# iCircuit vs Ugly's Electrical References

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.

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.

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.

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

## The numbers

| Metric | iCircuit | Ugly's Electrical References |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $12.99 | $12.99 |
| Rating | [3.8 (134 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/icircuit/id383359044/reviews) | **[4.4 (1.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/uglys-electrical-references/id1134770838/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 134 | **1.5K** |
| Positive reviews | **61.1% of reviews** | 47.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | **#10** |
| Size | 126 MB | 63 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.2** | 17 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Krueger Systems, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/299293363) | [Informed Publishing](https://appshunter.io/developer/351739093) |

## What reviewers say

### iCircuit

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/icircuit/id383359044)

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:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| iCircuit Pro (Monthly) | $1.99 | per month |
| iCircuit Pro (Yearly) | $14.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

- 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

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/uglys-electrical-references/id1134770838)

**Currently charting:** #10 Top Paid · Productivity (US App Store)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

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

**Requested features**

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


## Frequently asked 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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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*