macOS calculator workbench
A calculator for the Mac that keeps the whole calculation on screen: a multi-line worksheet with line references and variables, basic / scientific / programmer keypads, Chinese natural-language input, unit and European Central Bank currency conversion, a formula library, a ⌘K command palette, Quick Calculate from the menu bar, and a pinnable compact calculator that reads arithmetic from the clipboard.
Feature tour
Better Calc Pro Worksheet page showing a budget variable, a #2 line reference, a percentage and a compound-interest line with live results, and the inspector with the current line's expression, result, precision, and note
Better Calc Pro Calculator page showing the expression and live result, the Basic / Scientific / Programmer keypad switch, and the inspector with the current result, format and precision, and keyboard shortcuts
Better Calc Pro Convert page showing unit categories from Length to Currency, a feet-to-meter result, the calculation formula and conversion table, and the Send Result to Worksheet button
Better Calc Pro Formula Library showing Finance, Tax, Date & Time and other categories, built-in formula cards such as Future Value, and the inspector with the formula expression, parameters, and insert button
Better Calc Pro command palette opened with Command-K, showing the search field and commands such as New Worksheet Row, New Variable, Open History, and switching to Basic, Scientific, or Programmer mode
Better Calc Pro compact calculator floating over a purchase list document, showing only the expression and result card and the basic keypad, with the Pin on Top and Workbench buttons in its title bar
The pinned Better Calc Pro compact calculator turned translucent after losing focus, with the amounts in the document underneath clearly visible through the window while clicks pass through to the document
Local by defaultNo account, no sign-in, no analytics, no ads, no trackers; worksheets, history, variables, formulas, and settings live as JSON inside the app sandbox container on your Mac.
One network requestOnly when you open currency conversion or refresh rates does the app contact the European Central Bank reference-rate service, and the request carries nothing but the base currency code; rates are cached with a timestamp.
Results you can checkValues are held as Decimal at full precision and formatted only for display; copy the displayed value or the full-precision value, and the difference is always visible.
No permissions requestedNo Accessibility, Screen Recording, or Full Disk Access; the clipboard is read only while you have pinned the window, and only its arithmetic part is used.
Three pillars
Type an expression, press Return, and the result appears beside it while the next line opens; a dim live preview follows along as you type.
Switch between the basic, scientific, and programmer keypads with ⌘1 / ⌘2 / ⌘3, and type straight from the physical keyboard.
Unit and European Central Bank currency conversion, a library of 23 built-in formulas, and everyday Chinese phrasings understood directly.
Privacy & security
Better Calc Pro has no account, no sign-in, and no analytics, advertising, tracking, or crash-reporting component. Worksheets, history, variables, formulas, and settings are stored as JSON inside the app sandbox container on your Mac, and preferences in UserDefaults. The one network request happens when you open currency conversion or refresh rates: it goes to the European Central Bank reference-rate service at api.frankfurter.dev and carries only the base currency code, with no identifiers, device information, or user content.
Pages
Four sidebar pages, plus panels and modes you can call up at any time.
Help
Refer to the result of line 3 as #3, or double-click any result to insert the reference. Writing budget = 12000 defines a variable that later lines use by name. When you change an input, only the lines that depend on it recalculate.
Values are held internally as Decimal at full precision and formatted for display according to your precision setting. You can copy the displayed value, or copy the full-precision value from the context menu or the inspector; the difference is always visible.
Rates are European Central Bank reference rates fetched from api.frankfurter.dev, and the request carries only the base currency code. The first fetch needs a connection; after that the last successful rates are reused and labelled with their timestamp, and the interface says whether the figure is live or cached. Unit conversion is entirely local.
Only while you have switched on Pin on Top (⌥⌘P) in the compact calculator, and only the arithmetic part is used: digits, operators, parentheses, and decimal separators. Dates, phone numbers, times, IP addresses, and version strings are discarded rather than guessed at. Turning off Pin on Top stops it immediately, and clipboard content is never stored, logged, or transmitted.
No. Once pinned with ⌥⌘P, the compact calculator turns translucent whenever it is not in front, so the document or web page beneath it stays readable through the window and clicks pass straight through to that window. To type again, click its title bar or press ⌥⌘K to hand focus back, and the window is opaque again at once.
None. No Accessibility, Screen Recording, Full Disk Access, or Automation. The global hotkey (⌥⌘K by default, re-recordable in Settings) is registered through a system API that needs no Accessibility trust and never observes keystrokes outside the app's own windows.
Yes. Low-ambiguity Chinese phrasings such as 120 的 15% 是多少, 2026-08-27 + 45 天, and 09:15 + 2 小时 30 分钟 are calculated directly; anything unrecognized falls back to ordinary expression parsing with a clear syntax error. No cloud model is involved, so it works offline.
No. Everything stays on this Mac: no iCloud sync, no account, and no companion app on any other device. The app also does not plot functions, solve equations, or support RPN input.
Yes. It is available now and ready to use.
It is free, with no in-app purchases or subscription.
Read the product guides, or reach us through the support center and email.
