# Engineering Cookbook vs Steel Profiles

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Engineering Cookbook at none against Steel Profiles's 7. Engineering Cookbook also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.0). Steel Profiles's advantage is update cadence (every 10 days vs every 34 months) and ratings volume (334 vs 6). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Steel Profiles sells 7 one-off in-app purchases. Engineering Cookbook asks for nothing beyond the download.

Steel Profiles holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Steel Profiles has 334 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 73% and 72% positive.

Engineering Cookbook ships an update every 34 months, Steel Profiles every 10 days. Both last shipped on November 1, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Engineering Cookbook | Steel Profiles |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/engineering-cookbook/id376850735/reviews) | **[4.7 (334 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/steel-profiles/id564614324/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 6 | **334** |
| Positive reviews | **72.7% of reviews** | 72.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 34 months | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 45 MB | 30 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Loren Cook Company](https://appshunter.io/developer/376850738) | [Matteo Rossi](https://appshunter.io/developer/328578840) |

## What reviewers say

### Engineering Cookbook

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/engineering-cookbook/id376850735)

A handy reference guide for mechanical designers, offering quick access to essential information on fan basics, system and duct design, motors, heating, refrigeration, and conversion factors.

**Highlights:** Fan Basics, System Design, Duct Design, Motors & Drives, Heating & Refrigeration, Formulas & Conversion Factors

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Steel Profiles

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/steel-profiles/id564614324)

Access a vast library of steel section properties for structural engineers and construction professionals. Browse over 5,000 steel shapes across international standards, compare profiles, and calculate weights. Includes advanced filtering and unit conversion tools.

**Highlights:** Browse 5,000+ steel shapes, Compare up to 3 profiles, Weight calculator with project organization, Advanced property filters, Equivalent section finder, Unit converter

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| AS/NZS | $2.99 | one-time |
| CISC92 | $2.99 | one-time |
| UK | $2.99 | one-time |
| EU | $2.99 | one-time |
| AISC 14 | $2.99 | one-time |
| AISC 16 | $2.99 | one-time |
| All libraries | $6.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Engineering Cookbook free?

Engineering Cookbook is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Steel Profiles free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Engineering Cookbook or Steel Profiles?

Steel Profiles is rated higher. Engineering Cookbook averages 4.5 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while Steel Profiles averages 4.7 from 334 ratings.

### Do Engineering Cookbook or Steel Profiles have ads?

Neither Engineering Cookbook nor Steel Profiles shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Engineering Cookbook or Steel Profiles?

Engineering Cookbook ships an update every 34 months, and Steel Profiles every 10 days. Most recently, Engineering Cookbook was updated on November 1, 2026 and Steel Profiles on November 1, 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.*