Comparison

Trades vs BaseCalc Electric Calculator

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

Head to head
About

Trades

Features
Read full description

The only app that replaces your Construction Master Pro AND gives you code-aware calculators for every trade — electrical, concrete, framing, plumbing, HVAC, and welding. All in one app. No subscriptions. Ever. TRY BEFORE YOU BUY Download free and get 1 working calculator from each of the 6 trade packs. No credit card. No time limit. See if it works for your job site before you spend a dime. WHAT'S INSIDE Electrical Pack — 11 Calculators Wire ampacity (NEC Table 310.16), voltage drop, conduit fill, box fill, motor circuit sizing, residential load calculation, transformer KVA, EVSE load, Ohm's law solver, parallel resistance, BTU-kWh converter. Edition-aware: NEC 2017, 2020, 2023, and 2026. Concrete Pack — 10 Calculators Slab volume, footing volume, minimum PSI by application (ACI 318-19 exposure classes), rebar spacing, footing size by soil bearing, water-cement ratio, concrete order calculator, post hole calculator, block/CMU wall, formwork estimator. Supports IBC 2018, 2021, and 2024. Framing Pack — 8 Calculators Rafter length with bird's mouth check, header sizing (IRC R602.7), board feet, stud count with California corners, floor joist span (IRC R502.3.1), roof pitch to angle with material minimums, stair stringer with IRC code checks, compound miter for crown molding. Supports IRC 2018, 2021, and 2024. Plumbing Pack — 9 Calculators Pipe sizing by flow, pressure drop (Hazen-Williams), DWV drain pipe sizing, water heater sizing, DFU count, thermal expansion, WSFU count, gas pipe sizing (IFGC), pipe offset with rolling offset support. Code-aware: IPC 2021/2024 and UPC 2021/2024. HVAC Pack — 10 Calculators BTU rule of thumb, CFM per room, duct sizing (equal friction), refrigerant charge (superheat and subcooling with R-454B, R-410A, R-32 support), static pressure, equipment tonnage, sensible heat ratio, SEER2 operating cost with DOE regional minimums, psychrometric calculator, gas pipe sizing for HVAC equipment. Based on ACCA Manual J 8th Edition. Welding Pack — 11 Calculators TIG/MIG amperage by thickness, stick (SMAW) amperage by electrode, wire feed speed, heat input (kJ/in per AWS D1.1), preheat temperature/carbon equivalent, shielding gas flow rate, filler metal selection with D1.1 prequalified status, fillet weld strength (ASD/LRFD), filler metal weight estimator, welding cost calculator, FCAW parameters. Supports AWS D1.1-2020 and D1.1-2025. REFERENCE TABLES INCLUDED Browse NEC, IRC, IPC, AWS, and ACI code tables right in the app. No flipping through codebooks. Tables include NEC 310.16 ampacity, IRC joist spans, IPC DFU values, AWS preheat tables, ACI exposure class requirements, and more. WHY TRADES: CALC? No subscriptions. Construction Master Pro charges $35/year. We charge once. All trades in one app. Stop juggling 5 separate apps on the job site. Code-aware. Pick your NEC edition (2017–2026). Toggle IPC vs UPC (2021/2024). Select your IRC year (2018–2024). Choose AWS D1.1-2020 or 2025. The app knows which code you're working under. Accurate. Every formula audited against primary code sources — NEC 2026, ACI 318-19, IRC 2024, IPC 2024, AWS D1.1-2025. Works offline. Every calculation runs locally. No internet required. No account required. PRICING Free — 1 calculator per pack (6 total) + browse the app Core Unlock ($9.99) — Full app + reference tables + choose 1 free trade pack Additional Packs ($6.99 each) — Add any trade you need All Access ($34.99) — Everything. All 59 calculators. All reference tables. All future content. Forever. All calculations are for reference only. Verify results with your AHJ and a licensed professional.

About

BaseCalc Electric Calculator

This app provides electricians with essential calculation tools for job-site field math, including voltage drop, wire sizing, and conduit fill. It offers a comprehensive suite of 18 calculators, saves calculation history, and allows for the creation and export of job worksheets.

Highlights
  • 18 essential electrical calculators
  • NEC-aware calculations
  • Voltage drop and wire sizing
  • Conduit and box fill calculations
  • Saved calculation history
  • Job worksheets and PDF export
  • Offline functionality
Features
Read full description

BaseCalc Electric Calculator is an NEC-aware electrician calculator for job-site field math, worksheets, materials, and saved calculation history. Run voltage drop, wire size, conduit fill, service load, breaker, grounding, EV charger, generator, and other electrical calculator checks on site, then save the result for the job. 18 CALCULATORS FOR DAILY FIELD WORK • Ohm's Law — solve voltage, current, resistance, and power from any two known values. • Voltage Drop — single-phase or three-phase, copper or aluminum, with a 3% target check. • Wire Size — minimum conductor sizing based on NEC 310.16 ampacity with temperature and conductor-count adjustment. • Conduit Fill — fill percentage for EMT, PVC, RMC, IMC, FMC, and LFNC. • Conduit Size — auto-recommend the first raceway size that passes fill. • Box Fill — required box volume per NEC 314.16. • Conduit Bend — fast offset bend mark calculations. • Bend Layout — rolling offsets, 3-point saddles, and 4-point saddle layout guidance. • Service Load — dwelling service/load sizing guide based on NEC 220 concepts. • Breaker + Wire — continuous-load OCPD and conductor guidance. • Grounding — EGC and GEC starting-point sizing. • Motor Circuit — FLC, conductor ampacity, overload, and short-circuit/ground-fault guides. • Pull Box — straight, angle, and U-pull box dimension guide. • Derating — temperature correction and current-carrying conductor adjustment. • EV Charger — branch circuit and service-load check. • Generator — backup generator kW and output-current target. • Transformer — kVA to full-load amperage. • Power — kW, kVA, current, voltage, and power factor relationships. EVERY RESULT IS EXPLAINED • Clear pass/fail or sizing messages. • The governing limit, final answer, and calculation breakdown. • Saved local history so you keep a job-site record. DEVICE-LOCAL FOR THE FIELD • Works offline by default. • No BaseCalc account or cloud sync. • Job contact, worksheet, setting, and calculation data is stored in local app storage, protected by your device security. • There is no BaseCalc cloud option. • Device backups, when available on your operating system, remain under your device-account settings. • Dark and light themes with a high-contrast job-site interface. BaseCalc Electric is a professional reference tool. Always verify against the current National Electrical Code and your local amendments. The authority having jurisdiction has the final say. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Trades4 screens
BaseCalc Electric Calculator4 screens

Verdict

The call

Trades and BaseCalc Electric Calculator are too close to call on the numbers: across 5 compared parameters — price, ads, in-app purchases and device support among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

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. Trades sells 8 one-off in-app purchases and BaseCalc Electric Calculator sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $7.00 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
Trades versus BaseCalc Electric Calculator: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTradesBaseCalc Electric Calculator
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Number of ratings—1 — better
Update frequency—Every 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
Monetization—Free with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.016.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size4 MB61 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPaul GregoryBASEMAPPED LLC

In-app purchases

8 purchases

Trades

One-time8
  • Electrical Pack$6.99
  • Concrete Pack$6.99
  • Welding Pack$6.99
Show 5 more
  • Plumbing Pack$6.99
  • Framing Pack$6.99
  • HVAC Pack$6.99
  • App Unlock$9.99
  • All Access$34.99
3 purchases

BaseCalc Electric Calculator

Subscriptions2
  • Electric Pro Monthly$7.001 Month
  • Electric Pro Yearly$50.001 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Pro$16.99

Questions

Is Trades free?
Trades is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is BaseCalc Electric Calculator free?
BaseCalc Electric Calculator is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Trades or BaseCalc Electric Calculator have ads?
Neither Trades nor BaseCalc Electric Calculator shows ads.

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