Comparison

Lowe's Home Improvement vs Harbor Freight Tools

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

Head to head
About

Lowe's Home Improvement

Shop thousands of home improvement products on the go, with features like augmented reality product previews, in-store aisle locations, and mobile check-in for store pickup. Pros can access exclusive business tools.

Highlights
  • Augmented reality product visualization
  • In-store aisle and shelf location finder
  • Mobile check-in for store pickup
  • Exclusive Pro experience features
  • Customer ratings and reviews
  • Weekly deals and promotions
  • Order and purchase history tracking
Features
Read full description

Lowe’s Knows Home Improvement Whether you’re a Pro or have a DIY project on your mind, our app lets you search and shop thousands of products— anytime, on the go. NEW! EXCLUSIVE PRO EXPERIENCE A new experience just for Pros is here. Simply sign in with your Pro account and get access to all the Lowe’s for Pros features that make running your business easier. AISLE & SHELF INFO See aisle and shelf information right on the list page—so you know where to go in store. Plus, toggle with a switch to shop only at your preferred Lowe’s store. MOBILE CHECK-IN FOR STORE PICKUP Track your pickup order in real time on the home screen. When it’s ready, check in to let the store know you’re on the way so they can have your order waiting. VIEW IN YOUR SPACE See a product in your space before you buy, with augmented reality. Using your phone’s camera, scan the room and drop the product in your space to see it to scale. STORE FINDER Find the store that’s nearest to you along with the phone number, address, directions and drive time estimates. Plus, set your preferred store to get inventory, product locations and pricing*. *Remember to allow location services to get the most accurate information available. INBOX Get messages with special coupons, deals and exclusive promotions sent right to you. WEEKLY DEALS Check the weekly ad for deals at your preferred store. View page by page or by department. CUSTOMER RATINGS & REVIEWS Read what other users are saying about appliances, tools, home décor and beyond! Plus, write your own reviews and easily upload images. COMMUNITY Q & A Ask questions and get answers directly from manufacturers or other customers. QUICK LIST & LISTS Create a Quick List to keep projects organized. Tap the heart on any product page, scan a barcode, or type notes to add to your list—no sign in required. ORDER & PURCHASE HISTORY Keep track of pending and completed orders all in one place.

About

Harbor Freight Tools

Discover the latest coupons, instant savings, and exclusive deals for members. Browse tools, check local stock, and create wish lists. Scan barcodes in-store for more product information.

Highlights
  • Latest coupons and instant savings
  • Inside Track Club member deals
  • Browse tools and watch videos
  • Check in-stock availability
  • Create and sync wish lists
  • Barcode/QR scanner for product info
Features
Currently charting
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HARBOR FREIGHT COUPONS Find the latest coupons, instant savings, Inside Track Club member deals, and more with the Harbor Freight Tools app.   SHOP Browse the latest tools, watch them in action with our Harbor Freight videos, check in-stock availability in your area, and create a wish list for your next in-store visit. You can also use the Barcode/QR scanner in-store to quickly learn more about our tools.   ACCOUNT ACCESS Sign in to your Harbor Freight Tools account and sync your product wish list across different devices.   INSIDE TRACK CLUB MEMBERS Stay up to date with all the latest Inside Track Club Member deals. Save your Inside Track Club deals to your wish list for your next in-store visit.   ABOUT US Harbor Freight Tools is America's leading retailer of quality tools at the lowest prices. Harbor Freight carries over 7,000 products, specializing in air compressors, automotive tools, drills, generators, hand tools, saws, tool storage, welding supplies, wrenches, and more. Most Harbor Freight products are sourced directly from manufacturers and are all tested in our own quality assurance facility in the United States. Harbor Freight is known for our compellingly low prices on quality tools, all of which meet, or beat, the quality of the brand name competitors.   Harbor Freight has over 1600+ stores nationwide. Our Harbor Freight Tools stores stock a full selection of hardware, tools, and accessories in categories including automotive, air and power tools, storage, outdoor power equipment, generators, welding supplies, shop equipment, hand tools, and more. All of Harbor Freight’s hand tools come with a lifetime warranty.   Whatever you do, do it for less at Harbor Freight.   FAQ Have questions or feedback? Email us at: appcs@harborfreight.com

Screenshots

Lowe's Home Improvement4 screens
Harbor Freight Tools4 screens

Verdict

The call

Lowe's Home Improvement and Harbor Freight Tools both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 93% of Harbor Freight Tools's written reviews are positive against 45% of Lowe's Home Improvement's. Harbor Freight Tools also leads on iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.0). Lowe's Home Improvement's advantage is update cadence (every 6 days vs monthly) and ratings volume (1.9M vs 238K). On price, rating, 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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Lowe's Home Improvement against 4.8 for Harbor Freight Tools. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Lowe's Home Improvement has 1.9M ratings behind it against 238K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 45% of Lowe's Home Improvement's written reviews are positive against 93% of Harbor Freight Tools's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Lowe's Home Improvement ships an update every 6 days, Harbor Freight Tools monthly. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
Lowe's Home Improvement versus Harbor Freight Tools: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLowe's Home ImprovementHarbor Freight Tools
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (1.9M ratings)4.8 (238K ratings) — better
Positive reviews44.8% of reviews92.9% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1.9M — better238K
Update frequencyEvery 6 days — betterMonthly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
Best chart rank#28 — better#85
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS17.015.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size335 MB43 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperLowe's Companies, Inc.Harbor Freight Tools

Customer experience

Lowe's Home Improvement

All ratings1,934,668 ratings
Positive94.8%
Neutral2.1%
Negative3.1%
Written reviews3,368 reviews
Positive44.8%
Neutral8.9%
Negative46.3%

Harbor Freight Tools

All ratings236,866 ratings
Positive96.9%
Neutral2.3%
Negative0.8%
Written reviews4,014 reviews
Positive92.9%
Neutral3.1%
Negative3.9%

User reviews

Lowe's Home Improvement

From 1.9M App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Helpful staff and customer service
  • 🚀 Convenient online ordering and curbside pickup
  • 💡 Detailed product information and store locations
  • 🛒 Ability to create shopping lists

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Inaccurate inventory and product availability information
  • 🔍 Poor search functionality and navigation
  • 📱 Buggy and unreliable mobile app experience
  • 🕰️ Slow and inconsistent delivery/pickup times

Harbor Freight Tools

From 238K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Easy to use
  • 👍 Helpful customer service
  • 💡 Exclusive app-only deals
  • 🚀 Intuitive search
  • 👍 Instruction manuals included

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Constant logout issues
  • 🐛 Refreshes when switching apps
  • 🐛 Inaccurate in-store inventory
  • 🔍 Missing product listings
  • 👎 Frustrating navigation when viewing items

Bugs and requests

Lowe's Home Improvement

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • App crashes and login issues
  • Incorrect order status and delivery information
  • Inability to update or cancel orders through the app

Requested features

4 requests
  • Improved search filters and sorting options
  • Real-time inventory updates and availability notifications
  • Seamless integration between online and in-store experiences
  • Ability to easily manage and share shopping lists

Harbor Freight Tools

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Constant logout issues
  • Refreshes when switching apps
  • Inaccurate in-store inventory
  • Navigation issues when viewing items

Requested features

3 requests
  • Ability to link account and sync 'My List'
  • Display aisle locations for items
  • Improved offline functionality and caching

In-app purchases

None

Lowe's Home Improvement

No in-app purchases

None

Harbor Freight Tools

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Lowe's Home Improvement free?
Lowe's Home Improvement is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Harbor Freight Tools free?
Harbor Freight Tools is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Lowe's Home Improvement or Harbor Freight Tools?
Harbor Freight Tools is rated higher. Lowe's Home Improvement averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.9M ratings, while Harbor Freight Tools averages 4.8 from 238K ratings.
Do Lowe's Home Improvement or Harbor Freight Tools have ads?
Neither Lowe's Home Improvement nor Harbor Freight Tools shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Lowe's Home Improvement or Harbor Freight Tools?
Lowe's Home Improvement ships an update every 6 days, and Harbor Freight Tools monthly. Most recently, Lowe's Home Improvement was updated on November 6, 2026 and Harbor Freight Tools on November 6, 2026.
Which is more popular, Lowe's Home Improvement or Harbor Freight Tools?
Lowe's Home Improvement currently peaks at #28 in the App Store charts, and Harbor Freight Tools at #85. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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