Circuit Laboratory vs IC References
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Circuit Laboratory
Analyze electronic circuits with DC, AC, multifrequency AC, and transient analysis. Draw circuits graphically, modify component parameters, and view voltage and current graphs. Supports various components and offers video tutorials for each.
- DC, AC, Multifrequency AC, and Transient Analysis
- Graphical circuit drawing
- Component parameter editing
- Voltage and current graphing
- Support for diverse electronic components
- Circuit saving and sharing
- Video tutorials for components
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Circuit Lab is an electronic circuit analysis tool based on the modified node analysis method. Four kind of analysis may be conducted: - DC: linear and non linear circuits with continuous voltage and current sources; - AC: linear e non linear circuits with sinusoidal voltage and current sources; - Multifrequency AC Analysis: linear and non linear circuits with sinusoidal voltage and current sources. It allows to analyze the circuit behavior in a range of frequencies. Useful to study the bandwidth of the circuit; - Transient: linear and non linear circuits, with sinusoidal and pulse voltage sources (available as In App Purchases). User can graphically draw the circuit and then the circuit can be analyzed. Circuit may be controlled by means of the following gestures: - Drag: to move the circuit into the desired position - Tap on a component: to modify the component's parameters - Pinch: to zoom in and out - Double Finger Double Tap: to reset position and zoom level to the original values Tapping DC button, user gets voltage at each circuit's node. Tapping AC button, user gets voltage phasors at each circuit node or the bode graph of the voltage at each circuit node (see BJT 16 - Common Emitter). Phasor graphs may be controlled by means of the following gesture: - Drag: to move the graph into the desired position - Pinch: to zoom in and out - Double Finger Double Tap: to reset position and zoom level to the original values Pressing Transient button, user can analyze circuit's behavior during time and get graphs of voltages and currents function of time. Each circuit can contain: - Resistors - Capacitors - Inductors - Mutual Coupled Inductors - Independent sinusoidal voltage generators - Independent pulse voltage generators - Independent sinusoidal current generators - Controlled voltage generators - Controlled current generators - Operation Amplifier - Diodes - Zener Diodes - Bjt NPN and PNP - Channel-N and Channel-P JFet - Channel-N and Channel-P Mosfet For each component, a short video is available to demonstrate how to insert it into the circuit and edit it's characteristics. Circuits may be easily stored and reused. User can print: - Circuits and component's list - Transient Analysis graphs Circuits can be easily shared through iCloud, by mail in the internal format so that can be reused by other users (on iPad too) and in PDF format. Visit my site for video tutorials and details about operational amplifier's internal model and diode's internal model.
IC References
Access reference designs for electronic and electromechanical components. Search by manufacturer, reference number, or part number, and link directly to design files and datasheets. Facilitates communication by allowing direct email sharing of information.
- Search by IC Manufacturer, Reference, or Part Number
- Link to IC Reference Designs
- Link to Würth Elektronik Datasheets
- Parametric Search for Reference Designs
- Email Sharing of Information
- Multilingual Support (English, German, French)
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The “IC References” App allows you to access all reference designs containing Electronic & Electromechanical Components from Würth Elektronik. Features: - Search via IC Manufacturer, IC Reference or Würth Elektronik Part number - Link to the IC Reference designs - Link to the Würth Elektronik data sheets - Parametric search for any reference design with Würth Elektronik components - Send E-mails direct from the app to inform your customer or colleague - App available in English, German and French
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: IC References at Free against Circuit Laboratory's $5.99. IC References also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.0) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 12 months). On review sentiment, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
IC References is free to download; Circuit Laboratory costs $5.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
IC References holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 2 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 0% and 0% positive.
Circuit Laboratory ships an update every 12 months, IC References every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 5, 2026 and June 1, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Circuit Laboratory | IC References |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $5.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 3.0 (2 ratings) | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | 0.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 2 | 2 |
| Update frequency | Every 12 months | Every 2 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 9.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 128 MB | 61 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Fabrizio Boco | Wuerth Elektronik eiSos GmbH & Co. KG |
Customer experience
Circuit Laboratory
IC References
In-app purchases
Circuit Laboratory
No in-app purchases
IC References
No in-app purchases
