ComponentFinder vs Electronics Reference
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
ComponentFinder
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Find any electronic component in seconds. ComponentFinder puts specs, pinouts, replacement parts and the manufacturer's datasheet in your pocket — built for hardware engineers, embedded developers, makers and students. LOOK IT UP FAST • Search by part number, keyword or parameter — fuzzy matching finds LM358, NE555 or AO3400 even with typos • Browse 14 categories: resistors, capacitors, inductors, diodes, transistors, MOSFETs, regulators, op amps, logic, memory, MCUs, sensors, connectors and modules • Works offline with a built-in reference library; datasheet links go straight to the original manufacturer SCAN A PART LABEL • Point your camera at a chip and tap its marking — on-device live text scanning, no upload needed • Or recognize markings from a photo with AI ASK THE AI ASSISTANT • Get usage notes, key specs, design warnings and alternatives for a part, with cited sources • Find a better datasheet when a link is broken or you need a second source ENGINEERING WORKSPACE • BOM projects with quantities and notes — export to CSV for your spreadsheet or purchasing team • Compare up to 4 parts side by side • Datasheet update alerts notify you when a watched datasheet changes WORKS THE WAY YOU DO • Siri and Shortcuts: "Look up a component in ComponentFinder" • Home Screen and Lock Screen widgets for recently viewed parts • iPad sidebar layout and keyboard shortcuts on iPad and Mac • iCloud sync for favorites, history and AI answers • Available in English, Deutsch, Français, Español, Português, 日本語, 한국어 and Chinese FREE AND PRO ComponentFinder is free to use with 5 AI queries and 5 AI recognitions every day. ComponentFinder Pro (monthly or yearly) adds 300 AI queries and 100 recognitions per month, smart datasheet search, cloud sync, up to 25 BOM projects, 4-part comparison and up to 100 datasheet alerts. AI credit packs top up usage without a subscription. Payment is charged to your Apple Account when you confirm the purchase. Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period; your account is charged for renewal within 24 hours before the period ends. Manage or cancel anytime in your App Store account settings. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://componentfinder.xinghebit.com/privacy
Electronics Reference
A comprehensive reference tool for electronics enthusiasts and professionals. It provides interactive calculators, decoding guides, and detailed specifications for components, microcontrollers, and development boards. Features include camera-based identification and learning modules for common circuits.
- Interactive resistor color band calculator
- Capacitor marking decoder
- Semiconductor reference cards
- Integrated circuit library with pinouts
- Microcontroller specifications
- Development board pinout diagrams
- Component identification via camera OCR
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Electronics Component Reference is a beautifully crafted reference app for anyone who works with electronic components - from hobbyists building their first circuit to engineers at the bench. WHAT'S INSIDE • Resistors - Interactive color band calculator with common values and a visual guide to reading 4, 5, and 6-band resistors. • Capacitors - Decode ceramic capacitor markings, explore types, and look up values instantly. • Semiconductors - Reference cards for popular transistors and diodes, with a guide to PN junctions, BJTs, MOSFETs, and more. • Integrated Circuits - Browse a library of common ICs and the complete 74-series logic family, with pinouts and a family comparison guide (HC, LS, AC, LVC). • Microcontrollers - Specs and details for popular chips across ARM, AVR, and Xtensa architectures. • Boards - Pinout diagrams and GPIO references for Raspberry Pi 5 & 4, Pico, Arduino Uno & Nano, and ESP32. • Identify - Point your camera at a component and use OCR to identify ICs, capacitors, and microcontrollers from their markings. • Learn - Interactive common circuits, so you can always have the correct component values. Information on chip families, capacitor types and more., No ads, no account required, no internet needed.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: ComponentFinder at weekly against Electronics Reference's every 2 months. ComponentFinder also leads on device support (4 vs 2) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.6). On price, ads and in-app purchases 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. ComponentFinder sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Electronics Reference sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
ComponentFinder ships an update weekly, Electronics Reference every 2 months. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.
| Parameter | ComponentFinder | Electronics Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Number of ratings | — | 1 — better |
| Update frequency | Weekly — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 18.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 7 MB | 19 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Beijing XingheBit Science & Technology Development Co., Ltd. | John Kennedy |
In-app purchases
ComponentFinder
- ComponentFinder Pro Monthly$2.991 Month
- ComponentFinder Pro Yearly$29.991 Year
- AI 加油包 50 次$3.99
- AI 加油包 120 次$7.99
Electronics Reference
- Buy me a coffee!$0.99



