Soulver and Numi Alternatives (Free and Paid, 2026)

If you only need everyday sums and conversions, you may not need a paid Soulver alternative at all. Spotlight and Apple's Math Notes are free and already on your Mac. Three things usually prompt the search. Soulver 4 costs $59 and runs only on Apple devices. Numi's free version limits how many notes you can keep. Or you'd rather do your maths inside the notes you already write.

Quick list:

• Spotlight: best for one-off sums and conversions on a Mac, free.
• Math Notes in Notes and Calculator: best free option for running calculations with variables (macOS 15 and later).
• Raycast: best for keyboard-first maths with dates and time zones.
• Gubb: best if you want basic maths, currency and unit conversion inside a notes app that also has lists, clipboard history and timers.
• Numi or Soulver (each as an alternative to the other): best if you need a real notepad calculator with variables.
• Windows Calculator: free conversions on Windows.

We make Gubb, so weigh our view accordingly. We've tried to be fair to every app here, and that includes saying where Gubb is the weaker choice.

Soulver vs Numi in brief

Both apps let you write maths as lines of text and show an answer beside each line. As of November 2026 they differ mainly in platforms and price:

• Soulver 4 runs on Mac, iPad and iPhone. On the Mac it needs macOS 14.6 or later. It costs $59 one-time with a 60-day free trial, and one purchase covers Mac, iPad and iPhone. It handles written-out maths such as "20% of $1,480" or "$100 in EUR". It also supports multi-word variables, references to earlier answers, subtotals, tags and Wolfram|Alpha integration. Its makers describe a tradition of a major paid upgrade roughly every 7 years.
• Numi runs on Mac, Windows and Linux, and there is an open-source terminal version on GitHub. It handles currency, units, time zones, number systems and variables. It's free to download, and a paid license unlocks unlimited notes and iCloud sync. Numi's site doesn't show the price clearly. Third-party listings range from about $20 to $29.99, and it's also included in Setapp.

For a full side-by-side, see Soulver vs Numi.

Soulver and Numi alternatives compared

Free Soulver alternatives built into macOS: Spotlight and Math Notes

If you mostly do quick sums, start here. You already have these tools, and they may be all you need.

Spotlight for one-off answers

Press ⌘Space (Command-Space) and type an expression such as 1480*0.2. The answer appears as you type. Spotlight also converts units and currencies, so you can type a conversion like "10 feet in meters" and read the result.

What it can't do: it keeps no working. Each answer disappears when you close Spotlight, and you can't build on a previous line.

Math Notes for running calculations

On macOS 15 Sequoia and later, the Notes app solves expressions as you type. Write 1480*0.2= and the result appears after the equals sign. You can also assign variables (rent = 1200) and use them in later lines, which covers a good part of what Soulver does. On the same versions, the Calculator app has a history list, unit conversion and a button that opens Math Notes.

What it lacks compared with Soulver: subtotals, line references, tags and Wolfram|Alpha lookups. Math Notes also stays on Apple devices, so it won't help if part of your week is on Windows.

Gubb math mode

Gubb is a notes app with a few small tools built in, and one of them is a basic calculator that runs inside a note. It isn't a Soulver replacement. It makes sense if you already want a scratchpad for lists, checklists, Kanban boards, clipboard history and timers, and you'd like simple sums in the same window.

How math mode works

1. In a Gubb note, type gubb@math. You can also type gubb@ and pick Math from the menu that appears.
2. The phrase is replaced with "Math mode activated. Type calculations ending with = to evaluate." A blue Math Mode Active badge appears at the bottom left.
3. Type an expression and end the line with =. For example, 12*3 = becomes 12*3 = 36.
4. Press Esc to leave math mode.
   What works:

• Digits, + - * / ^ ( ) and decimals.
• x or X as multiply, and ÷ as divide.
• $, €, £ and thousands commas are stripped, so $1,480 * 0.2 = gives 296.
• Results are calculated to 14 significant digits.

What doesn't work, as of version 1.0.1:

• No percentages. The % sign is stripped before evaluating, so write 1480*0.2 = instead of "20% of 1480".
• No functions or constants. The list you see when you hover over the badge mentions sqrt(), log(), sin, pi and others, but letters are removed before evaluation, so these don't work. Powers do work, so 144^0.5 = gives 12.
• No variables.
• Math mode isn't saved. In a new session, type gubb@math again.

Currency and unit conversion

Each has its own mode, triggered the same way:

• Currency: type gubb@currency. Then write a line like 100 USD to EUR (in or -> also work) and press Return. Gubb appends the result to 2 decimal places plus the rate, in the form = 92.31 EUR (rate: 0.9231). Use 3-letter currency codes. Rates come from the Frankfurter API, so this needs internet. If you're offline, nothing is inserted and no error appears.
• Units: type gubb@conversions. Then write 10 ft to m and press Return, and the line becomes 10 ft to m = 3.05 m. This works offline. It covers distance, area, volume, mass and temperature (C, F, K), and both units must be the same kind. Gallons, quarts and tons are US units.

Two gotchas with unit conversion:

• Write each unit as a single word. sqft or ft² works, but sq ft or cubic feet doesn't.
• Pressing Return replaces the whole line, so any other text on it is lost. Put conversions on their own lines.

The full syntax is in the help center's math and conversions section.

Price and who it suits

As of November 2026, Gubb costs $59 one-time (lifetime) from gubb.net. The license activates on up to 3 devices, and the Mac download includes a 7-day free trial. It's also on the Mac App Store and, for Windows, the Microsoft Store.

That's the same price as Soulver 4. If calculation is the main thing you want, Soulver gives you far more maths for the money. Gubb is the better fit only if you'd also use the notes, checklists, clipboard history, timers or voice-to-text.

Other options

Raycast

Raycast is a keyboard launcher for Mac, Windows and iOS. Its calculator was rebuilt in version 2.12 (12 November 2026) and now handles dates, time zones and similar maths. Raycast has a free plan, and Pro costs $10 a month as of November 2026. It's quick for single answers, but it's a launcher, not a notepad calculator. Pick it if you'd use the rest of Raycast too.

Alfred

Alfred's free version does calculations alongside app launching and web search. It's Mac only. The paid Powerpack costs £34 (Single License) or £59 (Mega Supporter), one-time, as of November 2026. It adds clipboard history, snippets and workflows, not a notepad calculator. Use Alfred for maths only if it's already your launcher.

Numi, if you're leaving Soulver

Numi is the obvious move if you need Windows or Linux, which Soulver doesn't support. The free download lets you try it, but you'll need the paid unlock for unlimited notes and iCloud sync. Check numi.app for the current price, because third-party figures disagree.

Soulver, if you're leaving Numi

If you're on Apple devices only and want more than Numi offers, Soulver 4 adds subtotals, line references, multi-word variables, tags and Wolfram|Alpha. Version 4 also added a command-line tool. The 60-day trial gives you time to move your working notes over and decide.

Windows Calculator and spreadsheets

On Windows, the built-in Calculator app has converter modes, including currency, at no cost. For anything with many rows, such as a budget, a spreadsheet (Numbers on Mac, Excel or another spreadsheet on Windows) handles tables and formulas better than a notepad calculator.

For more ways to do maths inside text, see Notepad Calculator: Do Math Inside Your Notes. For conversions on their own, see How to Convert Units and Currency on Mac.

Should you switch at all?

Soulver is very good at its job. If you rely on subtotals, line references, multi-word variables or Wolfram|Alpha lookups, it does more than anything else here. Numi is the closest match and adds Windows and Linux. Math Notes covers variables for free on a Mac. If what you have already fits, keep it.

Switch if one of these applies:

• You only do quick sums and conversions: use Spotlight. It's free and already on your Mac.
• You want free running calculations with variables on a Mac: use Math Notes in Notes (macOS 15 or later).
• You work on Windows or Linux: use Numi, or Windows Calculator for conversions.
• You live in a launcher: use Raycast or Alfred's calculator.
• You want basic maths inside a notes app with checklists, boards, clipboard history and timers: try Gubb, and accept that it has no percentages, functions or variables.
• You use Numi and want more on Apple devices: try Soulver 4 with its 60-day trial.

FAQ

Is there a free alternative to Soulver?

Yes. Math Notes in Notes and Calculator (macOS 15 and later) handles running calculations with variables for free. Spotlight covers one-off sums and conversions. Numi's free download works too, but it limits the number of notes.

Does Soulver run on Windows?

We found no Windows version as of November 2026. Numi runs on Mac, Windows and Linux, and Windows Calculator covers basic conversions.

Can Gubb calculate percentages?

Not with the % sign, because it's stripped before evaluation. Multiply by the decimal instead, so 20% of 1480 becomes 1480*0.2 =.

Does Gubb's currency conversion work offline?

No. It fetches live rates from the Frankfurter API and keeps no cached rates, so it needs an internet connection. Unit conversion works offline.

If you want to see whether maths inside your notes suits you, you can download the Gubb trial for Mac and use it free for 7 days.