Comparison

Span Calc vs Xylorix Inspector

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

Head to head
About

Span Calc

Calculate maximum horizontal spans for wood joists and rafters using various lumber species and grades. Compares multiple options for common loading conditions based on NDS® standards.

Highlights
  • Calculates joist and rafter spans
  • Supports all softwood and hardwood lumber
  • Uses 2021 NDS® for Wood Construction
  • Compares multiple species and grades
  • Handles common loading conditions
Features
Read full description

The American Wood Council (AWC) Span Calculator for Wood Joists and Rafters (Span Calc) performs calculations for all species and grades of commercially available softwood and hardwood lumber as found in the 2021 National Design Specification® (NDS®) for Wood Construction. Joists and rafter spans for common loading conditions can be determined. A span options calculator allows selection of multiple species and grades for comparison purposes. Supported by the Softwood Lumber Board. Maximum horizontal spans for joists and rafters are calculated based on the following assumptions and conditions: · Joists and rafters are oriented to support vertical loads applied to the narrow (1.5 in. thick) face of the member, resulting in strong-axis bending. · At least three joists or rafters are installed parallel to one another and spaced not more than 24 inches on-center, with properly designed sheathing attached on the top (compression) edge of each joist or rafter. · Joists and rafters are single-span with adequate structural support at each end. The Span Calculator does not address cantilevered joists and rafters, multiple-span joists and rafters, or spliced joists and rafters. · For joists and rafters, most building codes specify a minimum bearing length of 1.5 inches on wood or metal and not less than 3 inches on masonry or concrete. These minimum bearing lengths are to be used in the absence of calculated bearing lengths. Consult the local building code for specific requirements. · Joists and rafters carry only combinations of dead load plus live load (D + L), dead load plus snow load (D + S), or dead load plus roof live load (D + Lr). The Span Calculator does not address wind load or seismic load. · Buildings in regions with ground snow loads greater than 70 psf should not use the prescriptive provisions of the governing building code without approval of the authority having jurisdiction. Buildings in these high snow zones should be designed in accordance with accepted engineering practice. While every effort has been made to insure the accuracy of the information presented, and special effort has been made to assure that the information reflects the state-of-the-art, neither the American Wood Council nor its members assume any responsibility for any particular design prepared from this Span Calculator application. Those using this Span Calculator assume all liability from its use.

About

Xylorix Inspector

This app uses AI to identify wood species from magnified cross-section images. It requires a specific macro lens attachment for accurate results. The identification process is fast and continuously expanding its database.

Highlights
  • AI-driven wood species identification
  • 24x magnified anatomical visual analysis
  • Fast genus/species identification
  • Requires dedicated macro lens attachment
  • Expanding timber species database
Features
Read full description

Xylorix Inspector is an automated macroscopic wood identification mobile app. Given the 24x magnified anatomical visual information of the cross section (end-grain) of a timber, Xylorix Inspector uses its trained artificial intelligence models to identify the timber genus/species in a few seconds.  This application requires our dedicated WIDK-24X01 illuminated macro-lens attached to the phone cameras to perform the task correctly. WIDK-24X01 can be found here: https://www.xylorix.com/products/widk24x01 NOTE 1. This application does not work on non-magnified wood grain surfaces. 2. A 24x visual magnification lens (WIDK-24X01) is required. 3. Only works on cameras with normal focal length only (26mm - 28mm). 4. The number of timber species that can be identified is limited now but is gradually expanding over time.

Screenshots

Span Calc4 screens
Xylorix Inspector4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Span Calc at 3.0 against Xylorix Inspector's 1.3. Span Calc also leads on review sentiment (30% vs 6%) and update cadence (every 10 days vs every 5 weeks). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Span Calc holds the better App Store score, 3.0 against 1.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 16 and 12 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 30% of Span Calc's written reviews are positive against 6% of Xylorix Inspector's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Span Calc ships an update every 10 days, Xylorix Inspector every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Span Calc versus Xylorix Inspector: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSpan CalcXylorix Inspector
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.0 (16 ratings) — better1.3 (12 ratings)
Positive reviews29.6% of reviews — better6.3% of reviews
Number of ratings16 — better12
Update frequencyEvery 10 days — betterEvery 5 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS14.2 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size168 MB64 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperAmerican Wood CouncilAgritix Sdn Bhd

Customer experience

Span Calc

All ratings15 ratings
Positive53.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative46.7%
Written reviews27 reviews
Positive29.6%
Neutral11.1%
Negative59.3%

Xylorix Inspector

All ratings12 ratings
Positive8.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative91.7%
Written reviews16 reviews
Positive6.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative93.8%

In-app purchases

None

Span Calc

No in-app purchases

None

Xylorix Inspector

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Span Calc free?
Span Calc is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Xylorix Inspector free?
Xylorix Inspector is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Span Calc or Xylorix Inspector?
Span Calc is rated higher. Span Calc averages 3.0 out of 5 from 16 ratings, while Xylorix Inspector averages 1.3 from 12 ratings.
Do Span Calc or Xylorix Inspector have ads?
Neither Span Calc nor Xylorix Inspector shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Span Calc or Xylorix Inspector?
Span Calc ships an update every 10 days, and Xylorix Inspector every 5 weeks. Most recently, Span Calc was updated on October 23, 2026 and Xylorix Inspector on October 29, 2026.

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