# Plumbing Formulator vs Pipe Tools

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Pipe Tools at 79% against Plumbing Formulator's 9%. Pipe Tools also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 18.6). Plumbing Formulator's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 36 months) and rating (4.6 vs 4.2). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Plumbing Formulator sells 4 one-off in-app purchases and Pipe Tools sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Plumbing Formulator holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 7 and 20 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 9% of Plumbing Formulator's written reviews are positive against 79% of Pipe Tools's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Plumbing Formulator ships an update every 2 months, Pipe Tools every 36 months. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Plumbing Formulator | Pipe Tools |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/plumbing-formulator/id303497783/reviews)** | [4.2 (20 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pipe-tools/id372454624/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 7 | **20** |
| Positive reviews | 9.1% of reviews | **78.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 36 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 123 MB | 43 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Historycentral.com](https://appshunter.io/developer/1744330560) | [Bri-Steel Manufacturing](https://appshunter.io/developer/968778552) |

## What reviewers say

### Plumbing Formulator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/plumbing-formulator/id303497783)

This professional calculator app provides over 200 formulas, calculators, and reference materials for plumbers, HVAC technicians, and mechanical contractors. It covers a wide range of calculations for water flow, piping, drainage, water heaters, pumps, and more, all in one pocket-sized tool.

**Highlights:** Over 200 formulas and calculators, Water flow and supply calculations, Pipe and piping calculations, Drainage and venting calculations, Water heater and pump calculations, Reference charts and code books, Pipe cut list optimizer

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Version | $1.99 | one-time |
| Pro Purchase | $3.99 | one-time |
| Starter | $5.99 | one-time |
| Growth | $9.99 | one-time |


### Pipe Tools

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pipe-tools/id372454624)

This app provides a comprehensive steel pipe handbook with charts for wall thickness, mass, and pressure calculations. It facilitates quick conversions and cost comparisons, allowing users to prepare and send customized PDF quotes for pipe sales.

**Highlights:** Steel pipe charts (wall thickness, mass), Unit conversions (feet, meters, pounds, kg), Pipe cost comparison, Customizable PDF quote generation, Mechanical and hardness conversions, Pressure and wall thickness calculations

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock Pro Tools | $0.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Plumbing Formulator free?

Plumbing Formulator is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Pipe Tools free?

Pipe Tools is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Plumbing Formulator or Pipe Tools?

Plumbing Formulator is rated higher. Plumbing Formulator averages 4.6 out of 5 from 7 ratings, while Pipe Tools averages 4.2 from 20 ratings.

### Do Plumbing Formulator or Pipe Tools have ads?

Neither Plumbing Formulator nor Pipe Tools shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Plumbing Formulator or Pipe Tools?

Plumbing Formulator ships an update every 2 months, and Pipe Tools every 36 months. Most recently, Plumbing Formulator was updated on October 6, 2026 and Pipe Tools on October 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.*