Comparison

Welding Reference Pro vs Welding Sheet Metal Calculator

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Welding Reference Pro

This app provides welders with essential tools, including calculators for settings and costs, comprehensive reference guides, and exam preparation modules. It offers offline access to all features, with a one-time purchase unlocking advanced calculators and exam practice.

Highlights
  • Weld setting calculators
  • Filler metal estimation
  • Unit conversion
  • Reference guides
  • Training modules
  • Exam preparation
  • Qualification tracking
Features
Read full description

Welding Reference Pro puts every tool a welder needs in one app — calculators, reference guides, training, and QA checklists. No internet required. No subscription. One price, everything unlocked. CALCULATORS (8) Weld Settings — enter your process, material, and thickness to get amperage, voltage, wire speed, and electrode recommendations for MIG, TIG, Stick, and Flux-Core. Wire Feed Speed — convert between wire feed speed and deposition rate across 6 wire diameters. Gas Flow — get shielding gas type and flow rate recommendations by process, material, joint type, and position. Filler Weight Estimator — calculate pounds of filler metal needed for 5 joint types with waste factors. Unit Converter — 7 categories including length, temperature, pressure, flow rate, weight, heat input, and area. Weld Cost Estimator — estimate labor, filler, and gas costs with your own custom rates. Edit every rate in the app. Heat Input (Pro) — calculate joules per inch with process efficiency factors for SMAW, GMAW, GTAW, FCAW, and SAW. Preheat Calculator (Pro) — input your carbon equivalent elements and thickness to get preheat temperature and crack sensitivity assessment. REFERENCE GUIDES (9) 27 electrodes and filler metals — E6010 through Inconel, searchable by classification, type, or application. Electrode Guide, Welding Symbol Decoder (18 AWS A2.4 symbols), Joint Preparation Guide (13 joints), Weld Defect ID (10 defects with causes and fixes), Gas Reference Chart, Material Properties (18 materials including duplex and nickel alloys), NDE Methods, Heat Treatment Reference, and Pipe Welding schedules. TRAINING ACADEMY 6 study modules with spaced repetition: Welding Fundamentals, Electrode Mastery, Blueprint Reading, Metallurgy, Weld Quality, and Code Awareness. Questions you get wrong come back sooner. Track your streak and progress. EXAM PREP (Pro) Practice for CWI (56 questions), AWS D1.1 (85 questions), ASME Section IX (88 questions), OSHA Welding Safety (56 questions), and Welding Math (45 questions). Timed mode, score history, and category filtering. ENTERPRISE FEATURES Qualification Tracker — track your welding certifications, positions, and expiration dates. Get warned when a cert is expiring. QA Checklists — pre-weld, during-weld, and post-weld inspection checklists with standard templates. Tag by project. Weld Log — attach a photo from your library, tag welding parameters, and save locally. Export to CSV or PDF for QA documentation. Global Search — type "7018" and find the electrode, compatible settings, and defect fixes all at once. Tap any result to copy it to clipboard. Save and name any calculation. Export results as PDF. FREE FEATURES: 6 calculators (Weld Settings, Wire Feed Speed, Gas Flow, Filler Weight, Unit Converter, Weld Cost), all 9 reference guides, Training Academy study modules, qualification tracker, checklists, weld log (up to 15 entries). PRO UNLOCK ($9.99 one-time): Heat Input Calculator, Preheat Calculator, CWI Exam Prep, AWS D1.1 Exam Prep, ASME IX Exam Prep, OSHA Safety Exam Prep, Welding Math practice, WPS Reference templates, Distortion Guide, unlimited weld log entries. No subscription. No ads. No account required. No personal data collected — just anonymous usage diagnostics.

About

Welding Sheet Metal Calculator

Features
Read full description

Welding & Sheet Metal Toolkit is a professional calculator suite built for welders, fabricators, sheet-metal shop owners, weld inspectors, and CNC machinists. Everything runs fully offline, so you can price a weld, size a blank, or check heat input right on the shop floor without cell service or Wi-Fi. Stop juggling scraps of paper, dusty handbooks, and half-broken spreadsheets. Get 11 focused tools in one clean app, built around real AWS and ASME workflows. WHAT'S INCLUDED: Welding - Weld Cost Estimator (FREE): Price any joint by wire, gas, labor, and deposition rate. - Weld Parameters Guide: Recommended amps, volts, wire feed speed, polarity, and shielding gas for SMAW, GMAW (MIG), FCAW, and TIG across common thicknesses. - Welding Heat Input: Calculate heat input in kJ/in or kJ/mm for procedure qualification and WPS records. Sheet Metal & Forming - Bend Allowance: K-factor based bend allowance, bend deduction, and setback for press brake work. - Flat Pattern Development: Develop accurate flat blanks from finished part dimensions. - Stamping Tonnage: Estimate press tonnage for blanking and piercing from perimeter, thickness, and shear strength. Surface Treatment - Dry Film Thickness: Convert wet film to DFT and plan coating coverage and consumption. - Sandblast Rate & Cost: Estimate blast time, grit use, and cost per square foot by profile and nozzle size. Mechanical & Fiber - CNC Thread Drill Hole (FREE): Tap drill sizes and thread chart reference for machinists. - Pulley Belt Length: Calculate belt length for two-pulley drive systems. - Fiber Splice Time (FREE): Estimate fusion splice time for fiber optic jobs. WHO IS IT FOR: - Welders running SMAW / stick, MIG, and TIG in the field or shop - Fabricators and sheet-metal shop owners quoting jobs - Weld inspectors checking heat input and procedure compliance - CNC machinists and tool room techs - Manufacturing and welding engineers writing WPS and PQR WHY WELDERS & FABRICATORS LOVE IT: - Fully offline. Works in bays, basements, and job sites with zero signal. - No ads, no tracking, no subscription traps. - One-time unlock. Buy it once, use it for years. - AWS and ASME aware formulas for heat input, bend allowance, and tonnage. - Professional accuracy with clean, fast input forms designed for gloves and bright sunlight. ONE-TIME UNLOCK: Unlock All Calculators is a single $12.99 USD non-consumable in-app purchase. It unlocks all 8 Pro calculators plus reference tables, forever, on your Apple ID. No recurring fees. Price a weld, develop a flat pattern, and log heat input from the same app, all before the next bend cycle finishes. Download Welding & Sheet Metal Toolkit and put a real fabrication toolbox in your pocket.

Screenshots

Welding Reference Pro4 screens
Welding Sheet Metal Calculator4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Welding Reference Pro at every 4 days against Welding Sheet Metal Calculator's monthly. On price, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Welding Reference Pro sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Welding Sheet Metal Calculator sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Welding Reference Pro ships an update every 4 days, Welding Sheet Metal Calculator monthly. The most recent releases landed on August 27, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 8 level
Welding Reference Pro versus Welding Sheet Metal Calculator: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterWelding Reference ProWelding Sheet Metal Calculator
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 4 days — betterMonthly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS18.017.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size6 MB1 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperZIma Logistics LLCShanghai Sheyuan Network Technology Co., Ltd.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Welding Reference Pro

One-time1
  • Pro Tools$9.99
1 purchases

Welding Sheet Metal Calculator

One-time1
  • Unlock Welding Fab Toolkit$12.99

Questions

Is Welding Reference Pro free?
Welding Reference Pro is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Welding Sheet Metal Calculator free?
Welding Sheet Metal Calculator is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Welding Reference Pro or Welding Sheet Metal Calculator have ads?
Neither Welding Reference Pro nor Welding Sheet Metal Calculator shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Welding Reference Pro or Welding Sheet Metal Calculator?
Welding Reference Pro ships an update every 4 days, and Welding Sheet Metal Calculator monthly. Most recently, Welding Reference Pro was updated on August 27, 2026 and Welding Sheet Metal Calculator on September 24, 2026.

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