# Resistor vs SMD decoder

The clearest difference is update cadence: SMD decoder at every 2 days against Resistor's every 9 months. SMD decoder also leads on iOS requirement (11.0 vs 26.0). Resistor's advantage is ratings volume (17 vs 1). On price, rating, 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.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Resistor against 5.0 for SMD decoder. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Resistor has 17 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Resistor ships an update every 9 months, SMD decoder every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on August 27, 2026 and June 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Resistor | SMD decoder |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.9 (17 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/resistor-converter/id6446839759/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smd-decoder/id6473452077/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **17** | 1 |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 8 MB | 43 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Gerhard Lentschik](https://appshunter.io/developer/629988041) | [Arkadiusz Fryszkowski](https://appshunter.io/developer/1142676058) |

## What reviewers say

### Resistor

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/resistor-converter/id6446839759)

Quickly calculate resistor values from color bands or SMD codes, and vice versa. This tool is ideal for electronics enthusiasts, students, and DIYers working with 4, 5, or 6-band resistors and various SMD codes. It functions offline and requires no registration.

**Highlights:** Calculate resistor values from color bands, Convert resistor values to color bands, Supports 4, 5, and 6-band resistors, Handles SMD codes (EIA-3, EIA-4, EIA-96), Works offline, No registration required

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### SMD decoder

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smd-decoder/id6473452077)

Decode SMD resistors with this practical tool. It supports three-digit, four-digit, and EIA-96 encoded resistor values, providing quick and accurate identification.

**Highlights:** Decodes 3-digit SMD codes, Decodes 4-digit SMD codes, Decodes EIA-96 SMD codes, Resistor value identification

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Resistor free?

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

### Is SMD decoder free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Resistor or SMD decoder?

SMD decoder is rated higher. Resistor averages 4.9 out of 5 from 17 ratings, while SMD decoder averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Resistor or SMD decoder have ads?

Neither Resistor nor SMD decoder shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Resistor or SMD decoder?

Resistor ships an update every 9 months, and SMD decoder every 2 days. Most recently, Resistor was updated on August 27, 2026 and SMD decoder on June 1, 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.*