Calculator, which allows you to write mathematical expressions directly on the screen using your finger or Apple Pencil. The app then converts your handwriting into text and provides the calculated result.
Can I use calculator apps on iPad to solve equations or perform algebraic calculations?
Yes, certain calculator apps for iPad come equipped with equation-solving capabilities and algebraic functionalities. These apps allow you to input equations and perform calculations to find solutions, solve for variables, or manipulate algebraic expressions. Examples of apps with such features include Photomath, Mathway, and Symbolab.
Are there calculator apps on iPad that support unit conversions?
Yes, there are calculator apps for iPad that offer unit conversion functionalities. These apps allow you to convert between different units of measurement, such as length, temperature, weight, volume, and more. Some calculator apps also provide extensive lists of units and categories for conversions, making it convenient for various conversion needs.