# Harbor Freight Tools vs Hardware Specialty Co.

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Harbor Freight Tools at 225K against Hardware Specialty Co.'s 1. Harbor Freight Tools also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 4 months) and chart position (#68 vs unranked). Hardware Specialty Co.'s advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.8). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

Hardware Specialty Co. holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Harbor Freight Tools has 225K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Harbor Freight Tools ships an update monthly, Hardware Specialty Co. every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and July 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Harbor Freight Tools | Hardware Specialty Co. |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (225K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/harbor-freight-tools/id1533833273/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hardware-specialty-co/id6445824966/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **225K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 93.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | **#68** | — |
| Size | 42 MB | 71 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **15.5** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Harbor Freight Tools](https://appshunter.io/developer/1533833275) | [Hardware Specialty Co., Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1672672272) |

## What reviewers say

### Harbor Freight Tools

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/harbor-freight-tools/id1533833273)

**Currently charting:** #68 Top Free · Shopping (US App Store)

Discover the latest coupons, instant savings, and exclusive deals for members. Browse tools, check local stock, and create wish lists. Scan barcodes in-store for more product information.

**Highlights:** Latest coupons and instant savings, Inside Track Club member deals, Browse tools and watch videos, Check in-stock availability, Create and sync wish lists, Barcode/QR scanner for product info

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 Helpful customer service
- 💡 Exclusive app-only deals
- 🚀 Intuitive search
- 👍 Instruction manuals included

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Constant logout issues
- 🐛 Refreshes when switching apps
- 🐛 Inaccurate in-store inventory
- 🔍 Missing product listings
- 👎 Frustrating navigation when viewing items

**Reported bugs**

- Constant logout issues
- Refreshes when switching apps
- Inaccurate in-store inventory
- Navigation issues when viewing items

**Requested features**

- Ability to link account and sync 'My List'
- Display aisle locations for items
- Improved offline functionality and caching


### Hardware Specialty Co.

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hardware-specialty-co/id6445824966)

This app serves as a distributor for commercial and military fasteners, as well as electronic and electro-mechanical components. It offers managed inventory programs and value-added services, backed by robust quality management systems and extensive product inventory.

**Highlights:** Commercial and military fasteners, Electronic components, Electro-mechanical components, Managed inventory programs, Value-added services, Quality assurance facilities

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Harbor Freight Tools free?

Harbor Freight Tools is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Hardware Specialty Co. free?

Hardware Specialty Co. is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Harbor Freight Tools or Hardware Specialty Co.?

Hardware Specialty Co. is rated higher. Harbor Freight Tools averages 4.8 out of 5 from 225K ratings, while Hardware Specialty Co. averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Harbor Freight Tools or Hardware Specialty Co. have ads?

Neither Harbor Freight Tools nor Hardware Specialty Co. shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Harbor Freight Tools or Hardware Specialty Co.?

Harbor Freight Tools ships an update monthly, and Hardware Specialty Co. every 4 months. Most recently, Harbor Freight Tools was updated on September 25, 2026 and Hardware Specialty Co. on July 8, 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.*