# Lineman's Reference vs NLC eBook Reader

The clearest difference is price: NLC eBook Reader at Free against Lineman's Reference's $19.99. NLC eBook Reader also leads on iOS requirement (14.0 vs 16.0). Lineman's Reference's advantage is chart position (#5 vs unranked). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

NLC eBook Reader is free to download; Lineman's Reference costs $19.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Lineman's Reference ships an update every 4 weeks, NLC eBook Reader every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Lineman's Reference | NLC eBook Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $19.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.6 (307 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/linemans-reference-xfmr-lab/id1583878194/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **307** | — |
| Positive reviews | 62.2% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 weeks** | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Best chart rank | **#5** | — |
| Size | 65 MB | 76 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Digital Apprentice LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1565687382) | [Quanta Services](https://appshunter.io/developer/1449726206) |

## What reviewers say

### Lineman's Reference

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

**Currently charting:** #5 Top Paid · Education, #126 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


### NLC eBook Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nlc-ebook-reader/id6752949222)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Lineman's Reference free?

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

### Is NLC eBook Reader free?

NLC eBook Reader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Lineman's Reference or NLC eBook Reader have ads?

Neither Lineman's Reference nor NLC eBook Reader shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Lineman's Reference or NLC eBook Reader?

Lineman's Reference ships an update every 4 weeks, and NLC eBook Reader every 5 weeks. Most recently, Lineman's Reference was updated on September 22, 2026 and NLC eBook Reader on September 15, 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.*