Report updated Apr 17, 2026

Steam Tables is a well-regarded business app that is free with in-app purchases. With a 4.2/5 rating from 1.1K reviews, it maintains solid user satisfaction. Users particularly appreciate utility for engineering students, though aggressive paywall/premium model remains a common concern.

What is Steam Tables?

Steam Tables by Carmel Software is a legacy thermodynamic calculation tool for HVAC professionals and students, distinguished by its formula-based engine and interactive slider UI. It currently holds a #87 Paid ranking in the US Business category but faces stiff competition from free industrial-grade apps. The app's 15-year history and integration with an HVAC Equipment Locator provide a unique professional utility that justifies its premium pricing on iOS.

Current Momentum

v6.1 · 3mo ago

Steady

Steam Tables recently added report sharing via text and email on iOS, following a major Android redesign with saved conditions.

Active Nemesis

Steam Tables

Steam Tables

By Carmel Software

Other Rivals

Steam Tables
Steam Tables by CA
WolframAlpha
Steam Tables Pro

7-Day Rank Pulse 🇺🇸

Business
#84
33

Rating Pulse 🇺🇸

Recent User Mood

What makes this app unique?

What Does It Look Like?

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What Are The Key Features?

Comprehensive Thermodynamic CalculationsDifferentiator

Calculates saturated and superheated steam properties using actual steam-table formulas rather than static lookups.

Interactive Slider ControlsDifferentiator

Adjust input parameters via sliders for real-time calculation updates.

Integrated HVAC Equipment LocatorDifferentiator

Bonus utility included within the app for tracking equipment and service records.

How much does it cost?

Freemium
  • iOS version: Paid one-time fee of $5.99
  • Android version: Free with ad-supported or feature-limited model

The developer uses a split strategy: a premium $5.99 entry on iOS for professionals and a freemium model on Android to capture the student and high-volume market, though the latter suffers from paywall-related sentiment issues.

What do users think recently?

High confidence · Latest 100 of 1.1K total reviews analyzed

How did the latest release land?

Overall
4.2/ 5
(1.1K)
Current version
3.0/ 5
-1.2 vs overall
(4)
Main signal post-update: aggressive Paywall/Premium Model.

What is the recent mood?

Excited

Recent user voice shows a excited sentiment. Users appreciate utility for engineering students and ease of use and speed, but report aggressive paywall/premium model and data accuracy and formatting.

What Users Love

Utility for Engineering Students
Ease of Use and Speed

What Frustrates Users

Aggressive Paywall/Premium Model
Data Accuracy and Formatting

View the full user-sentiment analysis

Mood gauge, ratings & review-volume history, every praise / complaint / request, and sentiment over time.

Go deeper

What is the competitive landscape for Steam Tables?

How's The Business Market?

How does it evolve in the Business market?

Rank progression

26 active rankings tracked — 30-day window

No rank history available for this chart.

The rivals identified

The outtake for Steam Tables

Strengths to defend, gaps to attack

Core Strengths

  • Formula-based calculation engine (not static lookups)
  • Interactive slider UI for rapid 'what-if' analysis
  • 15-year developer track record and HVAC suite integration

Critical Frictions

  • Scientific notation formatting issues affecting readability
  • Perceived deceptive paywall on Android platform
  • Reported inaccuracies in specific physical properties (viscosity)

Growth Levers

  • Modernize UI with dark mode and gesture navigation
  • Add steam pipe sizing to match industrial competitors
  • Improve data export/reporting features

Market Threats

  • Free high-authority apps from industrial leaders like TLV
  • Downward trend in paid rankings (#87, ↓16)
  • Newer entrants with modern, streamlined UI/UX

What are the next best moves?

high

Fix scientific notation and exponent readability

Directly cited as making the app 'useless' in user complaints; critical for professional trust.

high

Audit kinematic viscosity and Prandtl number calculations

User reported a 10^6 magnitude error, which is a critical failure for a 'professional-grade' engineering tool.

medium

Redesign Android monetization onboarding

Frequent 'deceptive' labels in reviews indicate the current freemium transition is damaging the brand and driving 1-star ratings.

Feature Gaps vs Competitors

  • Steam Pipe Sizing tool (available in Spirax-Sarco)
  • Condensate and flash steam recovery calculations (available in TLV)
  • Dark mode and gesture-based navigation (available in Steam Tables Pro)

Key Takeaways

Steam Tables is a robust legacy tool with a superior calculation engine, but it is resting on its laurels. To defend its #87 ranking against free industrial rivals like TLV, the PM must immediately resolve technical accuracy reports and modernize the output formatting to meet professional standards.

Where Is It Heading?

Stable

Android version refactored to Kotlin (v6.2.1) — indicates active technical debt management and platform investment.

Rankings dropped 16 positions to #87 Paid — suggests loss of momentum against newer or free competitors.

Recent iOS updates focused on OS compatibility and basic sharing — maintenance mode rather than feature expansion.

Disclosure: Independent intel to help mobile builders succeed.

AI-powered analysis with editorial review, built from publicly available sources. Marlvel.ai is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Steam Tables, its developer, the app publisher, Apple, or Google Play. All trademarks, logos, and screenshots referenced remain the property of their respective owners.

Cite this report

Marlvel.ai. “Steam Tables Intelligence Report.” Updated Apr 17, 2026. https://marlvel.ai/apps/com-carmelsoft-steamtables

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