# McMaster vs Hardware Specialty Co.

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | McMaster | Hardware Specialty Co. |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (220 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mcmaster-carr/id611431035/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hardware-specialty-co/id6445824966/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **220** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 68.5% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 weeks** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 8 MB | 71 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.5 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [McMaster-Carr Supply Company](https://appshunter.io/developer/611431038) | [Hardware Specialty Co., Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1672672272) |

## 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


### Hardware Specialty Co.

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hardware-specialty-co/id6445824966)

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.

**Highlights:** Commercial and military fasteners, Electronic components, Electro-mechanical components, Managed inventory programs, Value-added services, Quality assurance facilities

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is McMaster free?

McMaster is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Hardware Specialty Co. free?

Hardware Specialty Co. is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, McMaster or Hardware Specialty Co.?

Hardware Specialty Co. is rated higher. McMaster averages 4.3 out of 5 from 220 ratings, while Hardware Specialty Co. averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do McMaster or Hardware Specialty Co. have ads?

Neither McMaster nor Hardware Specialty Co. shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, McMaster or Hardware Specialty Co.?

McMaster ships an update every 5 weeks, and Hardware Specialty Co. every 4 months. Most recently, McMaster was updated on September 17, 2026 and Hardware Specialty Co. on July 8, 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.*