Comparison

iCircuit vs Ugly's Electrical References

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

Head to head
About

iCircuit

Design and simulate analog and digital electronic circuits in real-time. This app offers a comprehensive component library, built-in test equipment, and the ability to create custom elements. It's ideal for learning, prototyping, and validating designs without physical components.

Highlights
  • Real-time circuit simulation
  • Extensive component library (300+)
  • Built-in test equipment (multimeter, oscilloscope)
  • Programmable Arduino and PIC microcontroller support
  • Custom element creation and sharing
  • Audio simulation
Features
Read full description

iCircuit is the premier iPhone and iPad app for designing, simulating, and learning analog and digital electronics. Its advanced simulation engine provides real-time, always-on analysis so your circuits stay powered and live, just like working with real components. Use it like a CAD tool: add components, wire them up, and set their properties. But iCircuit is unlike typical CAD apps because it is always simulating. You do not stop to take a measurement or spend time configuring reports. Instead, you just play with the circuit as you normally would, with the power on. Build circuits with over 300 components, from simple resistors and LEDs to programmable Arduinos (Uno, Nano, Mega, ESP8266, ESP32), PIC microcontrollers, and 60 4000/7400-series digital ICs (more available with Pro). Connect elements, adjust values, and instantly see the results. BUILT-IN TEST EQUIPMENT • Multimeter: Probe any point to read voltage, current, and power • Oscilloscope: Track multiple signals with touch-controlled time scale, stacked/unstacked views, FFT analysis, and Bode plots • Gauges: Visualize voltages, currents, and frequencies directly in your circuit • Signal generators and configurable sources EXTENSIVE COMPONENT LIBRARY • Programmable Arduinos (Uno, Nano, Mega, ESP8266, ESP32) • Programmable PIC microcontrollers (assembly and HEX files, more available with Pro) • Power: Voltage regulators (78xx, LM317), sources, dependent sources, power jacks, and simulated antennas • Analog: Resistors, capacitors, inductors, diodes, BJTs, MOSFETs, thermistors, triodes, and tetrodes • Digital: Logic gates (AND, OR, NAND, NOR, XOR), JK and D flip-flops, and 60 4000/7400-series ICs (180+ available with Pro) • ADCs and DACs • Sensors and displays: LEDs, 7-segment, NeoPixels, matrix displays, thermistors • Electromechanical: Motors, servos, SPST/SPDT and DPST/DPDT switches, push buttons, relays, and speakers CREATE CUSTOM ELEMENTS Build sub-circuits and custom elements to componentize your designs and create reusable modules. Share your custom elements with others via the iCircuit Gallery. AUDIO SIMULATION Hear your circuits. Speakers, buzzers, and microphones produce real audio output. Perfect for students learning electronics, hobbyists prototyping projects, and engineers validating designs, all without burning out a single component. ABOUT ICIRCUIT PRO (OPTIONAL) iCircuit is a complete app with a one-time purchase. iCircuit Pro is optional and adds extra components (including more PICs and a larger 4000/7400 IC library) and helps fund ongoing development. Pro is not required for core simulation or everyday circuit design. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Ugly's Electrical References

This app provides electricians and electrical professionals with up-to-date digital information based on the National Electrical Code. It includes formulas, wiring diagrams, conduit bending guides, and calculators for various electrical calculations. The app is designed for on-the-job reference and works offline.

Highlights
  • NEC 2026 updates
  • Mathematical formulas and calculators
  • Conduit bending guide with videos
  • Ampacity and conduit fill information
  • Wiring diagrams
  • Conversion tables
  • Works offline
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

The Ugly's Electrical References App has been updated to reflect changes to the 2026 National Electrical Code (NEC) and the 2026 Edition of our popular Ugly’s Electrical References book. The Ugly’s App offers the most pertinent, up-to-date digital information for electricians, including table change information, mathematical formulas; National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) wiring configurations; a conduit bending guide with videos, ampacity and conduit fill information, transformer and control circuit wiring diagrams, and conversion tables. The 2026 Edition: * Reflects changes to the 2026 NEC * Features expanded coverage of the following topics: * Full-load currents for 3-phase transformers  * Maximum number of conductors in electrical metallic tubing for trade sizes 5 and 6  * Equipment grounding conductors  * General lighting loads for non-dwelling occupancies  * Overview of important NEC code changes from 2020, 2023 and 2026  Electricians and electrical professionals have used ‘Ugly’s Electrical References’ book as their on-the-job reference for over 35 years. This app will serve you even better in the field today.  FEATURING Calculators and Interactive Features • Ohm’s Law Calculator • Voltage Drop Calculator • Ampacity Calculator • To Find: Amps, Watts, Horsepower, KVA • To Find: Inductance, Impedance, Reactance • Three-phase AC Motor Data: Starter, Breaker, Heater, Wire, and Conduit Size • Power Factor Correction • Full Load Current for Motors and Transformers • Locked-Rotor Current Calculator • Offset Bending Calculator • Conduit Fill Calculator • Conversions for Area, Length, Temperature, Time, Volume, and Weight • NEMA Wiring Configurations *Pinch & Zoom for improved readability *Conduit Bending Video Tutorials *Search function helps you quickly find what you need to know *NEC Updater outlines and explains changes to the National Electrical Code© *Electrical Safety including definitions, boundaries, procedures, PPE guidance, and life-saving *First aid procedures *Blueprint symbol identifier *Bookmark your commonly used screens *High-definition images and interactive tables that can be zoomed in for detail *Works offline *Great for electricians, students, engineers, contractors, maintenance workers, and military Interested in a buying more than one copy of the Ugly’s Electrical Reference app for your commercially owned devices? Please email info[at]uglys[dot]net for details on volume purchases. Privacy Policy - http://www.jblearning.com/privacy/ Terms of Service - http://www.jblearning.com/use/ Support – http://www.uglys.net/appsupport The Ugly’s Electrical Reference app is part of the popular Ugly’s Professional Reference® series, which is an imprint of Jones & Bartlett Learning. National Electrical Code and NFPA 70 are registered trademarks of the National Fire Protection Agency and are not associated with Ugly’s Electrical References in any way.

Screenshots

iCircuit4 screens
Ugly's Electrical References4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Ugly's Electrical References at 4.4 against iCircuit's 3.8. Ugly's Electrical References also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ratings volume (1.5K vs 134). iCircuit's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months) and review sentiment (61% vs 47%). On price, ads, monetization model 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

iCircuit costs $12.99 and Ugly's Electrical References $12.99 up front. iCircuit sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Ugly's Electrical References asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Ugly's Electrical References holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Ugly's Electrical References has 1.5K ratings behind it against 134, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 61% of iCircuit's written reviews are positive against 47% of Ugly's Electrical References's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

iCircuit ships an update every 3 weeks, Ugly's Electrical References every 3 months. Both last shipped on September 27, 2026.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
iCircuit versus Ugly's Electrical References: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameteriCircuitUgly's Electrical References
Price$12.99$12.99
Rating3.8 (134 ratings)4.4 (1.5K ratings) — better
Positive reviews61.1% of reviews — better47.1% of reviews
Number of ratings1341.5K — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 3 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationPaidPaid
Best chart rank—#10 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS12.2 — better17
Further details — not scored
Size126 MB63 MB
Age rating4+9+
DeveloperKrueger Systems, Inc.Informed Publishing

Customer experience

iCircuit

All ratings134 ratings
Positive67.9%
Neutral4.5%
Negative27.6%
Written reviews682 reviews
Positive61.1%
Neutral12.6%
Negative26.2%

Ugly's Electrical References

All ratings1,495 ratings
Positive84.9%
Neutral5.7%
Negative9.4%
Written reviews172 reviews
Positive47.1%
Neutral16.9%
Negative36.0%

User reviews

iCircuit

From 134 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Great for learning and testing
  • 👍 Intuitive and easy to use
  • 💡 Programmable Arduino integration
  • 👍 Useful for hobbyists and students

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Buggy and crashes frequently
  • 🔧 Difficult to edit and delete components
  • 🔧 Limited component library
  • 🔧 Inaccurate simulation results in some cases

Ugly's Electrical References

From 1.5K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Quick reference
  • 👍 Helpful for apprentices and journeymen
  • 👍 Convenient to have on phone
  • 👍 Useful calculators
  • 👍 Great resource

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Videos/audio not working
  • 🐛 Bookmarking issues
  • 🐛 Glitchy navigation
  • 🐛 Difficult to find information
  • 🐛 Annoying review pop-up

Bugs and requests

iCircuit

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Oscilloscope and meter functions not working properly
  • Saving and loading circuits can be unreliable
  • Inconsistent behavior when rotating/flipping components
  • Crashes when working with larger or more complex circuits

Requested features

5 requests
  • More components (e.g. transformers, triodes, MOSFETs)
  • Ability to create custom components
  • Frequency domain analysis (Bode plots, FFT)
  • Improved wiring and component placement controls
  • Better support for AC circuits and motors

Ugly's Electrical References

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Videos not playing
  • Bookmarks not working correctly
  • Navigation issues causing app crashes
  • Incorrect calculation results

Requested features

5 requests
  • Zoom functionality
  • Better search capabilities
  • Spanish language support
  • Offline access to full content
  • Improved bookmarking system

In-app purchases

2 purchases

iCircuit

Subscriptions2
  • iCircuit Pro (Monthly)$1.991 Month
  • iCircuit Pro (Yearly)$14.991 Year
None

Ugly's Electrical References

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is iCircuit free?
iCircuit costs $12.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Ugly's Electrical References free?
Ugly's Electrical References costs $12.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, iCircuit or Ugly's Electrical References?
Ugly's Electrical References is rated higher. iCircuit averages 3.8 out of 5 from 134 ratings, while Ugly's Electrical References averages 4.4 from 1.5K ratings.
Do iCircuit or Ugly's Electrical References have ads?
Neither iCircuit nor Ugly's Electrical References shows ads.
Which is updated more often, iCircuit or Ugly's Electrical References?
iCircuit ships an update every 3 weeks, and Ugly's Electrical References every 3 months. Most recently, iCircuit was updated on September 27, 2026 and Ugly's Electrical References on September 27, 2026.

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