Why did you create yet another calculator app?
Since switching from Android to iPhone around iOS 14, I’ve always found the stock Calculator app disappointing. It felt like a big step backward:
- What do you mean I have to press equals to see the result?
- Why can’t I see the full expression or my past calculations?
I couldn’t find a simple iOS calculator that didn’t have ads, require a subscription, or wasn’t overly complicated. So I decided it’d be the perfect first app…I mean, how hard could it be? Famous last words!! 😂
Why pay for Dash Calc when iPhone already has a free calculator?
The stock calculator works fine for most people’s needs, but Dash Calc offers these thoughtful improvements:
- See your result before pressing equals
- Edit anywhere in your calculation—no more starting over
- Supports both dark and light modes
- Quick access to a single, “smart” parentheses button
- Fast, one-handed access to history
- Label and pin past calculations for easy recall and comparisons
- Oh, and…colorful themes! 🎨
Do you offer a free trial?
No, unfortunately Apple doesn’t support free trials for paid apps. However, the Dash Calc App Store listing (with video and screenshots) should give you a solid sense of what the app offers. And if you buy the app and it’s not the right fit, Apple typically honors refund requests made soon after purchase.
Feeling adventurous? You can try the full app through the beta version on TestFlight ↗. While you may encounter some bugs, you’ll get the complete product experience—great way to try before you buy!
Why don’t you offer a free, ad-supported version?
Personally, I can’t stand ads—they’re distracting and take up valuable real estate, which is especially frustrating in mobile apps. I do realize people like to try before they buy, and if the App Store supported time-limited trials, I’d offer that. But since that’s not an option and I don’t want to support the ad industry, I decided to give it a fair, one-time price. If you’re on the fence, Apple usually allows refunds within a short period.
Does Dash Calc ever go on sale?
No, not even on Black Friday. I believe in fair, straightforward pricing where everyone pays the same, no matter when they buy. No waiting for sales, no buyer’s remorse if you just missed one. Just buy Dash Calc when you need it, knowing you’re getting the same deal as everyone else.
I also don’t use psychological pricing, which is why it’s a flat $4 USD. While $3.99 might result in more sales, I want its price to be as clear and honest as the app itself.
Why doesn’t it have any scientific or advanced math functions?
I rarely need things like square roots or trigonometry on my phone—those are usually better handled on a computer with a spreadsheet or dedicated tool.
Dash Calc is built for speed and simplicity, with just the essential functions most people need for everyday math. No extra bloat, and at under 10MB, it’s a lean, focused calculator for quick results on the go.
Why isn’t Dash Calc available in the European Union (EU)?
To protect my privacy.
Under the EU Digital Services Act (DSA), apps must display a contact address. For organization developer accounts, Apple automatically uses the physical address registered with Dun & Bradstreet and doesn’t allow devs to override it. Since that address would be shown publicly in the App Store and D&B requires a real, non-PO Box address, it’d mean publishing my home address.
If Apple supports PO Boxes or allows address overrides in the future, I’ll gladly reconsider offering Dash Calc in the EU.
What frameworks did you use to build Dash Calc?
Dash Calc is built almost1 entirely with SwiftUI. When I shifted careers from product design to indie development, I knew I wanted to create something within the Apple ecosystem. Since Apple is positioning SwiftUI as the future, I decided to fully embrace it.
I also set a personal goal to avoid using any third-party libraries or packages, so Dash Calc has no external dependencies. While this approach led to a few headaches, it turned out to be a valuable learning experience.
1. The one exception: editable expressions. That feature needed a custom text control, and UIKit was the only way to get the level of behavior I wanted.