Soap Ledger vs SoapCalc
SoapCalc is a long-running free lye calculator that needs no account at all, and many soapmakers learned on it. Soap Ledger also has a free calculator with no account, and adds an app for keeping recipes with versions, batches, curing and labels. If you only need a calculation, SoapCalc does the job for free.
Side by side
| Feature | Soap Ledger | SoapCalc |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free plan; Maker $5.99/month ($49 a year); Shop $19/month ($190 a year). 14-day trial of Shop, no card. | Free. No paid plan seen. |
| Account needed to calculate | No (website calculator) | No |
| Lye calculator | Free on this website with no account, and in the app on every plan. NaOH, KOH or dual lye on the website; the app stores NaOH or KOH recipes. | Free web calculator; rebuilt in March 2026 for phones and speed |
| Saving recipes | In the app: 10 on Free, unlimited on Maker and Shop | Save and load recipes as files on your own computer (JSON or PDF) |
| Soap quality numbers | Yes, from sourced fatty-acid profiles | Yes |
| Where SAP values come from | A cited published source for each oil, shown under every result | Its own oil data (no per-oil source shown in the pages we checked) |
| INCI names | Shown on oil pages; recorded on ingredients in the app | INCI name view |
| Print / PDF | Recipe PDF in the app | Print and PDF |
| Batches, curing, labels | Yes (app) | Not offered, as far as we found |
| Inventory, costing, sales | Maker and Shop plans | Not offered, as far as we found |
| Import | Reads SoapCalc PDF printouts into a recipe | JSON export of its own recipes |
SoapCalc information is from its public website, app-store listings and the other sources below, checked October 2026. It may have changed; please check SoapCalc's site for current details. Soap Ledger's plans are on the pricing page.
Where SoapCalc is better
- Free, with no account and no plan limits. Nothing to sign up for, ever.
- Familiar. It has been the default calculator for many hobbyists since about 2001, so recipes, videos and forum answers often quote it.
- Your files stay on your computer. Recipes save as JSON or PDF files you keep.
Where Soap Ledger is different
- Every SAP value has a cited source shown under the result, and values come from published standards rather than another calculator.
- The app keeps recipe versions, batches with a phone workbench, curing reminders, labels with QR codes, and (on paid plans) inventory, costing and sales.
- You can bring SoapCalc recipes in by importing the PDF printout.
Which to choose
Choose SoapCalc if you want a free calculation and nothing else, with no account.
Choose Soap Ledger if you want the calculation plus a record of every recipe version and batch you make.
Try Soap Ledger. The lye calculator is free with no account; the app's Free plan needs only an email.
Sources
Written by Soap Ledger, so we're not neutral; we've tried to be fair and factual. Product names belong to their owners. If something here is wrong, tell us at feedback and we'll fix it.