# Lineman's Reference vs IFSTA Instructor 9

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Lineman's Reference at 62% against IFSTA Instructor 9's 0%. Lineman's Reference also leads on rating (4.6 vs 3.2) and in-app purchases (none vs 2). IFSTA Instructor 9's advantage is price (Free vs $19.99) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.0). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

IFSTA Instructor 9 is free to download; Lineman's Reference costs $19.99 up front. IFSTA Instructor 9 sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Lineman's Reference asks for nothing beyond the download.

Lineman's Reference holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Lineman's Reference has 307 ratings behind it against 17, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 62% of Lineman's Reference's written reviews are positive against 0% of IFSTA Instructor 9's.

Lineman's Reference ships an update every 4 weeks, IFSTA Instructor 9 every 10 months. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and August 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Lineman's Reference | IFSTA Instructor 9 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $19.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.6 (307 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/linemans-reference-xfmr-lab/id1583878194/reviews)** | [3.2 (17 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ifsta-instructor-9/id1604765850/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **307** | 17 |
| Positive reviews | **62.2% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 weeks** | Every 10 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#5** | — |
| Size | 65 MB | 124 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Digital Apprentice LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1565687382) | [IFSTA](https://appshunter.io/developer/495289396) |

## What reviewers say

### Lineman's Reference

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/linemans-reference-xfmr-lab/id1583878194)

**Currently charting:** #5 Top Paid · Education, #128 Top Paid (US App Store)

This interactive simulator allows users to study and learn transformer connections. Test your wiring with various meters, and experience consequences of improper connections. Includes reference diagrams, informational material, and a quiz mode to test knowledge.

**Highlights:** Transformer connection simulation, Volt, ohm, and rotation meters, Abnormal voltage and fuse explosion simulation, Transformer nameplate and coil inspection, Quick reference diagrams, Informational reading material, Quiz and advanced quiz modes

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great for learning
- 👍 Helpful for apprentices
- 👍 Useful practice tool
- 👍 Good concept
- 👍 Excellent labs and sandbox

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Too many bugs
- 🐛 App is clunky
- 🐛 Wiring issues
- 🐛 Incorrect diagrams
- 🐛 Incorrect quiz answers

**Reported bugs**

- Tutorial loop
- Lines not connecting
- Cannot wire up all banks
- WYE Delta is wrong
- Cannot bus secondary x2 to x2 bushing for delta secondaries

**Requested features**

- Ability to build own banks
- Add tap changer settings
- Add vector charts
- Add more labs with different scenarios
- Create your own bank option


### IFSTA Instructor 9

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ifsta-instructor-9/id1604765850)

This app provides instructor training for fire and emergency services professionals, aligning with NFPA 1041 standards. It includes free flashcards and access to the first chapter of the audiobook and exam prep, with full access available via in-app purchases.

**Highlights:** NFPA 1041 compliant instructor training, Flashcards for key terms and definitions, Exam preparation with 565 validated questions, Progress tracking for study sessions, Full audiobook narration with offline access, Chapter 1 free access for all features

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Exam Prep | $14.99 | one-time |
| Audiobook | $30.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Lineman's Reference free?

Lineman's Reference costs $19.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is IFSTA Instructor 9 free?

IFSTA Instructor 9 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Lineman's Reference or IFSTA Instructor 9?

Lineman's Reference is rated higher. Lineman's Reference averages 4.6 out of 5 from 307 ratings, while IFSTA Instructor 9 averages 3.2 from 17 ratings.

### Do Lineman's Reference or IFSTA Instructor 9 have ads?

Neither Lineman's Reference nor IFSTA Instructor 9 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Lineman's Reference or IFSTA Instructor 9?

Lineman's Reference ships an update every 4 weeks, and IFSTA Instructor 9 every 10 months. Most recently, Lineman's Reference was updated on September 22, 2026 and IFSTA Instructor 9 on August 12, 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.*