Ref Tools vs Carrier® Service Technician
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Ref Tools
This app provides HVACR technicians with essential tools and information for field service. It includes refrigerant calculators, troubleshooting guides, product finders, and access to spare parts. Listen to educational podcasts to enhance your knowledge on the go.
- Refrigerant Slider for P/T calculations
- Solenoid valve coil testing tool
- Refrigeration system troubleshooting guide
- Product data finder
- Spare parts ordering
- Low-GWP refrigerant comparison
- TXV Superheat optimization
- Educational podcasts
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Get the guidance, support, information, and tools you need—on the job and in the field. Ref Tools is a free, powerful app that contains essential tools every HVACR technician needs in their digital toolbelt. Ref Tools offers a collection of useful air conditioning and refrigeration tools: Refrigerant Slider As a featured part of Ref Tools, you get all the features and functionality that made Refrigerant Slider a hit with millions of installers around the world. Quickly calculate pressure/temperature ratios and find essential information on over 80 refrigerants. Magnetic Tool Test and troubleshoot solenoid valve coils quickly and easily. Troubleshooter Get help diagnosing issues in refrigeration systems, so you can quickly identify symptoms and find recommended solutions. Product Finder Find extensive product-related data in one place. Search by product code number or product category to access and share product specifications, documentation, visuals, and more. Spare Parts Access and order an extensive list of Danfoss spare parts and service kits for air conditioning and refrigeration applications. Low-GWP Tool Find and compare climate-friendly refrigerants for retrofitting by checking compatibility with the TXV. TXV Superheat Tuner Optimize superheat in less than 15 minutes. Using advanced algorithms, TXV Superheat Tuner provides valve-specific adjustment recommendations. Podcasts The workday can be full and the road long, so Ref Tools also provides you with some educational entertainment. You can listen to podcasts, including the popular Chilling with Jens podcast, directly in the app. So, take a break and chill out a bit while learning something new about refrigeration. More about Refrigerant Slider Refrigerant Slider, now a part of Ref Tools, helps you quickly calculate the pressure-to-temperature ratio for more than 80 refrigerants, including natural refrigerants such as ammonia and transcritical CO2. Refrigerant Slider also provides you with information about each refrigerant, including Global Warming Potential (GWP) and Ozone Depleting Potential (ODP). You can switch between the IPCC AR4 and AR5 values, where AR4 values are used in relation to the European F-Gas regulations. Refrigerant Slider’s P/T calculations use extended curve–fitting models based on Refprop 10 results. You can also see both dew and bubble point for refrigerants with glide. Streamline your workflow Ref Tools goes beyond just providing quick access to helpful tools; it helps you save time by allowing you to track your most visited service sites and save unique settings for each one. Simplify each service call with ease. Feedback Your input matters – we would love to hear it from you. We're committed to continuously improving Ref Tools to meet your needs. If you encounter a bug or have a feature suggestion, please use the in-app feedback function available in Settings. Alternatively, you can reach us via email at coolapp@danfoss.com. Danfoss Climate Solutions At Danfoss Climate Solutions, we engineer energy-efficient solutions to help the world get more out of less. Our innovative products and solutions enable a decarbonized, digital, and more sustainable tomorrow, and our technology supports a cost-efficient transition to renewable energy sources. With a strong foundation in quality, people, and the climate, we drive the energy, refrigerant, and food system transitions needed to achieve climate goals. Read more about us at www.danfoss.com. Terms and Conditions apply for use of the app.
Carrier® Service Technician
This app helps HVAC/R technicians quickly identify and locate necessary parts for repairs on any equipment, whether for warranty or non-warranty services. It offers advanced tools for troubleshooting, system calculations, and accessing technical documentation, all from the job site.
- AI Assistant for troubleshooting
- System Capacity Calculator
- Intelligent Equipment Search
- Parts Identification & Cross-Reference
- Warranty & Service History Lookup
- Nearest Parts Center Locator
- Technical Literature Access
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Solving challenging HVAC/R problems is your job. Helping you get the right parts, supplies, and equipment—and manage sites in the field—is ours. The Carrier Service Technician app brings residential and commercial technician tools together in one Carrier experience. Whether you’re standing in front of a residential unit or covering commercial sites and equipment, the app is built for how technicians actually work on the job. Use the same Carrier sign-in you already have. Your role and permissions carry over, so you see the sites, equipment, and content you’re authorized to access—no new account, no new password. RESIDENTIAL TECHNICIAN EXPERIENCE Whether it’s warranty repairs for Carrier equipment or non-warranty repairs on any make or brand, the app helps you identify the right part at the job site. On-board GPS helps you find the closest location for parts when you need them. COMMERCIAL TECHNICIAN EXPERIENCE Field-ready tools for commercial sites and equipment—without opening a laptop. Get a quick read on the sites you cover, check equipment status on the spot, and dig into site and equipment details when you need specs and history. Work offline in basement mechanical rooms or on rooftops with no signal; your data caches and syncs when you’re back online. Meet Willis—ask about an alarm code for troubleshooting steps, or search official commercial OEM manuals and pull the section you need so you spend less time in PDFs and more time fixing the unit. KEY FEATURES Residential & field service • AI Assistant (Beta) — Ask technical questions, get support, and troubleshoot using model number inputs • View Customer System Online — Look up customer details with advanced search filters • System Capacity Calculator — Calculate airflow capacity based on job-site conditions and specs • Product Registration — Register equipment quickly from the field • Intelligent Equipment Search — Find equipment by scanning a serial barcode or entering a serial or model number • Parts Identification — Access accurate parts lists for selected equipment • Technical Literature Access — View technical documents with advanced filtering • Warranty & Service History Lookup — Retrieve warranty details and past service history by serial number • Nearest Parts Center Locator — Use GPS to find the closest Carrier Parts Sales Center and get directions • Totaline® Parts Cross-Reference — Find equivalent and compatible parts • Job Management — Create and manage job records and associate parts for future reference • Secure HVACPartners Access — Log in for restricted technical content and documents • Product Catalog — Browse and search the full Carrier product catalog • Technician Training Resources — Access online training modules • Tech Tips Video Library — Watch short, expert-led troubleshooting videos • Interactive Troubleshooting — Step-by-step guided diagnostics • Bluetooth Diagnostics & Firmware Updates — Pair with compatible systems for real-time fault data, performance metrics, and remote firmware updates • NFC Connectivity for Installer Tools — Configure installer settings, retrieve diagnostics, and support service board replacement on supported equipment Commercial field tools • Site View — Quick status across every site you cover • Device Manager — Equipment status when you’re on site • Site & Equipment Details — Specs and history in the field • Offline Mode — Keep working without signal; sync when you’re back online • Willis — Alarm troubleshooting and commercial OEM manual lookup • Faster Field Workflows — Quicker loads and fewer taps for common tasks One app. Same Carrier sign-in. Built for technicians in the field—residential and commercial.
Screenshots
Verdict
Ref Tools and Carrier® Service Technician both sit at 3.9 stars, but that hides the real split: 58% of Ref Tools's written reviews are positive against 32% of Carrier® Service Technician's. Carrier® Service Technician's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 6 weeks). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Carrier® Service Technician holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 3.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 52 and 108 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 58% of Ref Tools's written reviews are positive against 32% of Carrier® Service Technician's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Ref Tools ships an update every 6 weeks, Carrier® Service Technician fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 19, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Ref Tools | Carrier® Service Technician |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.9 (52 ratings) | 4.1 (108 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 57.6% of reviews — better | 32.4% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 52 | 108 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | Fortnightly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 15.1 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 98 MB | 174 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Danfoss A/S | Carrier Corporation |
Customer experience
Ref Tools
Carrier® Service Technician
In-app purchases
Ref Tools
No in-app purchases
Carrier® Service Technician
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Ref Tools free?
Is Carrier® Service Technician free?
Which has better reviews, Ref Tools or Carrier® Service Technician?
Do Ref Tools or Carrier® Service Technician have ads?
Which is updated more often, Ref Tools or Carrier® Service Technician?
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