# FRED by BWT vs Softbase Service

The clearest difference is rating: Softbase Service at 3.4 against FRED by BWT's 2.8. FRED by BWT's advantage is review sentiment (33% vs 0%) and iOS requirement (12.2 vs 15.0). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Softbase Service holds the better App Store score, 3.4 against 2.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 11 and 10 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 33% of FRED by BWT's written reviews are positive against 0% of Softbase Service's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

FRED by BWT ships an update every 5 weeks, Softbase Service monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 4, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | FRED by BWT | Softbase Service |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.8 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fred-by-bwt/id1219048316/reviews) | **[3.4 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/softbase-service/id1621319297/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **11** | 10 |
| Positive reviews | **33.3% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 37 MB | 56 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.2** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Battery Watering Technologies](https://appshunter.io/developer/1219048315) | [Adam Madsen](https://appshunter.io/developer/1621319299) |

## What reviewers say

### FRED by BWT

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fred-by-bwt/id1219048316)

Manage industrial equipment maintenance tasks from your mobile device or desktop. Track equipment data and analyze performance with optional handheld scanners and barcode labels.

**Highlights:** Industrial equipment maintenance management, Mobile field use, Desktop platform for data analysis, Optional handheld scanner, Equipment barcode labels

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Softbase Service

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/softbase-service/id1621319297)

This business application enables technicians to manage work orders dispatched from a desktop system. It supports online and offline modes, allowing users to clock in/out, add comments, collect signatures, track parts, and access equipment history.

**Highlights:** Clock in/out of work orders, Enter work order comments, Collect customer signatures, Add parts used, Populate inspection sheets, Look up equipment history, Online and offline modes

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is FRED by BWT free?

FRED by BWT is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Softbase Service free?

Softbase Service is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, FRED by BWT or Softbase Service?

Softbase Service is rated higher. FRED by BWT averages 2.8 out of 5 from 11 ratings, while Softbase Service averages 3.4 from 10 ratings.

### Do FRED by BWT or Softbase Service have ads?

Neither FRED by BWT nor Softbase Service shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, FRED by BWT or Softbase Service?

FRED by BWT ships an update every 5 weeks, and Softbase Service monthly. Most recently, FRED by BWT was updated on October 4, 2026 and Softbase Service on October 10, 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.*