Ref Tools vs Fixture Unit Calc Plumb
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.
Fixture Unit Calc Plumb
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Fixture Unit Calculator helps you calculate Water Supply Fixture Units (WSFU) and Drainage Fixture Units (DFU) per the printed IPC tables — DFU per Table 709.1 and WSFU per Appendix E Table E103.3(2). Instantly determine total fixture load for any residential or commercial plumbing system to size water supply and drainage pipes correctly. Works 100% offline on the job site. Calculate fixture units in seconds instead of manually referencing code tables - reduce errors, speed up designs, ensure full code compliance. FEATURES - 26 Fixture Rows straight from the printed tables: bathroom groups (flush tank and flushometer), water closets (private/public, tank/valve), lavatories (private/public), bathtubs, showers (private/public), urinals (tank and 3/4" flushometer), kitchen/bar/service sinks, mop basins, laundry trays, clothes washers (private/public), dishwashers, bidets, drinking fountains, floor drains, and hose bibbs - Dual Fixture Units: Calculate both WSFU (water supply) and DFU (drainage) simultaneously - Printed Code Values: DFU per IPC Table 709.1; WSFU (total hot+cold) per Appendix E Table E103.3(2) with occupancy and supply control called out in every row - Increment/Decrement Counters: Easily add or remove fixtures one at a time with plus/minus buttons - Real-Time Totals: See total WSFU and DFU update instantly as you add fixtures - Fixture Icons: Visual identification of fixture types for quick navigation - Quick Input: Enter quantities directly or use counters for fast calculations HOW IT WORKS 1. Browse the 26 fixture rows (bathroom groups, toilets, sinks, showers, urinals, etc.) 2. Use counters to add the quantity of each fixture in your project 3. App instantly calculates total WSFU and DFU values 4. Use WSFU for water supply pipe sizing calculations 5. Use DFU for drainage pipe sizing calculations PERFECT FOR - Plumbers sizing supply and drainage systems for new construction - Journeyman plumbers and apprentices learning fixture units - Plumbing contractors and estimators calculating material requirements - Remodel plumbers adding fixtures to existing systems - Mechanical estimators and engineers - Plumbing inspectors verifying system design OPTIONAL PRO UPGRADE — $2.99 ONE-TIME IN-APP PURCHASE The following features require a separate one-time in-app purchase. They are not required to use the calculator: • Unlimited saved calculation history • PDF export of results • Dark theme • Ad-free experience STANDARDS & COMPLIANCE DFU values follow the printed IPC Table 709.1; WSFU values follow the printed IPC Appendix E Table E103.3(2) (total hot+cold, by occupancy and supply control). Values are identical across IPC 2018/2021/2024. Fixtures not listed in the printed tables (hose bibb, bar sink) are assigned by comparison as the code note instructs. Always confirm with your local code official. PERFECT FOR - Professional plumbers and contractors - Journeyman and apprentice plumbers - Mechanical engineers and estimators - Plumbing inspectors - Building contractors - Plumbing educators and students OFFLINE & PRIVACY - Works 100% offline - calculate fixture units anywhere on the job site - No account required - immediate access without signup - No data collection - all calculations stored locally - No internet dependency or cloud sync Part of PlumbTools Suite - professional plumbing calculators and code reference tools. Calculate fixture units accurately, size systems faster, and ensure full IPC 2024 compliance with instant fixture unit calculations.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Ref Tools at Free against Fixture Unit Calc Plumb's $0.99. Ref Tools also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). Fixture Unit Calc Plumb's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On update cadence 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
Ref Tools is free to download; Fixture Unit Calc Plumb costs $0.99 up front. Fixture Unit Calc Plumb sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Ref Tools asks for nothing beyond the download.
Ref Tools ships an update every 5 weeks, Fixture Unit Calc Plumb every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and September 17, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Ref Tools | Fixture Unit Calc Plumb |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $0.99 |
| Rating | 3.9 (52 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 57.6% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 52 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 13.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 98 MB | 33 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Danfoss A/S | Rizvan Adzhoian |
Bugs and requests
Ref Tools
Reported bugs
27 issues- CRASHED instantly on Mac Mini M4
- App won’t open on iPhone
- App flashes up and disappears
- Cannot open app
- Immediately shuts off since recent release
Show 22 moreShow fewer
- Crash au lancement since update
- Will not save to Home Screen
- Incorrect PT Charting for r134a
- Information doesn’t slide down
- Crashes on iOS12.1.4
- App won’t open since previous update
- List of refrigerants shifted upwards on iPhone 10
- Stuck on R134a, needs update for current iOS
- R744A only goes to 60 psi
- Scale did not go low enough for deep vacuum
- Missing R22 on Apple version
- Missing R717 (Ammonia)
- Missing R-22
- Missing R124a
- No longer lists Ammonia
- Missing Refrigerants since app update
- Missing Ammonia and CO2
- r410a is missing since update
- Removed r22, 410a, and 407c
- Refrigerants missing now
- Removed slider for ammonia
- Scale doesn't go into vacuum
Requested features
18 requests- More residential AC information
- Troubleshooter for Residential & Commercial
- Add SP22 refrigerant
- Add R-11 refrigerant
- Add R-123 range down to 40 degrees
Show 13 moreShow fewer
- Add R744 and R744A to 0 psia
- Scale to go lower for R-123 vacuum
- Add R410a
- Add R407c
- Add R404A
- Add R22
- Add R124a
- Add Ammonia
- Add CO2
- Add R717 (Ammonia)
- Scale going higher on CO2
- Setting for high altitude
- Scale to go into vacuum
Fixture Unit Calc Plumb
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Ref Tools
No in-app purchases
Fixture Unit Calc Plumb
- Pro Unlock$2.99
Questions
Is Ref Tools free?
Is Fixture Unit Calc Plumb free?
Do Ref Tools or Fixture Unit Calc Plumb have ads?
Which is updated more often, Ref Tools or Fixture Unit Calc Plumb?
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