# Matco Tools vs Harbor Freight Tools

Matco Tools and Harbor Freight Tools both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 93% of Harbor Freight Tools's written reviews are positive against 35% of Matco Tools's. Harbor Freight Tools also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and ratings volume (225K vs 5.1K). On price, rating, update cadence and ads 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 — 4.7 for Matco Tools against 4.8 for Harbor Freight Tools. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Harbor Freight Tools has 225K ratings behind it against 5.1K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 35% of Matco Tools's written reviews are positive against 93% of Harbor Freight Tools's.

Matco Tools ships an update every 6 weeks, Harbor Freight Tools monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Matco Tools | Harbor Freight Tools |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (5.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/matco-tools/id904655410/reviews) | **[4.8 (225K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/harbor-freight-tools/id1533833273/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 5.1K | **225K** |
| Positive reviews | 34.7% of reviews | **93.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | — | **#90** |
| Size | 32 MB | 42 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Matco Tools](https://appshunter.io/developer/904655413) | [Harbor Freight Tools](https://appshunter.io/developer/1533833275) |

## What reviewers say

### Matco Tools

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/matco-tools/id904655410)

Access your local tool distributor 24/7 for professional automotive tools. Purchase tools, check inventory, submit warranty claims, and manage payments. Exclusive deals and promotions are also available.

**Highlights:** 24/7 distributor access, Real-time inventory checks, Tool purchases, Warranty claim submission, Account payment management, Order history, App-exclusive deals

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- ⭐ Great app
- 💳 Easy payments
- 🛒 Convenient tool browsing
- 🤝 Helpful reps

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and glitches
- ⏱️ Slow performance
- 🔑 Login/account issues
- 📊 Lack of payment history and account visibility

**Reported bugs**

- Catalog not loading properly
- Payment issues and errors
- Unexpected logout and login problems
- Overlapping UI elements

**Requested features**

- Wishlist/favorites feature
- Improved catalog browsing
- Seamless integration with online account
- Ability to make payments directly in the app


### Harbor Freight Tools

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/harbor-freight-tools/id1533833273)

**Currently charting:** #90 Top Free · Shopping (US App Store)

Discover the latest coupons, instant savings, and exclusive deals for members. Browse tools, check local stock, and create wish lists. Scan barcodes in-store for more product information.

**Highlights:** Latest coupons and instant savings, Inside Track Club member deals, Browse tools and watch videos, Check in-stock availability, Create and sync wish lists, Barcode/QR scanner for product info

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 Helpful customer service
- 💡 Exclusive app-only deals
- 🚀 Intuitive search
- 👍 Instruction manuals included

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Constant logout issues
- 🐛 Refreshes when switching apps
- 🐛 Inaccurate in-store inventory
- 🔍 Missing product listings
- 👎 Frustrating navigation when viewing items

**Reported bugs**

- Constant logout issues
- Refreshes when switching apps
- Inaccurate in-store inventory
- Navigation issues when viewing items

**Requested features**

- Ability to link account and sync 'My List'
- Display aisle locations for items
- Improved offline functionality and caching


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Matco Tools free?

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

### Is Harbor Freight Tools free?

Harbor Freight Tools is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Matco Tools or Harbor Freight Tools?

Harbor Freight Tools is rated higher. Matco Tools averages 4.7 out of 5 from 5.1K ratings, while Harbor Freight Tools averages 4.8 from 225K ratings.

### Do Matco Tools or Harbor Freight Tools have ads?

Neither Matco Tools nor Harbor Freight Tools shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Matco Tools or Harbor Freight Tools?

Matco Tools ships an update every 6 weeks, and Harbor Freight Tools monthly. Most recently, Matco Tools was updated on September 22, 2026 and Harbor Freight Tools on September 24, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*