CalcAuthor vs Blockpad
Blockpad and CalcAuthor both combine calculations with document authoring. CalcAuthor runs entirely in the browser and is built around team roles, shared folders, and document locking from day one.
| Blockpad | CalcAuthor | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it runs | Downloadable desktop app | Runs in any modern browser — nothing to install |
| Team roles | Not shown on Blockpad's public pages | Admin, Manager, and Individual roles across sub-teams |
| Document locking | Not shown on Blockpad's public pages | Built in — prevents two people from overwriting each other's edits |
| Auto-generated TOC / figures / tables | Not shown on Blockpad's public pages | Automatic, and renumbers itself as you edit |
| Pricing | 5 tiers (education, file viewer, single, floating, custom), from $18/mo | 2 tiers, self-service, from $18.99/mo |
| Citations & references | Not shown on Blockpad's public pages | Auto-numbered inline citations with a master reference list |
Common questions when switching
Blockpad already combines calculations and documents — what's different?
Blockpad's "calculation word processor" idea is close to CalcAuthor's own positioning, and it's a real desktop alternative worth considering. The differences are in the details: CalcAuthor runs entirely in the browser with no install, and adds team-specific features (roles, shared folders, document locking, seat management) built for firms, not just individual engineers.
Does Blockpad have a free trial?
Blockpad offers free tiers for education and file viewing, plus paid licenses starting around $18/month. CalcAuthor's 7-day free trial applies to the full paid product, on either plan, with no credit card required to start.
See it for yourself.
7-day free trial. No credit card required.