How many yards are in a mile? How many ounces are in a cup? What’s the current conversion rate of dollars to euros? The apps in this post are built specifically to answer these questions.
Today we’ll take a look at three solutions for converting almost everything you can think of on your iPhone. We’ll start with two of the best paid options out there and conclude with a free but adequate alternative.
ConvertBot
ConvertBot is one of the nicest looking converters available on the iPhone. The beautiful gray and blue interface and smooth animations really make the dull task of converting units a pleasure to undertake.
Price: $1.99
Developer: Tapbots
Interface and Usage
Convertbot implements a unique circular interface for converting units. To convert something, you spin the wheel around or simply tap on the type of unit you want (weight, speed, etc.). The icons are fairly straightforward and make it easy to quickly grab your desired option.
After selecting the type of unit the circular grid opens up and reveals the options within that unit. For instance, under “length” the wheel is divided into cm, mm, in, etc.
Convertbot's Circular Interface
After you select your units, tap on the rectangular area at the top of the screen to input the specific numbers that you’d like to see converted. By default, this will open up a simple number pad but in the settings you can enable a calculator in this view that will allow you to make calculations in addition to simply typing in numbers.
Using the Calculator to Input Unit Amounts
Convertbot makes it easy to swap the “from” and “to” variables at any point of the conversion by hitting the button with arrows going in opposite directions.
The circular system admittedly takes a little while to get used to but after spending a few minutes with the app you’ll be able to convert and switch units fairly quickly.
Units Available
Convertbot has a huge selection of units to choose from (over 500). By default, most of them are turned off and can be activated in the Settings screen. Below is a list of categories available. For a complete list of units, visit TapBots.com.
Category List:
Angle, Area, Currency (requires Internet connection), Data Rate, Data Size, Force, Fuel, Illuminance, Length, Mass, Power, Pressure, Radioactivity, SI, Speed, Temperature, Time, Typography, Volume, and Work
Convert ~ the unit calculator
Convert is another multi-unit calculator with a very attractive interface. It’s currently on sale so if you’re at all interested, buy sooner rather than later so you don’t miss out on the price drop.
Price: $0.99
Developer: Tap Tap Tap
Interface and Usage
The Convert interface is super streamlined and extremely intuitive. Though not quite as pretty as Convertbot, it’s a lot easier to pick up and use with no instruction.
Convert's Three Column Interface
As you can see, Convert features three columns and a calculator/number entry pad. Simply slide your finger vertically along a column to select a unit category and the two specific units you’d like to convert between. The pertinent information is displayed across the center of the columns and highlighted to make it easy to spot.
By eliminating the need for submenus, this system makes switching categories and finding the information you need a noticeably faster process than on many competing apps.
More Features
Units Available
Like Convertbot, Convert has a fairly large list of available units that will undoubtedly cover most of the things you can dream up to convert. Also similar to Convertbot is the ability to make calculations while typing in the numbers to convert using the built-in calculator.
Category List:
Angle, Area, Computer, Currency, Energy, Force, Length, Power, Pressure, Speed, Temperature, Time, Typography, Volume and Weight
Convert Everything
Now that we’ve discussed two of the nicest conversion apps out there, lets finish by looking at a free alternative. Convert Everything “Free” is a surprisingly fully featured, ad-supported app that will convert much of the same units as the pricier apps, and even some things they don’t cover.
Price: Free
Developer: Cristian Bica
Interface and Usage
The interface isn’t as nice as either of the paid apps above, but it gets the job done. Tap the buttons at the bottom of the screen to change the conversion type and use the arrows at the top of the screen to scroll through subcategories.
Convert Everything FREE
In addition to standard units and currency, Convert Everything Free contains a useful language converter that uses Google Translate to help you translate words and phrases into a variety of languages.
Translate Words and Phrases Using Google Translate
Overall, I thought the app was great considering the price. It’s much better than most of the free “lite” versions of paid apps out there (though there is an ad-free paid version of this app). My biggest complaint was that tapping the little arrows to find the category you want seems like a major inefficiency and should be replaced with something quicker and more direct.
Units Available
As stated above, this app contains many of the units found in the other apps above and even enhances the offering with the addition of a translation tool.
Category List:
Area, Distance, Energy, Information Storage, Power, Pressure, Speed, Temperature, Time, Volume, and Weight
Conclusion
The three apps above represent some of the best options available for converting units on your iPhone. Convertbot and Convert feature amazing interfaces, smooth animations, and tons of units. However, you have to ask yourself whether you convert tablespoons to ounces so often that you can justify dropping a few bucks to do so. If not, then you’ll definitely want to download Convert Everything Free, a worthy and free competitor to the paid apps.
Use the comments below to let us know which app you’ll be downloading. I’m interested to hear whether you think converting units in style is a service that’s worth paying for in light of perfectly capable, though less attractive, free alternatives. As for me, I was fortunate enough to score Convertbot back when it was free so I enjoy the best of both worlds.
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Using ConvertBot since it was free as well. Actually contemplating to buy Convert on sale, as the interface looks simpler and equally attractive. I think they’re both definitively worth buying for the better interface alone. I’m usually spending a bit more for an app if the interface is better.
I use Convertbot but considered switching to Convert for the simpler interface until I found out that it lacks some currencies I need to use such as the Egyptian Pound – hardly an obscure currency, and I don’t understand why it’s absent.
I actually wrote to the Convert developer asking them to add it – explaining that the only reason I haven’t bought the app is that it’s missing currencies – I didn’t even get a reply – never a good sign.
Hello,
I’m Cristian Bica the developer behind Convert Everything (FREE and ads-free paid version). I’ve updated the app on the day you wrote this article with a much nicer UI (though some users are complaining about it … the font family and size).
Omar sorry for not responding to your email. I usually respond to all emails … I don’t know what happened.
In about 3-4 weeks I will release a new version of the converter app with the following new features:
- UI skins (for those who dislike the new “blueprint” interface)
- timezone conversion (when date/time is X in timezone #1 what’s the date/time in timezone #2)
- more currencies (will probably use xe.com for that)
- units updated online (no need for an application update to add new units)
I’ve been using ConvertBot since it was free, but it has no way to convert power. Horsepower to watts, etc. Although the interface is beautiful, putting everything on a turnstile limits the amount of units and options. Thanks for the roundup, that free converter looks promising. Perhaps with the update I’ll place both of them in a CONVERT folder!
I have never used this app but it is so beautiful !!
I have both CovertBot and Covert and, for me, ConvertBot takes the cake. I like the interface better, and it is faster & easier to use. I keep both on my iPod though because they both looks so good. The free alternative you choose for this post is defiantly not the one that I would of. If you want a FREE app that doesn’t have ads and that converts more than both CovertBot and Covert put together, check out MultiConvert. It has one of the worst looking icons on earth, but the app is amazing.
I was surprised not to see MultiConvert on this list. It’s free and although the interface is pretty dull, it more than makes up for that with its unit selection. Have you ever wanted to convert absorbed radioactivity from grays to rads? Well, now you can. I think I’ve had this app on my iPod Touch longer than most other apps and I love it. I use ConvertBot for quick conversions but if I can’t find the unit on ConvertBot, this is my next stop.
I’m surprised at how complex and busy some of those converter interfaces are.
I’ve been using Cambio, a free app which is pretty clean and easy to use.
Would be nice to hear which app handles large numbers better, that’s an issue i find on most iphone apps :[
Well it doesn’t convert MP3 to FLAC now does it?
Convert is great, but I wish Tap Tap Tap would update it…