Soulver

Soulver sits between a calculator and a text editor. Type "rent = $2,500" on one line and "20% of rent" on the next, and the answers appear down the right margin. Change the rent and everything recalculates. It handles currencies with live rates, unit conversions, dates, percentages, and running totals, all in readable notes you can keep.

Why it makes the list

Soulver has been a quietly influential Mac app for years — the thing people reach for when a spreadsheet is too much and Calculator is too little. Version 4 is a native rewrite with a cleaner design, faster engine, and a token-based editor that keeps your working legible. It is the rare utility people describe as a pleasure to think in.

Standout features

• Natural-language math — words and numbers on the same line

• Named lines and variables you can reference later

• Live currency rates, unit conversion, and date math

• Running totals and subtotals across a note

• Multiple documents, with a menu-bar quick calc

• iCloud sync with the separate iPad and iPhone apps

Pricing

A one-time $59 purchase for the Mac app after a 60-day free trial. Also available on Setapp.