Every calculation you need
at the bench.
BenchCalc is a pocket lab calculator built by Dr Jason Woodgate, a postdoctoral research associate at Newcastle University. No internet required. No ads. No tracking. Just the tools you actually use.
49 Tools Across 8 Categories
Every calculator is designed for real experimental workflows. Enter your values and get results instantly - no internet connection needed.
Nucleic Acids
DNA and RNA mass-to-moles converter, A260 spectrophotometric concentration calculator, melting temperature (Tm) prediction with primer pair comparison and dimer checking, primer resuspension calculator from lyophilised tubes with working stock dilution, and agarose gel pouring calculator with TAE/TBE, EtBr/SYBR Safe stain volumes, and percentage-to-size guide.
Protein Tools
Protein molecular weight calculator from amino acid sequence, Bradford and BCA assay with standard curve or quick estimate mode, Beer-Lambert A280 absorbance calculator. Peptide isoelectric point and charge calculator with Henderson-Hasselbalch, per-moiety charges, and charge-vs-pH curve. Enzyme unit converter between U/mg, nmol/min/mg, umol/min/mg, and kcat. PAGE gel pouring for SDS-PAGE, native, and denaturing gels with resolving and stacking recipes, cassette size presets, and urea calculations.
Dilutions & Solutions
Simple dilution calculator (C1V1 = C2V2), serial dilution planner with step-by-step pipetting volumes, molarity calculator for solution preparation, percent solution calculator (w/v, v/v, w/w), normality calculator with equivalence factors and N1V1=N2V2 dilution, and resuspension calculator. The tools you reach for every single day at the bench.
Buffers & Reagents
Buffer preparation calculator with common buffer systems, Henderson-Hasselbalch equation solver for target pH, and stock solution preparation from solid reagents. Multi-solute buffer builder - select reagents from the built-in database, set target concentrations, and get a complete recipe with mass or volume for each component. Stop guessing at buffer recipes.
Cell & Lab Tools
Haemocytometer cell counting calculator, cell seeding density planner for plates and flasks, centrifuge RCF/RPM converter with rotor radius input, doubling time calculator from growth curve data, radioactive decay calculator with preset isotopes, reference date or elapsed time input, activity unit conversion, and decay curve. Lab timer with multiple simultaneous countdowns and 28 presets across 5 categories.
PCR & Cloning
PCR master mix calculator with enzyme presets, template DNA concentration helper, and 10% overage. Restriction digest calculator - select up to 3 enzymes from the built-in database with automatic buffer compatibility checking, methylation and star activity warnings, and save/recall setups. Ligation calculator with insert:vector molar ratios, enzyme presets (T4 cohesive, T4 blunt, Quick Ligase, Instant Sticky-End), custom ratio rows, and full reaction volume breakdown. General reaction mix with C1V1=C2V2 scaling.
Sequence Analysis
Sequence translator with DNA, RNA, and protein conversion, auto-detection, reverse complement, six reading frames with ORF highlighting, and feature annotation including start/stop codons, Shine-Dalgarno sequences, promoters, Kozak sequences, and poly-A signals with prokaryotic/eukaryotic toggle and sequence map overview. Full bioinformatics in your pocket.
Utilities
Unit converter with full SI magnitude ladder (femto to peta) across 7 categories. Quick calculator with expression history, memory, and shortcut chips to jump to other tools. Lab timer with multiple simultaneous countdown timers and 28 presets across 5 categories - timers keep running while you use other tools.
11 Lab Protocols, Always in Your Pocket
Interactive step-by-step guides you can follow at the bench. Each protocol has checklist and focus modes, duration badges, volume chips, warnings, and tips. Progress is saved per protocol.
Molecular Biology
Miniprep (alkaline lysis plasmid purification), ethanol precipitation of nucleic acids, gel extraction and purification, and PCR product cleanup.
Cloning & Transformation
Restriction enzyme digest setup, DNA ligation protocol, and heat shock transformation of competent E. coli. Step-by-step from digest to colony.
Protein & Culture
E. coli growth and harvest for protein expression, affinity column purification (His-tag / GST-tag), column maintenance and regeneration, and inclusion body purification with urea/guanidine solubilisation routes and refolding screen guide.
8 Searchable Reference Tables
Instant lookup for the data you need mid-experiment. All searchable, all offline.
20 Amino Acids
Chemical structures, molecular weight, pI, pKa values, pH-dependent protonation states, per-moiety charge display, and interactive pH slider.
5 Nucleotide Bases
Chemical structures, properties, and IUPAC degenerate codes.
64 Codons
Standard genetic code, fully searchable.
132 Restriction Enzymes
Type II, IIS, nicking, and homing endonucleases with methylation sensitivity, star activity warnings, buffer info, and compatible end matching. Filter by type, overhang, or sort by name, site length, or buffer. Tap any enzyme to jump straight to a digest.
284 Lab Reagents
MW, formula, CAS number, working concentrations, storage temperature, solubility, and hazard warnings. Row and grid view toggle. Sort by name or molecular weight.
20 Antibiotics & Selection Agents
Working concentrations, stock preparation, solvent, storage, resistance genes, and mechanism of action.
15 Media & Buffer Recipes
Scalable recipes for LB, SOC, SOB, TB, 2xYT, M9 minimal, PBS, TBS, TAE, TBE, SDS running buffer, transfer buffer, and Laemmli sample buffer with autoclave and supplement notes.
60 Fluorophores & Dyes
Excitation/emission wavelengths, visual spectrum bars, Stokes shift, applications, and laser line compatibility filter (405, 488, 532, 561, 633, 647 nm).
Plus: Lab safety and technique tips covering spill response (acids, bases, solvents, EtBr, biological, radioactive, cryogenic), safe handling guides, and practical tips for pipetting, gels, cell culture, and protein work.
Built by a Real Scientist
The internet is full of lab calculators built to show you ads. BenchCalc was built to help you do science. There's a difference.
No Ads. Actually.
Most online lab calculators exist to show you ads. We exist to help you do science. No ad networks, no tracking pixels, no cookie banners, no pop-ups asking you to subscribe to a newsletter you never wanted. Just calculators.
Works Fully Offline
Web calculators need a connection. BenchCalc doesn't. Every tool, protocol, and reference table works without internet - perfect for labs with poor signal, cleanrooms, or fieldwork where your phone is your only option.
Built at the Bench
BenchCalc was built by Dr Jason Woodgate (ORCID), a PDRA at Newcastle University. Years of bookmarking the same ancient websites for nucleic acid conversions and protein calculations. When a PhD student asked how to calculate DNA molarity from an A260 reading and there was nothing to point them to - the app got built.
Pay Once, Own Forever
£1.19, one-time purchase. All 49 tools, all protocols, all reference tables, and all future updates included. No subscriptions, no in-app purchases. Less than the price of a coffee.
Native Mobile App
Not a web wrapper, not a bookmarked website, and not a generated SEO page with a calculator bolted on. BenchCalc is a real native app for iOS and Android, designed to be fast and reliable in your pocket.
No Data Collection
Zero analytics. Zero tracking. No account required. Your calculations stay on your device and nowhere else. We don't know who you are and we don't want to.