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Numi
Calculator and converter application
System UtilitiesFreeOpen SourceReplaces Soulver ($35)
Numi — Official Website
Quick Take: Numi
4.7
Numi is an exceptional natural language calculator that seamlessly blends calculations with text, offering powerful unit, currency, and time zone conversions. Its intuitive interface and productivity-enhancing features, combined with its open-source nature and active community, make it a top-tier choice for macOS users. While the freemium model limits some advanced features, the paid version offers excellent value for a comprehensive tool that simplifies complex arithmetic and note-taking.
Best For
- •macOS users needing a natural language calculator
- •Developers and power users who appreciate open-source tools
- •Professionals requiring integrated unit and currency conversions
- •Anyone who frequently mixes calculations with notes
Install with Homebrew
brew install --cask numiWhat is Numi?
Numi is a hybrid calculator and converter for macOS that allows users to perform natural-language calculations while mixing text and numbers in one place. It interprets expressions typed in plain English, such as "20% of $150 + 2 meters in feet," making complex calculations straightforward. This intuitive approach eliminates the need for traditional calculator interfaces, enhancing productivity for various tasks and users.
Deep Dive: Numi's Innovation and Ecosystem
Numi stands out in the crowded utility market by rethinking how users interact with calculators, moving beyond traditional interfaces to a natural language approach. This section explores its journey, underlying principles, and the vibrant community supporting its evolution, highlighting what makes Numi a unique and powerful tool for modern computing.
History & Background
Developed by Dmitry Nikolaev, Numi first emerged in 2015, quickly gaining traction for its innovative natural language processing capabilities that simplified complex calculations. Its development has been characterized by steady growth and responsiveness to user feedback, culminating in a robust tool that continues to evolve. Recent updates, like version 3.32 in 2023, demonstrate a consistent commitment to refinement, minor UI tweaks, optimizations, and framework updates, ensuring its relevance in a dynamic software landscape and user satisfaction.
How It Works
While specific architectural details aren't exhaustively public, Numi's core strength lies in its sophisticated natural language parsing engine, which interprets plain English expressions into actionable calculations. Its cross-platform availability across macOS, Windows, and Linux implies a well-engineered, potentially modular codebase, likely leveraging modern frameworks to ensure broad compatibility and consistent performance. The open-source nature further suggests an architecture designed for extensibility, accommodating community contributions and various integrations like the CLI and Alfred extension with relative ease.
Ecosystem & Integrations
Numi's ecosystem extends significantly beyond the desktop application, incorporating a powerful command-line interface (CLI) and an Alfred extension, catering to power users who prefer keyboard-driven and automated workflows. Its open-source status on GitHub, boasting 6.3k stars and 247 forks, signifies a strong, engaged community that actively contributes to its development and provides valuable feedback. This collaborative environment fosters continuous improvement, new feature development, and active user discussions on platforms like Reddit, making Numi a dynamic and community-driven project.
Future Development
Based on its history of consistent updates and strong community engagement, Numi's roadmap likely focuses on continued refinement of its natural language engine, expanding support for an even wider array of units, currencies, and time zones. Future developments will also be heavily influenced by community contributions and user-requested features, aligning with its open-source philosophy. The steady growth in popularity since 2015 suggests a long-term vision for Numi as a leading, versatile, and user-centric calculation tool for a global audience, constantly adapting to new user needs.
Key Features
Natural Language Input
Numi understands and processes natural language math expressions, allowing users to type calculations in plain English, just as they would speak or write them. This intuitive interface removes the need for complex syntax, making it accessible for all skill levels.
Unit and Currency Conversion
It includes robust built-in unit and currency conversion capabilities for dozens of units and global currencies. The application provides real-time updates for currency exchange rates, ensuring accuracy in financial and international calculations.
Text and Number Mixing
Users can seamlessly combine descriptive text with numerical calculations within a single document. This unique feature helps keep calculations organized in context, functioning as both a powerful calculator and a flexible note-taking tool.
Time Zone Calculations
Numi simplifies the complexity of global scheduling by supporting time zone calculations. Users can effortlessly find time differences or convert times between various zones, which is invaluable for international collaboration or travel planning.
Variables and Custom Functions
The application empowers users to define their own variables and create custom functions. This advanced capability allows for highly personalized and complex calculations, significantly enhancing efficiency for repetitive or specialized tasks.
Quick Access and Integrations
Numi offers quick access through global keyboard shortcuts, allowing users to instantly summon the calculator from any application. It also integrates smoothly with popular productivity tools like Alfred, providing even faster command-line style calculations.
iCloud Synchronization
For users of the paid version, Numi supports iCloud synchronization, ensuring that all calculations and notes are consistently updated and accessible across all their Apple devices. This provides a seamless workflow whether on a Mac, iPhone, or iPad.
Advanced Percentage Operations
Beyond basic percentage calculations, Numi can handle more sophisticated operations, such as calculating a value by percent subtraction or addition. This flexibility makes it a powerful tool for financial analysis, discounts, and tax calculations.
Who Should Use Numi?
1Freelance Designer
A freelance designer needs to quote a project that involves international clients and various material costs. Using Numi, they can type '15 hours * $75/hour + 200 EUR in USD + 15% tax' to get an instant, combined total, while keeping notes on project specifics and client requirements all in one place.
2Student Researcher
A student researcher is analyzing data with different units and needs to convert them quickly for comparison. They can input expressions like '5 miles in km + 10 liters in gallons' directly into Numi, streamlining their data processing and ensuring accuracy for their academic work.
How to Install Numi
Installing Numi on your macOS device is a straightforward process, ensuring you can quickly begin leveraging its powerful natural language calculation capabilities.
1
Download Numi
Obtain the Numi application by downloading it from the official Numi website or through a Setapp membership, depending on your preferred acquisition method.
2
Install the Application
For direct downloads, drag the Numi application file into your 'Applications' folder. If using Setapp, the app will be installed automatically upon activation.
3
Launch Numi
Open Numi from your Applications folder or Launchpad. You may need to grant initial permissions for system integration, after which you can immediately start using its features.
Pro Tips
- • Ensure your macOS version is 10.12 or later for optimal compatibility and performance.
- • Numi is compatible with both Intel and Apple Silicon processors, offering broad hardware support.
- • A minimum of 2 GB of RAM and approximately 200 MB of free storage space are recommended for smooth operation.
Configuration Tips
Leverage Global Shortcuts
Utilize Numi's global shortcuts to quickly bring up the calculator from any application, significantly boosting your productivity. Customizing these shortcuts to fit your workflow ensures instant access without interrupting your current task.
Integrate with Alfred
For power users, integrating Numi with Alfred allows for even faster access and command execution directly from Alfred's search bar. This combination transforms complex calculations into simple, keyboard-driven queries, enhancing efficiency.
Define Custom Variables
Streamline repetitive calculations by defining custom variables for frequently used values, such as tax rates, conversion factors, or project-specific constants. This saves time and ensures consistency across your calculations and notes.
Alternatives to Numi
While Numi stands out with its unique natural language approach, several alternatives cater to different calculation needs and user preferences, offering various features and pricing models.
S
Soulver
Soulver is a prominent text-based calculator known for its flexibility with formulas and broader scenario support across multiple platforms. It shares Numi's natural language philosophy but often emphasizes more structured mathematical expressions alongside text.
S
SpeedCrunch
SpeedCrunch is a free and open-source scientific calculator offering high precision, an intuitive interface, and features like variables and syntax highlighting. While powerful, it operates more like a traditional scientific calculator rather than Numi's blended text and calculation approach.
Q
Qalculate!
Qalculate! is another free and open-source, feature-rich calculator that provides extensive functionality, including unit conversions, currency exchange, and graphing. It offers a very comprehensive set of tools but can have a steeper learning curve compared to Numi's natural language simplicity.
P
Parsify Desktop
Parsify Desktop is quite similar to Numi, being a natural language calculator available for Windows, macOS, and Linux. It supports unit conversions, currencies, and time zones, directly competing with Numi's core feature set and offering a comparable user experience.
C
Calcbot
Calcbot is a calculator and unit converter primarily available for iOS and Apple Watch, also offered as a freemium model. While excellent for mobile, it lacks the desktop-centric natural language note-taking capabilities that define Numi's unique productivity advantage.
Pricing
Freemium
Numi operates on a freemium pricing model, offering a fully functional free version with certain limitations, primarily the absence of iCloud Sync and support for multiple notes. The complete, paid version is available for a one-time fee of $30, which covers usage on two devices, or it can be accessed conveniently as part of a Setapp membership for a subscription fee.
Pros
- ✓Intuitive natural language input eliminates complex syntax.
- ✓Comprehensive unit and currency conversion with real-time updates.
- ✓Seamlessly combines calculations with text notes for organization.
- ✓Supports time zone conversions for global coordination.
- ✓Ability to define variables and create custom functions.
- ✓Quick access via global shortcuts and Alfred integration.
- ✓Open-source project fostering community contributions.
- ✓Cross-platform availability (macOS, Windows, Linux, CLI).
- ✓iCloud synchronization for consistency across Apple devices (paid).
- ✓Handles advanced percentage operations with ease.
Cons
- ✗iCloud Sync and multiple notes are restricted to the paid version.
- ✗The one-time fee of $30 might be a barrier for some users.
- ✗Initial learning curve for maximizing advanced natural language expressions.
- ✗Requires macOS 10.12 or later, limiting older system compatibility.
- ✗May not fully replace dedicated scientific calculators for highly specialized functions.
Community & Ecosystem
Numi fosters an active and growing community around its open-source project, hosted transparently on GitHub, which has garnered an impressive 6.3k stars and 247 forks. This vibrant environment encourages community contributions, ensuring continuous development and innovation. Users actively engage in discussions on platforms like Reddit, sharing tips, requesting features, and troubleshooting. The Numi ecosystem also extends to include a powerful command-line interface (CLI) version and an Alfred extension, expanding its utility and integration possibilities for power users and developers seeking highly efficient workflows.
Video Tutorials
Getting Started with Numi
ScreenCastsONLINE • Apple-focused Videos269 views
More Tutorials
Numi | The Smartest Calculator for Mac?
David Kayode • 450 views
12 Mac Apps I Regret Not Installing Sooner
Marwane Tane • 6.2K views
Numi - Type Text to Help Calculating Numbers on Mac (1/2)
aMacxd • 889 views
Frequently Asked Questions about Numi
Numi is available across macOS, Windows, and Linux, making it a versatile tool for users on different platforms. It also offers a command-line interface (CLI) version for those who prefer terminal-based interactions.
Our Verdict
4.7/5
Numi is an exceptional natural language calculator that seamlessly blends calculations with text, offering powerful unit, currency, and time zone conversions. Its intuitive interface and productivity-enhancing features, combined with its open-source nature and active community, make it a top-tier choice for macOS users. While the freemium model limits some advanced features, the paid version offers excellent value for a comprehensive tool that simplifies complex arithmetic and note-taking.
Best for:macOS users needing a natural language calculatorDevelopers and power users who appreciate open-source toolsProfessionals requiring integrated unit and currency conversionsAnyone who frequently mixes calculations with notes
About the Author
Productivity & Workflow Analyst
Productivity ApplicationsNote-Taking & Knowledge ManagementTask & Project Management
8+ years in operations management · PMP certified
Related Technologies & Concepts
NumimacOSDmitry NikolaevGitHubSetappAlfrediCloudSoulver
Numi (IsA), macOS (Supports), Dmitry Nikolaev (DevelopedBy), GitHub (HostedOn), Setapp (AvailableOn), Alfred (IntegratesWith), iCloud (SyncsWith), Soulver (AlternativeTo)
Related Topics
Natural Language Processing (NLP) Calculators
This cluster focuses on applications that interpret and process mathematical expressions typed in plain human language, making calculations more intuitive and accessible. Numi is a prime example within this category.
Productivity Tools for macOS
This category encompasses software designed to enhance efficiency and streamline workflows for macOS users, including calculators, note-takers, and utility apps. Numi's integration of calculations and notes makes it a powerful productivity enhancer.
Unit and Currency Converters
This cluster highlights applications specialized in converting various units of measurement and global currencies, often with real-time data. Numi excels in this area, offering comprehensive and up-to-date conversion capabilities.
Open Source Software
This category features applications with publicly accessible source code, fostering community collaboration, transparency, and often offering free or freemium models. Numi's open-source nature is a key aspect of its development and community.
Sources & References
Fact-CheckedLast verified: Feb 15, 2026
Key Verified Facts
- Numi is a hybrid calculator and converter for macOS that allows users to perform natural-language calculations while mixing text and numbers in one place.[fact1]
- Numi offers a freemium pricing model. The free version is fully functional, with the primary limitations being the absence of iCloud Sync and support for multiple notes.[fact2]
- The full, paid version is available for a one-time fee of $30, covering two devices. It can also be accessed as part of a Setapp membership.[fact3]
- The system requirements for Numi are macOS 10.12 or later. It is compatible with both Intel and Apple Silicon processors.[fact4]
- Numi was developed by Dmitry Nikolaev and has been steadily growing in popularity since 2015.[fact5]
- 1Numi - Natural Language Calculator
Accessed Feb 15, 2026
- 2Numi Pricing & Plans
Accessed Feb 15, 2026
- 3Numi on Setapp
Accessed Feb 15, 2026
- 4Numi System Requirements
Accessed Feb 15, 2026
- 5About Numi - Dmitry Nikolaev
Accessed Feb 15, 2026
- 6Numi GitHub Repository
Accessed Feb 15, 2026
- 7Numi Downloads
Accessed Feb 15, 2026
- 8Numi Release Notes
Accessed Feb 15, 2026
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