# Circuit Laboratory vs IC References

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Circuit Laboratory | IC References |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $5.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [3.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/circuit-laboratory/id1042205580/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ic-references/id1062239089/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 2 | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 12 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Size | 128 MB | 61 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | **9.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Fabrizio Boco](https://appshunter.io/developer/466239616) | [Wuerth Elektronik eiSos GmbH & Co. KG](https://appshunter.io/developer/962754647) |

## What reviewers say

### Circuit Laboratory

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/circuit-laboratory/id1042205580)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### IC References

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ic-references/id1062239089)

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.

**Highlights:** 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)

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Circuit Laboratory free?

Circuit Laboratory costs $5.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is IC References free?

IC References is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Circuit Laboratory or IC References?

IC References is rated higher. Circuit Laboratory averages 3.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while IC References averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Circuit Laboratory or IC References have ads?

Neither Circuit Laboratory nor IC References shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Circuit Laboratory or IC References?

Circuit Laboratory ships an update every 12 months, and IC References every 2 months. Most recently, Circuit Laboratory was updated on September 5, 2026 and IC References on June 1, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*