Comparison

Ugly's Electrical References vs WaveLinx

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Ugly's Electrical References

This app provides electricians and electrical professionals with up-to-date digital information based on the National Electrical Code. It includes formulas, wiring diagrams, conduit bending guides, and calculators for various electrical calculations. The app is designed for on-the-job reference and works offline.

Highlights
  • NEC 2026 updates
  • Mathematical formulas and calculators
  • Conduit bending guide with videos
  • Ampacity and conduit fill information
  • Wiring diagrams
  • Conversion tables
  • Works offline
Features
Read full description

The Ugly's Electrical References App has been updated to reflect changes to the 2026 National Electrical Code (NEC) and the 2026 Edition of our popular Ugly’s Electrical References book. The Ugly’s App offers the most pertinent, up-to-date digital information for electricians, including table change information, mathematical formulas; National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) wiring configurations; a conduit bending guide with videos, ampacity and conduit fill information, transformer and control circuit wiring diagrams, and conversion tables. The 2026 Edition: * Reflects changes to the 2026 NEC * Features expanded coverage of the following topics: * Full-load currents for 3-phase transformers  * Maximum number of conductors in electrical metallic tubing for trade sizes 5 and 6  * Equipment grounding conductors  * General lighting loads for non-dwelling occupancies  * Overview of important NEC code changes from 2020, 2023 and 2026  Electricians and electrical professionals have used ‘Ugly’s Electrical References’ book as their on-the-job reference for over 35 years. This app will serve you even better in the field today.  FEATURING Calculators and Interactive Features • Ohm’s Law Calculator • Voltage Drop Calculator • Ampacity Calculator • To Find: Amps, Watts, Horsepower, KVA • To Find: Inductance, Impedance, Reactance • Three-phase AC Motor Data: Starter, Breaker, Heater, Wire, and Conduit Size • Power Factor Correction • Full Load Current for Motors and Transformers • Locked-Rotor Current Calculator • Offset Bending Calculator • Conduit Fill Calculator • Conversions for Area, Length, Temperature, Time, Volume, and Weight • NEMA Wiring Configurations *Pinch & Zoom for improved readability *Conduit Bending Video Tutorials *Search function helps you quickly find what you need to know *NEC Updater outlines and explains changes to the National Electrical Code© *Electrical Safety including definitions, boundaries, procedures, PPE guidance, and life-saving *First aid procedures *Blueprint symbol identifier *Bookmark your commonly used screens *High-definition images and interactive tables that can be zoomed in for detail *Works offline *Great for electricians, students, engineers, contractors, maintenance workers, and military Interested in a buying more than one copy of the Ugly’s Electrical Reference app for your commercially owned devices? Please email info[at]uglys[dot]net for details on volume purchases. Privacy Policy - http://www.jblearning.com/privacy/ Terms of Service - http://www.jblearning.com/use/ Support – http://www.uglys.net/appsupport The Ugly’s Electrical Reference app is part of the popular Ugly’s Professional Reference® series, which is an imprint of Jones & Bartlett Learning. National Electrical Code and NFPA 70 are registered trademarks of the National Fire Protection Agency and are not associated with Ugly’s Electrical References in any way.

About

WaveLinx

Manage and configure wireless connected lighting systems. Create areas and zones, control lighting levels, and set up scene controls. This app supports both standalone and networked lighting control.

Highlights
  • Device management
  • Area configuration
  • Mobile-friendly design
  • Standalone and networked control
  • Scene control
  • Demand Response ready
Features
Read full description

Mobile app for commissioning all WaveLinx PRO wireless, WaveLinx Hybrid, and WaveLinx CORE systems. • Create and manage Buildings, Floors, Areas, Zones, and Scenes • Commission and Operate WaveLinx systems via WAC (standalone) or CORE (centralized) • Assign WaveLinx devices to areas and zones with Drag-and-Drop programming • Easily achieve code-compliance with our built-in settings and features • Occupancy grouping and configuration settings by area • Daylight zone configuration for each luminaire or daylight sensor • Supports multiple users as well as administrator and user roles for personal control • Mobile-friendly design fits all screen sizes The WaveLinx app makes configuring, managing, and commissioning WaveLinx lighting control systems simple and intuitive. With convenient wireless access, professionals can set up devices, adjust lighting settings, troubleshoot systems, and fine-tune performance — all from a mobile device. Visit our website to view our manuals and videos for more information and training.

Screenshots

Ugly's Electrical References4 screens
WaveLinx4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Ugly's Electrical References at 47% against WaveLinx's 0%. Ugly's Electrical References also leads on rating (4.4 vs 3.0) and ratings volume (1.5K vs 11). WaveLinx's advantage is price (Free vs $12.99) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17). On update cadence, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

WaveLinx is free to download; Ugly's Electrical References costs $12.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Ugly's Electrical References holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Ugly's Electrical References has 1.5K ratings behind it against 11, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 47% of Ugly's Electrical References's written reviews are positive against 0% of WaveLinx's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 months. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
Ugly's Electrical References versus WaveLinx: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterUgly's Electrical ReferencesWaveLinx
Price$12.99Free — better
Rating4.4 (1.5K ratings) — better3.0 (11 ratings)
Positive reviews47.1% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings1.5K — better11
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 3 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidFree — better
Best chart rank#16 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS1713.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size63 MB65 MB
Age rating9+4+
DeveloperInformed PublishingCooper Lighting

Customer experience

Ugly's Electrical References

All ratings1,495 ratings
Positive84.9%
Neutral5.7%
Negative9.4%
Written reviews172 reviews
Positive47.1%
Neutral16.9%
Negative36.0%

WaveLinx

All ratings10 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral10.0%
Negative40.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

Bugs and requests

Ugly's Electrical References

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Videos not playing
  • Bookmarks not working correctly
  • Navigation issues causing app crashes
  • Incorrect calculation results

Requested features

5 requests
  • Zoom functionality
  • Better search capabilities
  • Spanish language support
  • Offline access to full content
  • Improved bookmarking system

WaveLinx

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Ugly's Electrical References

No in-app purchases

None

WaveLinx

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Ugly's Electrical References free?
Ugly's Electrical References costs $12.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is WaveLinx free?
WaveLinx is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Ugly's Electrical References or WaveLinx?
Ugly's Electrical References is rated higher. Ugly's Electrical References averages 4.4 out of 5 from 1.5K ratings, while WaveLinx averages 3.0 from 11 ratings.
Do Ugly's Electrical References or WaveLinx have ads?
Neither Ugly's Electrical References nor WaveLinx shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Ugly's Electrical References or WaveLinx?
Ugly's Electrical References ships an update every 3 months, and WaveLinx every 3 months. Most recently, Ugly's Electrical References was updated on October 24, 2026 and WaveLinx on October 24, 2026.

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