Ugly's Electrical References vs Ask BONBON
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.
Ask BONBON
This AI-powered assistant provides instant answers to National Electrical Code (NEC) questions for electricians. Get precise code information, explanations, and troubleshooting help directly on the job site to ensure compliance and build confidence.
- Instant NEC code answers
- AI-powered code explanations
- Smart job site troubleshooting
- Inspection compliance verification
- On-the-job learning tool
- Multilingual support
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Ask NETA is now Ask BONBON! We've rebranded, but everything you love stays the same — instant, AI-powered NEC code answers built for electricians. Ask BONBON is the #1 AI assistant for electrical professionals. Get instant answers to any National Electrical Code (NEC) question, right on the job site. Whether you're a journeyman, apprentice, inspector, or contractor — Ask BONBON has you covered. Trained on multiple editions of the National Electrical Code (NEC) and real-world electrical expertise, Ask BONBON cuts through the clutter to give you the exact information you need, when you need it. WHY ELECTRICIANS CHOOSE Ask BONBON? INSTANT ANSWERS: Tired of flipping through the code book or calling a friend? Ask any Electrical question, for example, "What are the grounding requirements for a subpanel?" and get the precise NEC code and a clear explanation in seconds. Save time and ensure compliance on every job. SMART TROUBLESHOOTING: Facing a challenge on the job site? Ask BONBON analyzes your situation to help you diagnose issues, identify components, and find code-compliant solutions to get you to the solution faster. BUILD CONFIDENCE & PASS INSPECTIONS: Reduce callbacks and pass inspections the first time. Ask BONBON helps you verify your work against the latest code, so you can be confident the job is done right. LEARN ON THE JOB: Perfect for apprentices, Journeyman, and Master Electricians alike. Ask BONBON doesn't just give you the answer; it explains the 'why' behind the code. Deepen your trade knowledge with every question you ask. MULTILINGUAL SUPPORT: Work with a diverse team? Ask questions in Spanish, French, or another language, and Ask BONBON will respond in that language, ensuring clear communication and understanding for everyone. Download Ask BONBON today, make it your trusted daily companion for every electrical project. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stddla/ Privacy Policy: https://askbonbon.com/privacy
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Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Ask BONBON at Free against Ugly's Electrical References's $12.99. Ask BONBON also leads on review sentiment (88% vs 47%) and update cadence (every 10 days vs every 3 months). Ugly's Electrical References's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and ratings volume (1.5K vs 42). On rating, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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
Ask BONBON is free to download; Ugly's Electrical References costs $12.99 up front. Ask BONBON sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Ugly's Electrical References asks for nothing beyond the download.
Ask BONBON holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Ugly's Electrical References has 1.5K ratings behind it against 42, 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 88% of Ask BONBON's.
Ugly's Electrical References ships an update every 3 months, Ask BONBON every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Ugly's Electrical References | Ask BONBON |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $12.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.4 (1.5K ratings) | 4.6 (42 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 47.1% of reviews | 87.5% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 1.5K — better | 42 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 10 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Free — better |
| Best chart rank | #8 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 17 | 16.4 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 63 MB | 122 MB |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Informed Publishing | Bonbon Electric 2021 |
Customer experience
Ugly's Electrical References
Ask BONBON
User reviews
Ugly's Electrical References
From 1.5K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Quick reference
- 👍 Helpful for apprentices and journeymen
- 👍 Convenient to have on phone
- 👍 Useful calculators
- 👍 Great resource
Room to improve
- 🐛 Videos/audio not working
- 🐛 Bookmarking issues
- 🐛 Glitchy navigation
- 🐛 Difficult to find information
- 🐛 Annoying review pop-up
Ask BONBON
From 42 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Very Helpful App
- 👍 User Friendly
- 👍 Accurate and Precise Answers
- 👍 Saves Time and Headache
- 👍 Useful for Electricians
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
Ask BONBON
No bugs or feature requests surfaced in reviews.
In-app purchases
Ugly's Electrical References
No in-app purchases
Ask BONBON
- BONBON Starter Monthly14 Days trial$9.991 Month
- BONBON Plus14 Days trial$19.991 Month
- BONBON Starter Annual$83.991 Year
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- BONBON Plus (Annual)$167.991 Year
Questions
Is Ugly's Electrical References free?
Is Ask BONBON free?
Which has better reviews, Ugly's Electrical References or Ask BONBON?
Do Ugly's Electrical References or Ask BONBON have ads?
Which is updated more often, Ugly's Electrical References or Ask BONBON?
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