Comparison

Stud Find vs Walabot DIY

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Stud Find

Detect magnetic metal objects, such as nails, hidden within wooden structures using your device's built-in magnetometer. This tool is designed to help locate magnetic materials behind walls or other surfaces. Performance may vary based on wall construction and device capabilities.

Highlights
  • Detects magnetic metal objects
  • Locates nails in wooden beams
  • Utilizes device magnetometer
  • Requires magnetic materials
  • Instructions for calibration
  • Device-specific detection methods
Features
Read full description

NAIL DETECTOR Use your iPhone to find nails in wooden support beams within your wall, or any sort of magnetic metal hidden from view. For this app to work, the nails in your wall should be magnetic and your device (iPad, iPhone or iPod) should have a built-in magnetometer. This app does not detect non-magnetic objects, For example, aluminum or wood studs. DISCLAIMER: The performance of the app is limited by the construction of the wall, presence of a phone cover and/or the material of the nails in the studs. INSTRUCTIONS If your device has a external case, please remove before using this app. Calibrate your device’s magnetic sensor by moving the device in a "Figure 8" pattern. Then tap the "Intensity" reading displayed on the app to set the baseline to zero. To accurately detect nails using this app, on iPhone 5s and below, sweep with the right edge of the device against the wall. For iPhone 6 and above, sweep with the top edge of the device along the wall. Sometimes it helps to first figure out the location of the magnet (compass magnet) on your phone using a magnetic material so it becomes clear where to "mark" when you find a nail in the stud. Localization Credits: Laura Klein (French), Ilgiz Khisamov (Russian), Yasu Yu (Chinese), Cem Yolcu (Turkish)

About

Walabot DIY

Visualize the inside of your walls with this device and app combination. It acts like an X-ray, locating studs, pipes, and wires up to 4 inches deep. Ideal for confident drilling and renovation projects.

Highlights
  • See through walls
  • Locate studs
  • Detect pipes
  • Find wires
  • Works on drywall
  • Detects up to 4 inches deep
Features
Read full description

Walabot DIY lets you see through your walls! Connect your Walabot DIY device (available at www.walabot.com/diy) to your phone for instant “X-Ray” vision. • Locates studs, pipes, wires, and movement • Works on drywall • Detects up to 4 inches / 10 centimeters deep Want to hang a TV? See where the studs, the wires, and the pipes are and drill with confidence! Perfect for DIY-ers, plumbers, contractors, carpenters, renovators, installers, and more. Winner of “best tool” by: ESPN, This Old House, Popular Mechanics, CES and over a dozen more publications! Million walls scanned with the Walabot DIY! Learn more/order now at walabot.com ** Compatible from iPhone7 and above **

Screenshots

Stud Find2 screens
Walabot DIY4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Walabot DIY at 4.2 against Stud Find's 3.0. Walabot DIY also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and review sentiment (78% vs 54%). Stud Find's advantage is iOS requirement (8.4 vs 15.6). On price, ratings volume, ads 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Stud Find sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Walabot DIY asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Walabot DIY holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 242 and 320 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 54% of Stud Find's written reviews are positive against 78% of Walabot DIY's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Stud Find ships an update every 2 months, Walabot DIY every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Stud Find versus Walabot DIY: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterStud FindWalabot DIY
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.0 (242 ratings)4.2 (320 ratings) — better
Positive reviews53.8% of reviews78.5% of reviews — better
Number of ratings242320 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS8.4 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size19 MB77 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperProteverse LLCVayyar Imaging LTD

Customer experience

Stud Find

All ratings244 ratings
Positive46.3%
Neutral7.0%
Negative46.7%
Written reviews143 reviews
Positive53.8%
Neutral2.8%
Negative43.4%

Walabot DIY

All ratings320 ratings
Positive77.8%
Neutral3.1%
Negative19.1%
Written reviews130 reviews
Positive78.5%
Neutral1.5%
Negative20.0%

User reviews

Stud Find

From 242 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🔍 Accurately detects metal objects
  • 💡 Useful for finding studs without a dedicated tool
  • 👍 Easy to use and calibrate
  • 🚀 Works surprisingly well

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Inconsistent or inaccurate stud detection
  • 📢 Intrusive ads
  • 🤔 Unclear instructions on how to use properly
  • ⚠️ Doesn't work on all phone models

Walabot DIY

From 320 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Accurate stud and object detection
  • 👍 Helpful for DIY projects
  • 🔍 Ability to see inside walls
  • 💡 Innovative technology
  • 🎯 Pinpoints stud locations

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Connectivity issues
  • 🔄 Frequent recalibration required
  • 🔧 Needs additional accessories for full functionality
  • 📱 Inconvenient to use with phone

Bugs and requests

Stud Find

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Meter reading stays at a constant value
  • App crashes or redirects to other apps
  • Fails to detect studs even in known locations

Requested features

3 requests
  • More precise stud location indicators
  • Ability to detect wooden studs directly
  • Improved calibration process

Walabot DIY

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • App crashes or disconnects frequently
  • Inaccurate readings or missed objects
  • Compatibility issues with newer phones

Requested features

4 requests
  • Integrated display instead of phone app
  • Improved calibration process
  • Compatibility with more wall types
  • Automatic stud detection

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Stud Find

One-time1
  • Support Stud Find$0.99
None

Walabot DIY

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Stud Find free?
Stud Find is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Walabot DIY free?
Walabot DIY is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Stud Find or Walabot DIY?
Walabot DIY is rated higher. Stud Find averages 3.0 out of 5 from 242 ratings, while Walabot DIY averages 4.2 from 320 ratings.
Do Stud Find or Walabot DIY have ads?
Neither Stud Find nor Walabot DIY shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Stud Find or Walabot DIY?
Stud Find ships an update every 2 months, and Walabot DIY every 3 weeks. Most recently, Stud Find was updated on October 31, 2026 and Walabot DIY on November 3, 2026.

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