Brady Express Labels vs SparkShift
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Brady Express Labels
Design, view, and print labels directly from your smartphone. Offers extensive design options, including multiple guides, barcode types, fonts, languages, and symbols. Streamline labeling with data import, sequence creation, barcode scanning, and text recognition features.
- Label design and printing from phone
- 11 label design guides
- 34 barcode symbologies
- 85 fonts and 34 languages
- Over 1,500 symbols
- Import data from spreadsheets
- Voice-to-text and photo-to-text
Read full descriptionHide full description
Simple. Easy. Intuitive. Design, view, and print labels right from your phone. Overflowing with label design options, including 11 unique label design guides, 35 barcode symbologies, 85 fonts, 34 languages, and over 1,600 symbols. Improve labeling efficiency by importing data from spreadsheets, creating sequences, scanning data from barcodes, and with voice-to-text and photo-to-text features. Express Labels works with the Brady M211, BMP51, M511, BMP61, M610, M611, M710, i3311, i4311, i5300, i5311, i7500, and S3700 label printers.
SparkShift
This app helps electricians streamline OJT logging, jobsite organization, and exam preparation. It provides field calculators and reference tools, consolidating essential resources for apprentices and journeymen in one place.
- Log OJT and work hours
- Field calculators for electrical work
- Journeyman and master exam practice
- Organize jobsite details and notes
- Track apprenticeship progress
- Export hour records
Read full descriptionHide full description
SparkShift helps electricians stop rebuilding hours from memory: log OJT records, organize jobsites, open field calculators, and study for exams from one jobsite-ready app. Built for electrical apprentices, journeymen, foremen, and contractors, SparkShift keeps the paperwork and reference tools you already reach for close to the work. OJT AND WORK HOURS - Log apprenticeship and work hours from your phone - Add timestamps, notes, work categories, and optional location context - Track progress across union and merit-shop workflows - Review and export hour records before sharing with a training program, employer, union local, contractor, state board, or provincial authority FIELD CALCULATORS AND REFERENCES - Use NEC/CEC-aware calculators for common electrical work - Check voltage drop, conduit fill, box fill, wire sizing, load calculations, and other field references - Keep practical code-study tools nearby when service is weak or you are moving between jobsites EXAM PREP - Practice journeyman and master exam questions - Review explanations, study notes, and confidence feedback - Keep prep connected to the same trade record you use in the field JOBSITES, CREWS, AND RECORDS - Organize jobsite details, schedules, absences, and field notes - Support submitted-hour review and crew visibility for foremen and contractor workflows - Keep certifications, work history, community, and career tools in one electrician-first system SparkShift was built from real jobsite paperwork pain: lost logs, rebuilt hours, scattered notes, and reference tools spread across too many apps. IMPORTANT LIMITS SparkShift is a recordkeeping and workflow tool. It is not a licensing board, apprenticeship sponsor, employer of record, payroll provider, legal advisor, code authority, inspector, or safety authority. Requirements vary by jurisdiction, training program, employer, union local, province, state, and storefront. Always verify current rules before relying on an export, calculation, report, or submission. LEGAL Privacy Policy: https://sparkshift.app/privacy Terms of Service: https://sparkshift.app/terms Community Guidelines: https://sparkshift.app/community-guidelines Support: https://sparkshift.app/contact
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: SparkShift at 5.0 against Brady Express Labels's 4.3. SparkShift also leads on update cadence (every 9 days vs every 2 months). Brady Express Labels's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and ratings volume (425 vs 3). On price, ads, monetization model 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
Both are free to download. SparkShift sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Brady Express Labels asks for nothing beyond the download.
SparkShift holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Brady Express Labels has 425 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two.
Brady Express Labels ships an update every 2 months, SparkShift every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Brady Express Labels | SparkShift |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.3 (425 ratings) | 5.0 (3 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 62.9% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 425 — better | 3 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 9 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 16.2 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 313 MB | 199 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Brady Corporation | SPARKSHIFT LLC |
Customer experience
Brady Express Labels
SparkShift
Bugs and requests
Brady Express Labels
Reported bugs
5 issues- App crashes immediately on launch
- Saved labels not working after update
- Orientation reverts unexpectedly when printing
- Cartridges marked as empty when not
- Text formatting issues (all uppercase)
Requested features
6 requests- Allow selective text editing
- Add default file location for cloud storage
- Provide backup/restore feature for saved labels
- Add copies field in wire wrap screen
- Improve text centering for multiple lines
Show 1 moreShow fewer
- Expand font options
SparkShift
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Brady Express Labels
No in-app purchases
SparkShift
- Journeyman Month$0.991 Month
- Apprentice Month Subscription$6.991 Month
- Journeyman Year Subscription$29.001 Year
Show 1 moreShow fewer
- Apprentice Yearly Sub$69.991 Year
Questions
Is Brady Express Labels free?
Is SparkShift free?
Which has better reviews, Brady Express Labels or SparkShift?
Do Brady Express Labels or SparkShift have ads?
Which is updated more often, Brady Express Labels or SparkShift?
Other comparisons















