Lineman Guide vs Lineman's Reference
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Lineman Guide
This app provides essential reference material for lineworkers, including detailed information, charts, and how-to guides on transformers, rigging, knots, and rope capacities. It features practical calculators and covers various electrical formulas and safety standards.
- Transformer information and connection diagrams
- Rigging calculations and definitions
- Extensive knot library with capacities
- Electrical formulas and charts
- Utility pole weights
- Minimum approach distances
Read full descriptionHide full description
DETAILS A must-have for all lineworkers. Detailed information, charts, pictures and how-to’s for transformers, rigging, knots, rope capacities and many more. Created by a Journeyman lineman, this app is useful for lineman and apprentices. Calculators: Load angle factor, gin loading and guy formulas. HOME SCREEN Knots & Rope Capacities Rigging Transformers Useful Information Linemantrainer.com Danger Men, Half Million Volt Workers video KNOTS Blood knot, bowline on a bight, bowline, clove, double sheet bend, Farrimond friction hitch, figure 8, grapevine, lanyard, Lineman’s loop, monkey fist, Prusik, running bowline, sheet bend, snubbing knot, square knot, taut-line hitch. KNOT TABLES Knot Break Strength MBS and SWL of Nylon Rope RIGGING Sling Load Calculation; Sling Angles, Sling Tension and Gin Loading definition and formulas; Block Load Angle Factor UTILITY POLE WEIGHTS Cedar, fir and pine WIRE ROPE AND CABLE Line Angle Change Multiplication Factor Efficiencies of Tucked or Hand-Spliced Eyes Rope Reduction Replacement WLL of Wire Slings Wire Sling Capacities in Tons MBS and SWL of Bright wire Sling Load Angle Factors Chart 5,000lbsNylon Web Sling Ratings 6,000lbs Nylon Web Sling Ratings 8,000lbs Nylon Web Sling Ratings TRANSFORMERS Paralleling Coils Line to Neutral, Line to Line Voltage Chart Electrical Distribution Systems Chart Insulation Class and Temperature Rise Single Phase Transformers FLC Three Phase Transformers FLC TRANSFORMER CONNECTIONS Delta-Delta 0 Degree Displacement Delta-Delta 180 Degree Displacement Delta-Wye 210 Degree Displacement Delta-Wye 30 Degree Displacement Open-Delta, Open-Delta Lighter Open-Wye, Open-Delta Lighter Option1 Open-Wye, Open-Delta Lighter Option2 Paralleling Transformers Wye-Delta 210 Degree Displacement Wye-Delta 30 Degree Displacement Wye-Wye 0 Degree Displacement Wye-Wye 180 Degree Displacement USEFUL INFORMATION Voltage Regulation Standards Wire Size and Amp Rating Ampacities of Insulated Conductors Ampacity Correction for Temperatures Three Wire Residential Allowable Ampacities Conductor Formulas General Formulas Guy formulas MINIMUM APPROACH DISTANCES AC Live-line MAD Altitude correction factor ELECTRICAL FORMULAS Ohm’s Law AC/DC Formulas AC Efficiency and Power Factor Electrical Measurement Electrical Quantities & Symbols Voltage Drop Chart NOTES: This app is for reference purposes only. No responsibility is accepted for incidents arising from the use of this material.
Lineman's Reference
This interactive simulator allows users to study and learn transformer connections. Test your wiring with various meters, and experience consequences of improper connections. Includes reference diagrams, informational material, and a quiz mode to test knowledge.
- Transformer connection simulation
- Volt, ohm, and rotation meters
- Abnormal voltage and fuse explosion simulation
- Transformer nameplate and coil inspection
- Quick reference diagrams
- Informational reading material
- Quiz and advanced quiz modes
Read full descriptionHide full description
Learn it. Wire it. Energize it. Check your work. Built by a working journeyman lineman for linemen and their apprentices. The XFMR Lab simulates distribution transformer banks driven by your own wiring — the metering, fusing, and faulting all behave the way you'd expect in the field. NEW IN 2.0 — BUILT-IN TRANSFORMER TRAINING (Replacing XFMR INFO) Six guided lessons take you from "what's a transformer?" to wiring a 3-pot bank: • Start Here — What is a Transformer? • Dual H Bushings — The Two Wirings & the Nameplate • The Tap Changer — One Pot, Multiple System Voltages • Three-Phase — The Three Phases and How They're Related • Bank Identification — Delta or Wye, Open or Closed • Your First Bank: Delta-Wye Closed (120/208) • More lessons on the way! Work the lessons in order, or jump straight to the labs. ALSO NEW IN 2.0 • The Sandbox (Beta) — wire anything from scratch in a COMPLETELY-customizable lab, with live, vector-based voltage and fault logic baked in. • Death Traps — scenario-based transformer traps linemen run into — and how to navigate them safely. • A brand-new look across every lab — new graphics, sharper, faster, & easier to read in the field. • Voltmeter you can now drag with two fingers; readings update as the leads move. • Parallel the secondary coils by hand in wye secondary labs • Stats that track lab completions, quiz scoring and for-fun stuff like the number of fuses you've blown. • User Customizations - the user can now alter the spec of their labs; from grounding to parallel coil cutover-direction, requiring the 4th cutout, tap changer implementation and more. • 2.0 is FREE for everyone who already owns XFMR Lab — thank you for years of feedback and encouragement. WHAT YOU GET Single Phase — Single Bushing · Dual Bushing Three Phase (closed) — Delta-Delta · Delta-Wye · Wye-Delta · Wye-Wye Three Phase (open) — Open Delta-Delta · Open Wye-Delta Misc — Paralleling · 4th Cutout · Death Traps (6 Scenarios) Advanced — Straight 480 · 240/480 · 277/480 · Corner-Grounded 240/480 · Wye-Wye 5-Wire (120/240 + 120/208) - all now able to be wired up Wye AND Delta on the topside The Sandbox (Beta) EVERY FUTURE UPDATE IS FREE - THE APP IS A ONE-TIME PURCHASE. I'm always working on new updates. TOOLS & REFERENCE • Volt, ohm and rotation meters with real behavior • Nameplate, secondary coil and tap changer animations • Reference diagrams for every standard bank Learning Mode walks apprentices through every wrong-connection check. Journeymen and experienced users can keep this turned off if they'd like. QUIZZES • Classic Quiz — Select each lab you want in your quiz - with graded scoring across each lab. • Advanced Quiz — You're provided with the job-site info and need to pick the right nameplate and coil setup, then wire it. • Bank ID - A beginner's quiz tied into the new XFMR Training lesson plan. The user is provided with different primary and secondary wirings and must correctly identify them. Used by 30,000+ linemen since 2021. Questions? Suggestions? Reach me at info@digitalapprentice.net
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Lineman Guide at $4.99 against Lineman's Reference's $19.99. Lineman Guide also leads on iOS requirement (12.4 vs 16.0). Lineman's Reference's advantage is rating (4.6 vs 2.9) and update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 52 months). On 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
Lineman Guide costs $4.99 and Lineman's Reference $19.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Lineman's Reference holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 2.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Lineman's Reference has 307 ratings behind it against 22, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 40% of Lineman Guide's written reviews are positive against 62% of Lineman's Reference's.
Lineman Guide ships an update every 52 months, Lineman's Reference every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Lineman Guide | Lineman's Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4.99 — better | $19.99 |
| Rating | 2.9 (22 ratings) | 4.6 (307 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 40.0% of reviews | 62.2% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 22 | 307 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 52 months | Every 4 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Free — better |
| Best chart rank | #99 | #8 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 12.4 — better | 16.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 20 MB | 65 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Stephanie Buchanan | Digital Apprentice LLC |
Customer experience
Lineman Guide
Lineman's Reference
Bugs and requests
Lineman Guide
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Lineman's Reference
Reported bugs
33 issues- Tutorial loop
- Lines not connecting
- Cannot wire up all banks
- WYE Delta is wrong
- Cannot bus secondary x2 to x2 bushing for delta secondaries
Show 28 moreShow fewer
- Cannot select subtractive transformers
- Wiring on X bushings not to exact phase
- H2 to neutral connection issues
- WYE Delta bank gives wrong voltage read
- Fuse blows when attaching case grounds in delta secondary
- Wrong wiring in diagram for 277/480 Wye/Wye bank
- HV on transformer name plate is wrong
- Shows wrong connection with right hook up
- Paralleling cans connection issue
- Voltmeter does not work
- Cannot drop leads to voltmeter on bottom two phases
- No option to select transformers
- No option for primary voltage
- No 277/480 option
- No additive/subtractive options
- Cannot pick secondary and primary side voltages
- App tells user bank is wrong when it's correct
- App incorrectly identifies bank type
- Cannot put voltmeter on C phase secondary leads in horizontal screen
- Cannot create 277/480 and straight 480 banks
- Cannot manually parallel secondary windings
- Lines too close to bottom of screen
- Cannot look back at bank during quiz
- High side H2 tied to ground in WYE delta
- Only allows 120/240 or 120/208 hookups
- Voltmeter not reading correctly when paralleling
- App says something is wrong but doesn't specify correction
- App keeps blowing doors on a correct connection
Requested features
23 requests- Ability to build own banks
- Add tap changer settings
- Add vector charts
- Add more labs with different scenarios
- Create your own bank option
Show 18 moreShow fewer
- Add a WYE bank that stays in series
- Add hints button
- Add power banks
- Add single bushing pots
- Add 480 banks
- Include transformers of different polarities
- Add 4th cutout to WYE delta banks
- Add additive and subtractive transformers
- Select transformers from a list
- Tie three phase secondary legs on open secondary lines
- Add lighter bank category
- Expand into metering
- Add open delta WYE bank
- Practice drawing vectors
- See vectors for transformers
- Ability to cut over pots
- Add 240/480/277 and 277/480 options
- More in-depth internals
In-app purchases
Lineman Guide
No in-app purchases
Lineman's Reference
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Lineman Guide free?
Is Lineman's Reference free?
Which has better reviews, Lineman Guide or Lineman's Reference?
Do Lineman Guide or Lineman's Reference have ads?
Which is updated more often, Lineman Guide or Lineman's Reference?
Which is more popular, Lineman Guide or Lineman's Reference?
Other comparisons















