# Pipe Tools vs steelyard

The clearest difference is rating: steelyard at 4.7 against Pipe Tools's 4.1. steelyard also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 12 months) and ratings volume (297 vs 19). Pipe Tools's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and review sentiment (79% vs 56%). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

steelyard holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: steelyard has 297 ratings behind it against 19, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 79% of Pipe Tools's written reviews are positive against 56% of steelyard's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Pipe Tools ships an update every 12 months, steelyard every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pipe Tools | steelyard |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.1 (19 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pipe-tools/id372454624/reviews) | **[4.7 (297 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/steelyard/id1291109620/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 19 | **297** |
| Positive reviews | **78.6% of reviews** | 55.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 12 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 57 MB | 7 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 16.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Bri-Steel Manufacturing](https://appshunter.io/developer/968778552) | [Mohamed Saad](https://appshunter.io/developer/1291109619) |

## What reviewers say

### 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

**In-app purchases (1)**

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


### steelyard

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/steelyard/id1291109620)

This app quickly calculates the weight of steel sections from various international standards. It supports both metric and imperial units and offers offline functionality for convenience. Save your settings and calculations for easy access.

**Highlights:** Steel section weight calculation, Supports EU, USA, Japanese, KOREA standards, Metric and Imperial units, Offline functionality, Save calculations and settings, Advanced search system

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Ad Blocker | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pipe Tools free?

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

### Is steelyard free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Pipe Tools or steelyard?

steelyard is rated higher. Pipe Tools averages 4.1 out of 5 from 19 ratings, while steelyard averages 4.7 from 297 ratings.

### Do Pipe Tools or steelyard have ads?

Neither Pipe Tools nor steelyard shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Pipe Tools or steelyard?

Pipe Tools ships an update every 12 months, and steelyard every 2 months. Most recently, Pipe Tools was updated on September 21, 2026 and steelyard on September 28, 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.*