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I never realised that there were so many free calculator programs available. After trying out loads of calculators, I have picked 3 calculators which I think are the best for the average user. Feel free to comment below.
Discussion
SpeedCrunch is my top recommendation. SpeedCrunch has a clean and simple user interface. The file size is 2.5MB. Once installed SpeedCrunch uses 11MB of RAM, which is a bit higher than other calculator programs that I have used. SpeedCrunch keeps a history of calculations entered with the result of the calculation kept underneath. A math book is available through the options of SpeedCrunch which I think is a great feature. The math book gives useful information such as how to get the volume of a cube.
SFR Calculator is my second choice. SFR has a modern, clean, Windows Vista look to it. Its interface looks quite similar to Microsoft Office 2007 as you can see from the screenshot. The file size is 8.6MB which is the biggest of all the calculators that I have tested. SFR is relatively heavy on resources, it uses 48MB of RAM. This memory usage is far greater than any other tested calculator program. SFR keeps a tape of calculations which can be saved or printed. SFR has 3 available skins: silver, blue and pink. Two languages were available: English and German. SFR is noticeably slower to install and to load up compared to the other calculator programs.
Moffsoft FreeCalc is another great free calculator. The file size is just 765KB, and once installed it uses 4.5MB of RAM. The user interface is a bit outdated but not too bad. You can choose between a few different skins by going to the settings. FreeCalc also has a tape feature which is quite useful. A unique feature of FreeCalc is the resizing of the program. You can make FreeCalc smaller or bigger and the next time you load the program it remembers the size you had set as well as the position on the screen.
Honourable Mention:
The calculator in Windows 7 (I'm almost sure Vista is the same) has a nice, simplistic GUI and uses less than 6mb of RAM. It can perform all of the basic calculation functions and is pre-installed with the operating system. Definitely one of the best options if you only do basic calculations.
Quick Selection Guide
SpeedCrunch
10
Gizmo's Freeware award as the best product in its class!
Runs as a stand-alone program on a user's computer
Simple/clean user interface, features such as Math book
Uses 11MB of RAM - high compared to some other calculators
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by Didier Gosseau (not verified) on 15. January 2012 - 14:21(87208)
If you prefer an RPN Reverse Polish Notation (Hewlett-Packard like) scientific calculator with advanced graphical and solver features, have a try also to: OCaPy
by Mit (not verified) on 14. April 2011 - 16:40(70189)
But using Microsoft Math:
1. requires download/install
2. only runs on windows machine.
3. is not a CAS (computer algebra system)
(can it solve differential equations?)
4. does not work with iPad, iPhone or any mobile device.
IMHPO, microsoft math remains a lightweight calculator.
This is no ordinary calculator, it will solve the problem then show you every step involved in solving it yourself. Somewhat like having a math teacher on your pc.
by Raineed (not verified) on 13. July 2010 - 13:58(54196)
I would like to recommend SpaceTime 4.0, a high quality graphic scientific calculator.
http://www.spacetime.us/
It was just FREE for registration on 3rd July(http://www.spacetime.us/forums/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=1075). Simply and intuitive tutorial, pretty graph, mathematical animation, and supporting scripts, which make it suitable for a scientific calculator.
Raineed, thanks for sharing this! SpaceTime is really an amazing piece of software.
It can handle algebra and calculus (it can find derivatives :D ). Its graphing features include 2d, 3d, 2d and 3d graphs that change over time, fractals, and some others. All of this is done from the same window - click "solve" to solve an equation, or "plot" to graph it - a very intuitive way to lay out the program, if you ask me.
You can try the program out for 30 days before you have to register.
by Raineed (not verified) on 13. July 2010 - 19:55(54214)
I am sorry for my poor English. I realized the sentence "It was just FREE for registration on 3rd July" is misleading. Actually, I wanted to say SpaceTime was just free for registration SINCE 3rd July 2010.
I had downloaded it and activated it successfully using the registration code obtained online.
Thanks for taking the trouble to come back and post this clarification. Please don't worry about your English. I still struggle with it and I was born there :D
Thanks for the suggestion. I checked up the site, and it says that its a free download and registration. The program requires registration after installation, on which they provide a free activation code.
If anyone do decide to try this out, please provide feedback if the activation is indeed free.
Yes activation is free and they ask for no information of any sort, just click the register button when it pops up on the second run of the program and copy the key code off the webpage it sends you to.
For the RPN addicted ones like me (maybe not so many ones...?) I would suggest Free42, the total rewrite of an HP-42S hand-held simulator.
http://thomasokken.com/free42/
I install it on every PC I use, and assign it to a short-key, to pop it up quickly. It's multi platform as well, so you can run it on the OS of your choice.
Thanks, you're not alone in preferring RPN logic. Other good RPN ones for Windows are XCalc which is RPN only and Calc98 which can be set to use RPN logic in the options.
I wonder why these fine programs allways imitate cheap pocket calculators.
Try Pc-Calculator at http://pc-calculator.sourceforge.net/index.html
to see, why I think it is superb. And look at its size. It is smaller than the image of its screenshot.
by beagle17 (not verified) on 19. December 2010 - 17:42(62937)
MyCalc was flagged by my firewall for trying to connect to the internet the first time it was run. Otherwise, it's pretty and nicely functional software. I'll just let my firewall control it and keep using it I think.
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Comments
If you prefer an RPN Reverse Polish Notation (Hewlett-Packard like) scientific calculator with advanced graphical and solver features, have a try also to: OCaPy
http://users.skynet.be/xray_corner/ocp
or
http://sourceforge.net/projects/ocapy
There are also:
http://formloop.com/
Where you can create your own calculator widgets.
Try this Instant free online calculator:
http://instacalc.com/
Thank you for suggesting Moffsoft FreeCalc. A high quality adfree application, and very useful. Highly recommended !
Has anyone tested Super Calculator?
http://www.syncedit.com/software/supercalculator/
Or how about Precise Calculator?
http://preccalc.sourceforge.net/
These belong in the Scientific Calculator post ....
Sadly SpeedCrunch crash for me when using many of the options under the "view" menu.
Many bug reports here (scroll down for latest and click on the striked "issues"):
http://code.google.com/p/speedcrunch/issues/detail?id=196
It seem to crash on Windows 64 bit systems especially.
I have Win 7 64 bit.
UPDATED SOME DAYS LATER...
I just discovered an alpha version exists:
http://speedcrunch.blogspot.com/2009/11/speedcrunch-011-alpha-released.html
This one doesn't crash anymore on my Win 7 64 bit.
Now that Microsoft Math's free, I don't believe any calculator and/or graphing tool can beat it's interface and usability in the heavyweight category.
But using Microsoft Math:
1. requires download/install
2. only runs on windows machine.
3. is not a CAS (computer algebra system)
(can it solve differential equations?)
4. does not work with iPad, iPhone or any mobile device.
IMHPO, microsoft math remains a lightweight calculator.
I have discovered this ** very powerful ** online calculator:
http://www.vroomlab.com/nhome
on 1st page, click on the calculator image will let you use it without userID/password
It is actually an online CAS (Computer Algebra System)
it works with iPad and Smartphones too.
Ok there's a better one now for students...
Microsoft Mathematics is a free download at http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=9caca722-523...
This is no ordinary calculator, it will solve the problem then show you every step involved in solving it yourself. Somewhat like having a math teacher on your pc.
This one looks very promising- thanks Drongo
I would like to recommend SpaceTime 4.0, a high quality graphic scientific calculator.
http://www.spacetime.us/
It was just FREE for registration on 3rd July(http://www.spacetime.us/forums/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=1075). Simply and intuitive tutorial, pretty graph, mathematical animation, and supporting scripts, which make it suitable for a scientific calculator.
Raineed, thanks for sharing this! SpaceTime is really an amazing piece of software.
It can handle algebra and calculus (it can find derivatives :D ). Its graphing features include 2d, 3d, 2d and 3d graphs that change over time, fractals, and some others. All of this is done from the same window - click "solve" to solve an equation, or "plot" to graph it - a very intuitive way to lay out the program, if you ask me.
You can try the program out for 30 days before you have to register.
I am sorry for my poor English. I realized the sentence "It was just FREE for registration on 3rd July" is misleading. Actually, I wanted to say SpaceTime was just free for registration SINCE 3rd July 2010.
I had downloaded it and activated it successfully using the registration code obtained online.
Thanks for taking the trouble to come back and post this clarification. Please don't worry about your English. I still struggle with it and I was born there :D
Thanks for the suggestion. I checked up the site, and it says that its a free download and registration. The program requires registration after installation, on which they provide a free activation code.
If anyone do decide to try this out, please provide feedback if the activation is indeed free.
Yes activation is free and they ask for no information of any sort, just click the register button when it pops up on the second run of the program and copy the key code off the webpage it sends you to.
Thanks Drongo :) and also Raineed, for this information.
Does anyone know of a free loan calculator?
This website may help you.
http://www.bestcalculator.org/finance/interest-calculator.html?gclid=COr...
I happened to have coded one myself for my own use, free for anyone who wants to try it. Contact me if you're interested.
For the RPN addicted ones like me (maybe not so many ones...?) I would suggest Free42, the total rewrite of an HP-42S hand-held simulator.
http://thomasokken.com/free42/
I install it on every PC I use, and assign it to a short-key, to pop it up quickly. It's multi platform as well, so you can run it on the OS of your choice.
~Lou
Free42 rocks! I use it several times a week!
Thanks, you're not alone in preferring RPN logic. Other good RPN ones for Windows are XCalc which is RPN only and Calc98 which can be set to use RPN logic in the options.
XCalc http://www.tordivel.no/xcalc
Calc98 http://www.calculator.org/download.aspx
Moderators comment:
Calc98 link changed to point to the free version and not the download page for the latest commercial product.
Thanks to everyone for this very helpful article. I've enjoyed using Java Scientific Calculator: http://jscicalc.sourceforge.net/
I wonder why these fine programs allways imitate cheap pocket calculators.
Try Pc-Calculator at
http://pc-calculator.sourceforge.net/index.html
to see, why I think it is superb. And look at its size. It is smaller than the image of its screenshot.
MyCalc2 at http://homeproduction.free.fr/mycalc2/index.htm is a pretty good free calculator. Download the latest version at Freeware Files - http://www.freewarefiles.com/MyCalc2_program_54312.html
zubina
MyCalc was flagged by my firewall for trying to connect to the internet the first time it was run. Otherwise, it's pretty and nicely functional software. I'll just let my firewall control it and keep using it I think.
SpeedCrunch is also available in a Portable version:
http://portableapps.com/apps
I've been using WiseCalc for a long time now and have been very happy with it.
http://www.wisecalc.com/
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