# Ugly's Electrical References vs Wire Color Code

The clearest difference is price: Wire Color Code at Free against Ugly's Electrical References's $12.99. Ugly's Electrical References's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and chart position (#5 vs unranked). On rating, review sentiment, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Wire Color Code is free to download; Ugly's Electrical References costs $12.99 up front. Wire Color Code sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Ugly's Electrical References asks for nothing beyond the download.

Wire Color Code holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.5K and 999 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 47% of Ugly's Electrical References's written reviews are positive against 43% of Wire Color Code's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Ugly's Electrical References ships an update every 3 months, Wire Color Code every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Ugly's Electrical References | Wire Color Code |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $12.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.4 (1.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/uglys-electrical-references/id1134770838/reviews) | **[4.6 (999 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wire-color-code/id6444740127/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.5K** | 999 |
| Positive reviews | **47.1% of reviews** | 42.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | **#5** | — |
| Size | 63 MB | 13 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Informed Publishing](https://appshunter.io/developer/351739093) | [Bonsaisoft LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/376137158) |

## What reviewers say

### Ugly's Electrical References

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/uglys-electrical-references/id1134770838)

**Currently charting:** #5 Top Paid · Productivity, #101 Top Paid (US App Store)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Quick reference
- 👍 Helpful for apprentices and journeymen
- 👍 Convenient to have on phone
- 👍 Useful calculators
- 👍 Great resource

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Videos/audio not working
- 🐛 Bookmarking issues
- 🐛 Glitchy navigation
- 🐛 Difficult to find information
- 🐛 Annoying review pop-up

**Reported bugs**

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

**Requested features**

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


### Wire Color Code

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wire-color-code/id6444740127)

This app helps electricians and DIYers identify electrical wire colors globally. It offers country-specific codes, a large circuit database, and quick search functionality. Customize colors for your projects and enjoy a user-friendly interface for efficient electrical panel wiring.

**Highlights:** Global country-specific wire color codes, Extensive circuit database (up to 1000 circuits), Quick search for phase colors, Customizable phase colors for projects, User-friendly interface

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Version | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Saves time identifying wire colors and circuit numbers
- 📚 Useful reference tool for electricians
- 🎯 Helpful for professional electrical work
- 👍 Intuitive and illustrative design

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Hidden costs beyond initial purchase price
- 🔒 Account/license transfer issues between devices
- 📉 Limited free version functionality (only 11 circuits)
- ⚠️ Overpriced for basic information
- 🎨 Could use better UI/UX design

**Reported bugs**

- App locks users out after switching phones despite previous purchase
- License/purchase not properly restored on new devices

**Requested features**

- Ability to change order or hide countries/regions not needed
- More comprehensive free version with expanded circuit options
- Better visual design and polish


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Ugly's Electrical References free?

Ugly's Electrical References costs $12.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Wire Color Code free?

Wire Color Code is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Ugly's Electrical References or Wire Color Code?

Wire Color Code is rated higher. Ugly's Electrical References averages 4.4 out of 5 from 1.5K ratings, while Wire Color Code averages 4.6 from 999 ratings.

### Do Ugly's Electrical References or Wire Color Code have ads?

Neither Ugly's Electrical References nor Wire Color Code shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Ugly's Electrical References or Wire Color Code?

Ugly's Electrical References ships an update every 3 months, and Wire Color Code every 2 months. Most recently, Ugly's Electrical References was updated on September 24, 2026 and Wire Color Code on September 21, 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.*