If you use your iPad for more than just gaming and Facebook, you need tools to keep up with your workload. The iPad has never shipped with a calculator app for some strange reason. However, the App Store got you covered whether you need something rudimentary or something that's capable of complex, scientific functions. Check out these great calculator apps to help you stay productive on your iPad.
The best calculator apps for iPad
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PCalc
Calculate this
Bottom line: PCalc is one of the most robust and customizable calculator apps around. If you're an engineer, scientist, student, or need to deal with some heavy expressions in your daily life, then PCalc is where it's at.
It features buttons and options for advanced calculations, as well as an optional RPN mode and a rich history that you can edit and change. You can undo and redo, and it even supports hexadecimal, octal, and binary calculations.
PCalc is possibly the most feature-rich calculator app with support for iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and even Apple TV.
Calzy
Best looking
Bottom line: Calzy is one of the best-looking calculator apps on the market, even winning an Apple Design Award back in 2018. It's extremely powerful, too, with all your day-to-day mathematical calculation needs covered.
One clever feature is the app's "Memory Area" which allows you to save multiple numerical values for reuse later, and the app supports tons of iPad technologies like Slide Over and Split View, drag and drop customizable Apple Pencil 2 gestures, and more.
Don't let the good looks of the award-winning Calzy app fool you. This calculator has got plenty of powerful features.
Calcbot 2
Awesome extras
Bottom line: Calcbot 2 offers pretty much everything you'd want from a calculator, and a bit more. It's super easy to use with several themes to choose from with common scientific functions available in addition to regular calculations.
While the free features will likely be enough for most people, there are some neat extras unlocked with a $2 in-app purchase. These include conversions for 500 units across various categories, including auto-updating currency rates, plus a history tape for easily referring back to a previous calculation.
From the makers of the popular Twitter app Tweetbot comes Calcbot, a powerful and customizable calculator app.
Microsoft Math Solver
Comprehensive
Bottom line: You might not have considered running a Microsoft-made calculator app on your Apple-made iPad, but the company's Math Solver is definitely worth considering. It's an entry-level educational app for solving math and science problems and is a great tool for actually understanding math rather than just punching numbers into a calculator.
You can use it to scan handwritten math problems, draw equations on screen with Apple Pencil, or type using the built-in calculator, and the app will help you to solve it with detailed step-by-step explanations.
Better understand arithmetic with Microsoft's totally free Math Solver app for iPhone and iPad.
Desmos Graphing Calculator
Graphing calculator
Bottom line: If you need a graphing calculator for school or work, you probably already own a dedicated device, but the Desmos Graphing Calculator app is worth picking up for when you don't have that handy.
The iPad's large screen gives you much more space for graphing algebraic equations, plus the graphs can be animated, with support for sliders, points of interest, and tables.
While it won't compete with a dedicated graphing calculator, this free app is good for plotting equations in a pinch.
All-in-One Calculator
Free and simple
Bottom line: Want an iPad calculator app but don't want to spend a dime? You can get one with the All-in-one Calculator, which is free to use and doesn't include any in-app purchase since it is ad-supported.
It offers support for all of your everyday math needs plus unit and currency conversion. There's also support for working out useful health metrics like BMI, financial tools like interest or profit calculators, or DIY and construction material estimates.
For a free solution to everyday calculations and conversions, the ad-supported All-in-one Calculator is a good pick.
Spotlight Search
Handy and quick
Botton line: Though iPad (2022) does not have a built-in calculator, it does have a built-in calculating function that's handy for quick equations and conversions: Spotlight search! Go ahead, swipe down on any Home screen, and type "2 + 2" in the search bar. Sure enough, the answer's there for you.
Spotlight Search will also follow the proper order of operations if you need to perform some more complex calculations, and if you need to know how many British pounds it is to the U.S. dollar, just type something like "$5 in £" and it'll come up with the result.
By our calculations
The lack of a built-in calculator app on your iPad doesn't mean you have to reach for your iPhone every time you want to work something out. The above selection represents our pick of the best iPad calculator apps, but the App Store is chock-full of options for you to choose from. Looking to upgrade your iPad? Check out the best iPad deals.
Updated December 2022: Updated for iPadOS 16.
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Adam Oram
Adam Oram is a Senior Writer at iMore. He studied Media at Newcastle University and has been writing about technology since 2013. He previously worked as an Apple Genius and as a Deals Editor at Thrifter. His spare time is spent watching football (both kinds), playing Pokémon games, and eating vegan food. Follow him on Twitter at @adamoram.
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