W.W. Grainger, Inc. vs Hardware Specialty Co.
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
W.W. Grainger, Inc.
Access industrial supplies and manage inventory on the go. Quickly search for items, check real-time availability at branches, and scan barcodes to add products to your cart. Get expert help and track orders and pending approvals.
- Real-time item availability
- KeepStock inventory management
- Barcode scanning for cart addition
- Branch locator for pickup
- Chat with experts
- Manage pending orders and lists
- Order history tracking
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The Grainger app for iPhone is designed to deliver all that Grainger.com® has to offer no matter where the job takes you. Use the app to quickly narrow down your search, check account pricing, check item availability at a nearby branch, or manage costs with the Grainger KeepStock® inventory management solution. More Real-Time Availability — Get an expected arrival date or find out if your item is available at a nearby branch. KeepStock – Manage, track and control your inventory costs on an agile inventory management system. Barcode Scanning — Scan a product and drop it right into your cart. Find a Branch — Locate your nearest branch for quick pickup. Chat With an Expert — Have questions? Upload a photo and get answers from a specialist on the spot. Pending Orders — Keep track of all the orders waiting for your approval. Lists — Access lists on Grainger.com® for quick reordering. Order History — Check the status of a current order, or go back to previous orders over the last 18 months. It doesn't matter how you ordered. OMS: Simplify your order flows using our Order Management System. Saved for Later: Save away products from your shopping cart if you're not quite ready to buy. Need Help? Contact us at 1-800-472-4643. Grainger, Grainger.com and KeepStock are trademarks of W.W. Grainger, Inc.
Hardware Specialty Co.
This app serves as a distributor for commercial and military fasteners, as well as electronic and electro-mechanical components. It offers managed inventory programs and value-added services, backed by robust quality management systems and extensive product inventory.
- Commercial and military fasteners
- Electronic components
- Electro-mechanical components
- Managed inventory programs
- Value-added services
- Quality assurance facilities
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Hardware Specialty Co., Inc is a leading international distributor of commercial and military fasteners, electronic & electro-mechanical components. Established in 1932 as a small retail store selling mill supplies and fasteners, Hardware Specialty has grown into a global company specializing in Managed Inventory Programs and Value-Added Services. Our AS9120, ISO 9001, and ISO 14001 Quality Management Systems and full-service Quality Assurance facilities coupled with many years of technical sales experience and deep product line inventory ensure our commitment to total customer satisfaction. Together these make Hardware Specialty an unbeatable source for all your fastener and electronic component requirements.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: W.W. Grainger, Inc. at fortnightly against Hardware Specialty Co.'s every 4 months. W.W. Grainger, Inc. also leads on ratings volume (27K vs 1). Hardware Specialty Co.'s advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and rating (5.0 vs 4.8). On price, ads, in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Hardware Specialty Co. holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: W.W. Grainger, Inc. has 27K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.
W.W. Grainger, Inc. ships an update fortnightly, Hardware Specialty Co. every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and July 8, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | W.W. Grainger, Inc. | Hardware Specialty Co. |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (27K ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 65.2% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 27K — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly — better | Every 4 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 15.5 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 93 MB | 71 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | W.W. Grainger, Inc. | Hardware Specialty Co., Inc. |
Customer experience
W.W. Grainger, Inc.
Hardware Specialty Co.
Bugs and requests
W.W. Grainger, Inc.
Reported bugs
4 issues- Orders not showing up in order history
- Repeated crashes and login issues
- Inability to select shipping options for pickup orders
- Inconsistent behavior when adding/removing items from cart
Requested features
4 requests- Ability to search order history and personal lists
- Clearer pricing and shipping cost information
- Improved product details and recommendations
- Seamless integration between app and website
Hardware Specialty Co.
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
W.W. Grainger, Inc.
No in-app purchases
Hardware Specialty Co.
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is W.W. Grainger, Inc. free?
Is Hardware Specialty Co. free?
Which has better reviews, W.W. Grainger, Inc. or Hardware Specialty Co.?
Do W.W. Grainger, Inc. or Hardware Specialty Co. have ads?
Which is updated more often, W.W. Grainger, Inc. or Hardware Specialty Co.?
Other comparisons
