McMaster vs Hardware Specialty Co.
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
McMaster
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.
- Extensive product catalog
- Order from mobile
- Plant and facility supplies
- Over 800,000 products
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McMaster-Carr is the complete source for everything in your plant. Order over 700,000 products from the palm of your hand. Terms and Conditions: https://www.mcmaster.com/#terms
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 rating: Hardware Specialty Co. at 5.0 against McMaster's 4.3. McMaster's advantage is ratings volume (220 vs 1) and update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 4 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: McMaster has 220 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.
McMaster ships an update every 5 weeks, Hardware Specialty Co. every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on September 17, 2026 and July 8, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | McMaster | Hardware Specialty Co. |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.3 (220 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 68.5% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 220 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks — better | Every 4 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 15.5 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 8 MB | 71 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | McMaster-Carr Supply Company | Hardware Specialty Co., Inc. |
Customer experience
McMaster
Hardware Specialty Co.
Bugs and requests
McMaster
Reported bugs
25 issues- 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
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- Occasionally freezes and doesn't respond to touch
- App is a little buggy
- Latest update won't load
- No estimate of shipping costs before completion of purchase
- App hijacks clicked URLs
- App will not open
- Shows 'No internet connection' when using the app
- Checkout screen has bugs
- Asks to enter ship to address even if shown
- Cannot enter credit card information
- Placing an order is a real pain
- Kept asking for the same things to be entered over and over
- Cart is terrible, no clear way to view items
- Shipping methods don't have predetermined options
- Forward parts request doesn't work
- Cannot save a copy on phone
- App doesn't show saved orders from website
- Missing order history and tracking
- Cannot print item page
- App doesn't show saved orders
Requested features
11 requests- 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
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- Add links for CAD files like on the website
- Add general search functionality
- Add ability to print
- Add order history and tracking
- Add PDF drawing download
- Add access to saved orders
Hardware Specialty Co.
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
McMaster
No in-app purchases
Hardware Specialty Co.
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is McMaster free?
Is Hardware Specialty Co. free?
Which has better reviews, McMaster or Hardware Specialty Co.?
Do McMaster or Hardware Specialty Co. have ads?
Which is updated more often, McMaster or Hardware Specialty Co.?
Other comparisons
