Ugly's Electrical References vs TBConnect
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- NEC 2026 updates
- Mathematical formulas and calculators
- Conduit bending guide with videos
- Ampacity and conduit fill information
- Wiring diagrams
- Conversion tables
- Works offline
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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.
TBConnect
This app streamlines the measurement process by digitally capturing and organizing data from a compatible laser measuring device. It eliminates the need for manual note-taking, allowing users to document measurements efficiently on their smartphone.
- Capture measurements digitally
- Organize measurement data
- Companion to laser measuring device
- Eliminates manual note-taking
- Smartphone integration
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The ToughBuilt Connect mobile app is the perfect companion to the ToughBuilt 165’ Laser Measuring Device. You no longer have to juggle the laser device, notepad and pencil and your smartphone. Instead, let the app capture and document your measurements in an organized fashion.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Ugly's Electrical References at 47% against TBConnect's 0%. Ugly's Electrical References also leads on rating (4.4 vs 1.6) and update cadence (every 3 months vs every 19 months). TBConnect's advantage is price (Free vs $12.99) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17). On 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
TBConnect 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.
Ugly's Electrical References holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 1.6. 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 TBConnect's.
Ugly's Electrical References ships an update every 3 months, TBConnect every 19 months. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Ugly's Electrical References | TBConnect |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $12.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.4 (1.5K ratings) — better | 1.6 (11 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 47.1% of reviews — better | 0.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 1.5K — better | 11 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months — better | Every 19 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Free — better |
| Best chart rank | #7 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 17 | 15.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 63 MB | 54 MB |
| Age rating | 9+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Informed Publishing | ToughBuilt Industries, Inc. |
Customer experience
Ugly's Electrical References
TBConnect
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
TBConnect
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Ugly's Electrical References
No in-app purchases
TBConnect
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Ugly's Electrical References free?
Is TBConnect free?
Which has better reviews, Ugly's Electrical References or TBConnect?
Do Ugly's Electrical References or TBConnect have ads?
Which is updated more often, Ugly's Electrical References or TBConnect?
Other comparisons
