# Piping Abacus vs Vaetrix Hydro App

Piping Abacus and Vaetrix Hydro App both sit at 3.9 stars, but that hides the real split: 92% of Piping Abacus's written reviews are positive against 0% of Vaetrix Hydro App's. Piping Abacus also leads on update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 5 months) and chart position (#153 vs unranked). Vaetrix Hydro App's advantage is price (Free vs $9.99). On rating, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Vaetrix Hydro App is free to download; Piping Abacus costs $9.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 3.9 for Piping Abacus against 4.0 for Vaetrix Hydro App. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 9 and 2 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 92% of Piping Abacus's written reviews are positive against 0% of Vaetrix Hydro App's.

Piping Abacus ships an update every 4 weeks, Vaetrix Hydro App every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Piping Abacus | Vaetrix Hydro App |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $9.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [3.9 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/piping-abacus/id421739105/reviews) | **[4.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vaetrix-hydro-app/id1593529241/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **9** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | **92.3% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 weeks** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#153** | — |
| Size | 5 MB | 7 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 14.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Jean-Paul Lanaux](https://appshunter.io/developer/306486995) | [JM Test Systems Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1477078443) |

## What reviewers say

### Piping Abacus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/piping-abacus/id421739105)

**Currently charting:** #153 Top Paid · Utilities (US App Store)

This app serves as a comprehensive mobile reference for piping information, acting as a digital "Blue Book" for pipe fitters and related professionals. It includes a built-in calculator for on-the-fly computations and offers multiple interfaces for accessing detailed data, quick references, and browsing pipe schedules.

**Highlights:** Comprehensive piping reference database, Integrated calculator for on-the-fly computations, Catalog, Chart, and Wheels interfaces, Detailed fitting and valve information, Support for various units (Imperial/Metric, Decimal/Fraction), Educational information on fitting types and standards

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Wealth of information
- 🚀 Quick access to data
- 👍 Eliminates need for books/charts
- 👍 Useful calculator
- 👍 Easy to use

**What reviewers complain about**

- 👎 Lacks some information
- 👎 Some data not in database
- 👎 Some items in free apps also
- 👎 Calculator store/recall not working
- 👎 Clear button clears everything

**Reported bugs**

- Calculator store and recall functions not working
- Clear button clears everything instead of last input
- Notes display truncated data ('...')
- Background grid lines too visible after update
- Calculator can be glitchy

**Requested features**

- Remove background grid lines
- Update app to remove background grid lines
- Add rolling offset chart
- Add saddle layout
- Add U-BOLT DIMENSIONS


### Vaetrix Hydro App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vaetrix-hydro-app/id1593529241)

Monitor pipeline pressure in real-time with live readings, min/max values, and customizable alarms. View trending graphs and store permanent data records. Easily share reports in PDF format for efficient field distribution and compliance.

**Highlights:** Live pressure monitoring, Min/Max pressure tracking, Customizable pressure alarms, Live trending graph, Data storage and PDF export, Field data distribution

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Piping Abacus free?

Piping Abacus costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Vaetrix Hydro App free?

Vaetrix Hydro App is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Piping Abacus or Vaetrix Hydro App?

Vaetrix Hydro App is rated higher. Piping Abacus averages 3.9 out of 5 from 9 ratings, while Vaetrix Hydro App averages 4.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Piping Abacus or Vaetrix Hydro App have ads?

Neither Piping Abacus nor Vaetrix Hydro App shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Piping Abacus or Vaetrix Hydro App?

Piping Abacus ships an update every 4 weeks, and Vaetrix Hydro App every 5 months. Most recently, Piping Abacus was updated on October 29, 2026 and Vaetrix Hydro App on October 9, 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.*