> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://documentation.soulver.app/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://documentation.soulver.app/readme.md).
# Frequently asked questions
{% hint style="info" %}
If your question is not answered here, [send us an email](mailto:contact@soulver.app) or a [message on X](https://x.com/soulver). We're happy to help.
{% endhint %}
## **Availability & platforms**
### Where can I get Soulver?
Soulver 4 is available as a **one-time** (non-subscription) purchase of $59 on the [App Store](http://soulver.app/appstore).
One purchase gives you access to all 3 platforms (Mac, iPhone & iPad). This is 20% more affordable than the previous version, which we sold separately per platform.
If you only need the iPhone version, it's also available as a separate purchase of $15.
Soulver is also available on [Setapp](https://soulver.app/setapp) (260+ apps for $15/month).
### Can I try Soulver before purchasing?
Yes: we offer a **no-commitment** 60-day trial. No account required.
You are **not charged** when the trial ends. You may purchase or delete Soulver at any time, during or after the trial.
After the trial ends, you can continue to view any sheets you have created (although they will no longer be editable).
### What are the system requirements for Soulver?
The **Mac** version requires macOS 14 (Sonoma) or newer, and is compatible with the latest macOS 27 (Golden Gate).
The iPad & iPhone versions require iOS/iPadOS 17 or later, and are compatible with the latest iOS/iPadOS 27.
### Is Soulver available for Windows?
Not today, but we're working on a version of Soulver for Windows.
## **Common questions**
### Can I get Soulver to ignore certain numbers in my text?
Sure, use a [comment](/syntax-reference/headings-and-comments.md)**:**
### Can I turn off notation in answers?
By default Soulver formats your large answers with [SI notation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metric_prefix):
To disable this notation, go to the `Format` menu and untick `Notation for Large Numbers`.
You can also access line-specific formatting settings by clicking the action button on an answer:
To turn off notation for **all lines**, go to
`Settings > Calculator > Number Formatting`
and disable `Notation for Large Numbers`
### In Soulver, 1 GB equals 1000 MB. But isn't 1 GB actually 1024 MB?
Soulver conforms to the industry standard binary prefix system, which you can read about here:
{% embed url="" %}
The gist of it is that new units (KiB, MiB, GiB) have been introduced to represent base 2 binary units, so that kB, MB & GB can behave like normal base 10 SI units.
## **Design, history & philosophy of Soulver**
### What were the original design goals for Soulver?
For the first Soulver (released in 2005) our goal was to invent a better calculator interface for computers.
To us, this meant:
1. Answers calculate live – no explicit press of an equals button required
2. Support for adding commenting words alongside calculations, for extra clarity & context
3. The ability to edit & do calculations referencing previous calculations
We succeeded in these goals by placing an "answer column" alongside a notepad, inventing a new kind of notepad calculator in the process.
Adding multi-word variables (inspired by programming languages) & line references (inspired by spreadsheets) opened up lots of additional workflows too.
### What are the current design goals for Soulver?
Since 2005, we have constantly been improving Soulver year-after-year, while ensuring it never becomes bloated or complicated.
For the last decade we've been focusing on:
1. Ensuring best-in-class apps on each Apple platform we support (by using native technologies, and integrating deeply with the operating system)
2. Adding more natural language features to "take a load off your brain" when working through problems involving a calculation
3. More ways to personalize your calculation *environment* (global variables, custom units, tons of visual options, etc)
### Soulver is a natural language calculator. Is it using machine learning (AI) to achieve this?
Actually, no. Soulver does **not** use machine learning algorithms, or even [regular expressions](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regular_expression).
Soulver is powered by our natural language calculation engine [SoulverCore.](https://soulver.app/core)
SoulverCore scans text for particular syntaxes and evaluates the last valid mathematical expression it finds on a line of text.
If you're curious about how we built SoulverCore, check out the wonderful book [Crafting Interpreters](https://craftinginterpreters.com/) by Robert Nystrom.
### Was Soulver the first notepad calculator?
Soulver (originally released in 2005) was the first notepad calculator to use an **answer column** on the right side of a text editor with instant calculation.
Soulver 1.2 (released in 2006) was the first notepad calculator that let you use **words alongside numbers.** And Soulver 2 (released in 2010) was the first notepad calculator to support live currency & stock rates, natural language functions & tokenizing line references.
The first notepad + calculator tool that we know of is [MathPad](https://macintoshgarden.org/apps/mathpad-2) by Mark Widholm released for Macintosh in 1993.
[Calca](https://calca.io) is a modern app inspired by the MathPad design, in that it prioritizes comments over math, and requires you manually insert a special symbol (=>) to invoke calculation.
We prefer Soulver's approach, in which your expression is evaluated as soon as you type it (no explicit calculation step required).
## **List of Soulver Clones**
**Native Windows**
* [OpalCalc](https://www.skytopia.com/software/opalcalc/)
[**Electron**](https://www.electronjs.org/docs/latest)**-based (compatible with Windows, Linux & Mac)**
* [Parsify](https://parsify.app/)
* [Figr](https://figr.app/)
**Web-based**
* [Numbr](https://numbr.dev)
* [NoteCalc](https://bbodi.github.io/notecalc3/)
{% hint style="warning" %}
If you make a calculator product inspired by Soulver, please consider writing an acknowledgment of Soulver as the source of the idea (somewhere on your website, or in your application credits).\
\
Everyone benefits when great UI concepts are copied, evolved upon, and widely used.
{% endhint %}
---
# Agent Instructions
This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com.
## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.
Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter:
```
GET https://documentation.soulver.app/readme.md?ask=&goal=
```
`ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
`goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.
Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.