Comparison

Welding Reference Pro vs WeldMaster

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

WeldMaster

Features
Read full description

WeldMaster is the welding settings calculator built for working welders, fabricators, and students. Pick your process, material, and thickness — get starting amperage, voltage, wire feed speed, gas flow, and polarity as honest ranges you tune to your machine. Brand-agnostic and 100% offline: it works in the shop, in the field, and inside metal buildings with zero signal. FREE • MIG (GMAW) calculator — mild steel, real shielding gas options (C25, C100, 90/10 and more), short-circuit vs spray transfer guidance • Gauge chart — exact sheet steel gauge to inches and millimeters • Troubleshooting starters — porosity, spatter, burn-through PRO — ONE-TIME PURCHASE, NO SUBSCRIPTION • MIG stainless & aluminum with gas compatibility warnings • Flux-core: self-shielded E71T-11 AND dual-shield E71T-1 — with the polarity and gas each one actually needs • Stick (SMAW): 6010, 6011, 6013, 7014, 7018, 7024 — published amperage tables by rod diameter, polarity per rod • TIG (GTAW): amperage, tungsten type & size, cup, filler rod, AC balance & frequency for aluminum • Heat input calculator with a built-in travel speed timer • Preheat & carbon equivalent (CE) guidance • Electrode chart & filler metal selector (including dissimilar 309L and 4043 vs 5356) • Troubleshooting guide: 14 weld defects with cause-ranked fixes and bead diagrams • My Setups: save the settings that actually worked on YOUR machine — name, machine, process, notes Every result is a starting point clearly labeled as such. WeldMaster is a reference aid — always follow your WPS and applicable code requirements. Made for MIG welders, TIG welders, stick welders, pipefitters, boilermakers, ironworkers, farm and hobby welders, and welding students. COMMON QUESTIONS Does it work offline? Yes, all of it. No signal needed in the shop, in the field or inside a metal building, and there is no licence check. Do I need an account? No. There is no login and no sign-up. Which processes does it cover? MIG (GMAW), flux-core (FCAW), stick (SMAW) and TIG (GTAW), with the gas, polarity and transfer-mode guidance that goes with each. Is it tied to a machine brand? No. The numbers are starting ranges you tune to your own machine. Brand-agnostic on purpose. Are the settings exact? They are honest starting ranges, not a prescription. Your machine, your wire, your joint and your position all move them. Run a test coupon. Does it replace the WPS? No. If you are welding to a procedure, the WPS wins. This is for getting dialled in fast when you do not have one. Terms of Use: https://ghapps1.wordpress.com/terms-condition/ Privacy Policy: https://ghapps1.wordpress.com/privacy-policy/

Screenshots

Welding Reference Pro4 screens
WeldMaster4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: WeldMaster at none against Welding Reference Pro's 1. Welding Reference Pro's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 4 days vs every 9 days). On price, device support and iOS requirement 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. WeldMaster asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Welding Reference Pro ships an update every 4 days, WeldMaster every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 6 level
Welding Reference Pro versus WeldMaster: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterWelding Reference ProWeldMaster
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 4 days — betterEvery 9 days
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS18.017.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size6 MB6 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperZIma Logistics LLCGrima Hdez

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Welding Reference Pro

One-time1
  • Pro Tools$9.99
None

WeldMaster

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Welding Reference Pro free?
Welding Reference Pro is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is WeldMaster free?
WeldMaster is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Welding Reference Pro or WeldMaster have ads?
WeldMaster shows ads; Welding Reference Pro does not.
Which is updated more often, Welding Reference Pro or WeldMaster?
Welding Reference Pro ships an update every 4 days, and WeldMaster every 9 days. Most recently, Welding Reference Pro was updated on October 12, 2026 and WeldMaster on October 10, 2026.

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