# McMaster vs Harbor Freight Tools

The clearest difference is rating: Harbor Freight Tools at 4.8 against McMaster's 4.3. Harbor Freight Tools also leads on ratings volume (235K vs 220) and review sentiment (93% vs 68%). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Harbor Freight Tools holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Harbor Freight Tools has 235K ratings behind it against 220, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 68% of McMaster's written reviews are positive against 93% of Harbor Freight Tools's.

McMaster ships an update every 5 weeks, Harbor Freight Tools monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | McMaster | Harbor Freight Tools |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (220 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mcmaster-carr/id611431035/reviews) | **[4.8 (235K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/harbor-freight-tools/id1533833273/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 220 | **235K** |
| Positive reviews | 68.5% of reviews | **93.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | — | **#87** |
| Size | 8 MB | 43 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [McMaster-Carr Supply Company](https://appshunter.io/developer/611431038) | [Harbor Freight Tools](https://appshunter.io/developer/1533833275) |

## What reviewers say

### McMaster

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mcmaster-carr/id611431035)

Access a vast catalog of industrial and maintenance supplies from your mobile device. Browse and order over 800,000 products for your plant and facility needs.

**Highlights:** Extensive product catalog, Order from mobile, Plant and facility supplies, Over 800,000 products

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use and navigate
- 🚀 Fast search and filtering
- 💡 Excellent catalog and product descriptions
- ⭐ Great company and customer service
- 📦 Quick shipping and delivery

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App is broken/only header loads
- 🐛 App freezes and becomes unresponsive
- 🐛 Navigation is confusing and awkward
- 🐛 App is not phone-friendly
- 🐛 Font size cannot be increased

**Reported bugs**

- Payment method stays loading indefinitely
- Only header loads
- App is broken
- Navigation tools are in awkward locations and don't work half the time
- Screen shifts slightly

**Requested features**

- Re-optimize app for phone use
- Add Apple Pay as a payment option
- Add a toolbar or ribbon for easier navigation
- Make navigation buttons at the top left like other apps
- Add a "is this page helpful?" link


### Harbor Freight Tools

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/harbor-freight-tools/id1533833273)

**Currently charting:** #87 Top Free · Shopping (US App Store)

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:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

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

**Requested features**

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


## Frequently asked questions

### Is McMaster free?

McMaster 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, McMaster or Harbor Freight Tools?

Harbor Freight Tools is rated higher. McMaster averages 4.3 out of 5 from 220 ratings, while Harbor Freight Tools averages 4.8 from 235K ratings.

### Do McMaster or Harbor Freight Tools have ads?

Neither McMaster nor Harbor Freight Tools shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, McMaster or Harbor Freight Tools?

McMaster ships an update every 5 weeks, and Harbor Freight Tools monthly. Most recently, McMaster was updated on October 12, 2026 and Harbor Freight Tools on October 16, 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.*