# IC References vs Smith Charts

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Smith Charts at 50% against IC References's 0%. Smith Charts also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). IC References's advantage is price (Free vs $3.99) and rating (5.0 vs 3.7). On ratings volume, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

IC References is free to download; Smith Charts costs $3.99 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 3.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 3 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 0% of IC References's written reviews are positive against 50% of Smith Charts's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

IC References ships an update every 2 months, Smith Charts every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | IC References | Smith Charts |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $3.99 |
| Rating | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ic-references/id1062239089/reviews)** | [3.7 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smith-charts/id1602503719/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **3** |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | **50.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Size | 61 MB | 24 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Wuerth Elektronik eiSos GmbH & Co. KG](https://appshunter.io/developer/962754647) | [Edoardo Orzes](https://appshunter.io/developer/1665361246) |

## What reviewers say

### 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)

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Smith Charts

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smith-charts/id1602503719)

Design matching networks, analyze device parameters, and compute stability circles with this interactive tool. Supports S parameters, various components, and offers advanced engineering features for RF design. Available in dark mode and exportable to PDF.

**Highlights:** Interactive Smith chart with drag and zoom, Design matching networks with various components, Compute stability, equi gain, and noise circles, Import S parameters from Touchstone files, Export designs to PDF, image, or file, Dark mode support, Ruler for wavelength measurement

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is IC References free?

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

### Is Smith Charts free?

Smith Charts costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, IC References or Smith Charts?

IC References is rated higher. IC References averages 5.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Smith Charts averages 3.7 from 3 ratings.

### Do IC References or Smith Charts have ads?

Neither IC References nor Smith Charts shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, IC References or Smith Charts?

IC References ships an update every 2 months, and Smith Charts every 3 weeks. Most recently, IC References was updated on November 2, 2026 and Smith Charts on November 7, 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.*