Offline science calculator, learning, and reference toolkit for the bench. 414 glossary terms, 13 protocols, 7 troubleshooting wizards, 9 reference tables, 7 science games, lab timer, data backup and sharing.
Built by Dr Jason Woodgate, postdoctoral research associate at Newcastle University.
Get it on Google Play | Download on the App Store | benchcalc.co.uk
BenchCalc is a pocket reference, calculator, and bench guide built for scientists. It works entirely offline, has no ads, no tracking, and no account required. One-time purchase, everything included.
Nucleic Acids - DNA molarity calculator, A260 DNA concentration calculator, primer Tm calculator with nearest-neighbour melting temperature prediction, primer pair comparison and dimer checking, primer resuspension from lyophilised tubes, agarose gel calculator with TAE/TBE and stain volumes.
Protein Tools - Protein molecular weight calculator from sequence, Bradford assay calculator and BCA assay calculator with standard curve or quick estimate, Beer-Lambert A280 protein concentration calculator, isoelectric point calculator with charge-vs-pH curve, enzyme unit converter, PAGE gel calculator for SDS-PAGE, native, and denaturing gels.
Dilutions and Solutions - C1V1 C2V2 dilution calculator, serial dilution planner, molarity calculator, percent solution calculator (w/v, v/v, w/w), normality calculator with N1V1=N2V2, resuspension calculator.
Buffers and Reagents - Buffer calculator, Henderson-Hasselbalch solver, stock solution preparation, multi-solute buffer builder with built-in reagent database.
Cell and Lab Tools - Cell culture calculator with haemocytometer cell counting, seeding density planner, centrifuge RCF/RPM converter, doubling time calculator, radioactive decay calculator with preset isotopes and decay curve, lab timer with multiple simultaneous countdowns, 28 presets, save and pin favourites, background notifications.
PCR and Cloning - PCR master mix calculator with enzyme presets and 10% overage, restriction digest calculator with up to 3 enzymes and automatic buffer compatibility checking, ligation calculator with enzyme presets and molar ratios, general reaction mix with C1V1=C2V2 scaling.
Sequence Analysis - DNA/RNA/protein translator with auto-detection, reverse complement, six reading frames with ORF highlighting, feature annotation with prokaryotic/eukaryotic toggle.
Utilities - Unit converter with full SI ladder (femto to peta) across 7 categories, quick calculator with expression history and memory.
Interactive diagnostic wizards for when experiments go wrong. Pick a problem, answer questions, get solutions with real gel images and cross-links to protocols and tools.
7 Wizards - Cloning, PCR, Restriction Digest, Agarose Gel, Protein Expression, Protein Purification, and SDS-PAGE. 87 questions and 252 solutions covering common and obscure problems. Real gel images with toggleable comparisons. Cross-wizard navigation for related issues.
Save and Resume - Save your diagnosis, come back to it later, or share it.
More troubleshooting wizards are coming in future updates, including Cryo-EM, IVT, and DNA/RNA Extraction.
The Bench Guide is a reference section written from research experience.
Glossary - 414 Terms across 10 scientific categories with molecular structure rendering for chemical compounds.
Learn and Understand - 91 Entries across 11 scientific disciplines, from the foundations of science through physical chemistry to experimental design and scientific writing. Written to build from first principles upward.
Lab Safety - 20 Guides covering acids and bases, organic solvents, biological and mutagens, toxic reagents, and physical hazards. Each entry has handling instructions, spill response, and first aid.
Lab Tips - 45 Tips covering pipetting, reagent preparation, gel electrophoresis, cell culture, protein work, DNA and RNA work, and equipment.
Cloning design (in silico), cloning practical (bench workflow), miniprep, ethanol precipitation, gel extraction, PCR cleanup, restriction digest, ligation, heat shock transformation, E. coli growth and harvest, affinity column purification, column maintenance, and inclusion body purification. Each protocol has checklist and focus modes, duration badges, warnings, and tips. Cross-linked to troubleshooting.
- 20 amino acids - structures, MW, pI, pKa, pH-dependent protonation, charge display with pH slider
- 5 nucleotide bases - structures, properties, IUPAC degenerate codes
- 64 codons - standard genetic code, searchable
- 132 restriction enzymes - Type II, IIS, nicking, homing endonucleases with methylation sensitivity, star activity, buffer info, compatible end matching
- 350+ lab reagents - MW, formula, CAS, working concentrations, storage, solubility, hazards, LD50 toxicity data
- 20 antibiotics and selection agents - working concentrations, stock prep, resistance genes, mechanism of action
- 15 media and buffer recipes - scalable recipes for LB, SOC, SOB, TB, 2xYT, M9, PBS, TBS, TAE, TBE, and more
- 60 fluorophores and dyes - excitation/emission, spectrum bars, Stokes shift, laser line compatibility filter
- 13 gel ladders and dye migration - 6 protein and 7 DNA ladders with band sizes, prestain colours, mass per band, loading volumes, plus dye migration tables for bromophenol blue and xylene cyanol
Speed Runs - Codons, Amino Acid Codes, Chemical Formulas, and Restriction Sites. 20 rounds, timed, best scores saved to leaderboards.
Nucleotide Memory - Simon Says with A, T, G, C. Four difficulty modes. When the game ends you can see your full sequence and jump to the Sequence Translator or MW Calculator.
Restriction Site Snap - A DNA sequence scrolls past, tap when you spot the recognition site. Quick Play at three difficulties, Expedition mode with 132 enzymes in a 4-phase DNA swamp trek, and Multi-Strand modes (Twin, Cross, Triple, Chaos). Three game modes: fastest time, countdown, or limited lives.
Science Quiz - 75 questions across 5 topics: Lab Safety, DNA & Molecular Biology, Proteins & Amino Acids, Solutions & Chemistry, and Lab Techniques.
Leaderboards - Gold, silver, and bronze. Filter by game, difficulty, and mode. Up to 20 scores per game. Share any score. Confetti for new personal bests.
- Dark and light themes with auto mode
- Three text sizes
- Chemical structure rendering
- Primer dimer analysis
- Backup and restore all saved data
- Import and export saved setups between devices
- Share saved calculator setups, diagnoses, and guide entries
- Tablet and landscape support
- Works completely offline
- No account required, no data collected
More Troubleshooting Wizards - Cryo-EM (Sample, Screening, Analysis), IVT, and DNA/RNA Extraction.
DeskCalc - Send data between desktop and mobile instantly. Paste a sequence on your laptop, pick it up on your phone at the bench. Plus a full desktop app.
BenchCalc is made by Feedings Ltd, a UK software company founded by Dr Jason Woodgate (ORCID).