BIRM Mobile App vs Structural SteelBook
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
BIRM Mobile App
This mobile reference manual provides comprehensive guidance on inspecting and evaluating highway bridges. It's designed for bridge inspectors, engineers, and owners to use in the field for procedures and techniques.
- Highway bridge inspection guidance
- Evaluation of in-service bridges
- Field use for inspectors
- Reference manual for engineers
- Procedures and techniques
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The BIRM app is a mobile-device version of the Bridge Inspector's Reference Manual, a comprehensive manual on programs, procedures, and techniques for inspecting ans evaluating a variety of in-service highway bridges. Bridge inspectors, bridge designers, engineers, owners and other users can download the app and use it in the field while conducting inspections.
Structural SteelBook
Access a comprehensive reference for structural steel shapes, including multiple AISC library versions. Easily switch between imperial and metric units, sort sections, and perform quick searches. Print or share section properties and cross-sections.
- Multiple AISC library versions (v15, v13, v14, LRFD, ASD)
- Imperial and metric unit switching
- Sort sections by property
- Quick search for steel sections
- Side-by-side imperial/metric equivalencies
- Print and share section properties
- Dark/light mode and dynamic type support
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The best Structural Steel reference on app store! Now for iPhone, iPad & Mac! Buy once, run on all your devices, no in-app purchases / limited features gimmicks! From the developer of [steel shapes], the highest rated Structural Steel app since 2009. Now with the latest AISC v15 library, more than 20000 steel entries in 19 libraries & MANY new features. SteelBook contains the latest (v15), previous (ASD 5 - 9, LRFD 1 - 3, v13, v14, v14.1) and HISTORIC American Institute of Steel Construction's Structural Steel Databases in a fast, easy to use interface. LIBRARIES: ---------------------------------------- AISC LIBRARIES: - Current version 15 & 15-SI (NEW!) - Versions 13.2 & 13.2 SI, 13.1.1, 13.1.1 SI, 13, v14 & v14-SI, v14.1 & v14.1-SI - LRFD 1st through 3rd Ed. - ASD 5th through 9th Ed. - HISTORIC UNIT SYSTEM SWITCHING: ---------------------------------------- Properties can be displayed in either the original English units or converted to metric with the tap of a button (libraries 13.2 & newer) SORTING: ---------------------------------------- Sort sections within a library given a specific property in ascending / descending order. QUICK SEARCH: ---------------------------------------- SteelBook also lets you find a section with a quick search function, where, for example, "W16 x 89", "W16x89" or simply "W1689" will locate the same section or its closest approximation. NEW! SIDE BY SIDE EQUIVALENCIES ---------------------------------------- Display Equivalent Imperial / Metric designations side by side while browsing NEW! FRACTIONAL DETAILING VALUES, PROPERTIES & UNITS ---------------------------------------- For library version 15, support for v14 coming soon NEW! PRINT & SHARE ---------------------------------------- Print a section's properties & cross section or Share as a PDF NEW! DARK / LIGHT MODE & DYNAMIC TYPE SUPPORT ---------------------------------------- SteelBook's UI adapts to your device's setting, whether you prefer Dark, Light or adaptive color scheme, SteelBook will naturally adapt to it. Also new is Dynamic type support, SteelBook will adapt its interface to your device's accessibility settings. NEW! UNIVERSAL APP, BUY ONCE, RUN EVERYWHERE ———————————————————— The Steel app for the next decade, run on iOS/iPad (iOS/iPad OS 16 and newer) and on MacOS (10.13 / Ventura). ***************************************** visit us at: www.TheMobileEngineer.com
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: BIRM Mobile App at Free against Structural SteelBook's $4.99. BIRM Mobile App also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.7) and iOS requirement (7.0 vs 16.0). Structural SteelBook's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs every 11 months). On ratings volume, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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
BIRM Mobile App is free to download; Structural SteelBook costs $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
BIRM Mobile App holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 6 respectively.
BIRM Mobile App ships an update every 11 months, Structural SteelBook every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | BIRM Mobile App | Structural SteelBook |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $4.99 |
| Rating | 5.0 (3 ratings) — better | 4.7 (6 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | — | 0.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 3 | 6 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 11 months | Every 3 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free — better | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Requires iOS | 7.0 — better | 16.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 96 MB | 71 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | United States Department of Transportation | David Homes |
Customer experience
BIRM Mobile App
Structural SteelBook
In-app purchases
BIRM Mobile App
No in-app purchases
Structural SteelBook
No in-app purchases
