Can a Phone Replace Your Toolbox? How Apps Compare to the Real Thing

The other day, I was hanging a picture on my wall when I realized I’d neglected to grab a level. I was too lazy to go to the shop, so instead, I used the level app on my phone. The picture looked straight, so that got me thinking: Our phones are all-in-one solutions for managing our personal lives, so can they also replace a bag of tools?

We decided to test some hardware apps. Here’s what we discovered in side-by-side comparisons of their effectiveness and accuracy with their physical tool counterparts.

Cell Phone Apps vs. The Real Thing

Ruler Apps

Ruler apps, like Rul3r, are among the most basic hardware and tool apps. They add a ruler along the edge of your smartphone screen, which works mostly like a regular ruler: Just line it up with whatever you want to measure. They are typically free, and they work… kind of.

“Ruler apps have limits,” says electronics manufacturing expert Hommer Zhao. “The screen is too small, and if you move even a little, the measurement can be off. They’re fine for estimating something small like a screw or bolt, but not for detailed work.”

Our testing reinforced this conclusion. Measuring bolts and cabinet hardware was mostly accurate, though just like with an actual ruler, it’s difficult to be precise with finer measurements. They are also limited to measuring items smaller than your cell phone screen, and the rounded edges of the screen add to the challenge.

Tape Measure Apps

Most tape measure apps, like My Measure, are based on augmented reality (AR) technology. They overlay a virtual tape measure onto your phone’s camera. You then click where you want the tape measure to start and stop, and the app tells you the distance between the two points. Some of them also work in 3D.

We tested five different apps. Some were intuitive to use, but not all. More importantly, none were very accurate.

My Measure is one of the most popular, and it measured a piece of 8.5″ x 11″ office paper at 8-5/8″ x 10-1/8″. That inaccuracy threw me for a loop, so I tried it many more times, from different angles and in varying light levels, and never could get it to recognize the correct size. I also tested it on the shop door, which it determined to be 32″ wide, though the door is actually 36″.

Some of the apps also require you to be six or more feet away from the object, which can be tricky if you’re trying to measure something in a smaller space, for example, a dishwasher in a kitchen.

To add to the mess, all of the AR measuring apps I could find required in-app purchases to do all but the most basic functions (and some wouldn’t even calculate a measurement without a subscription). Those averaged about $30 a year; not worth it for DIY or serious construction in my book, especially when accuracy isn’t these apps’ strong suit.

Leveling Apps

Leveling apps come in bubble and laser form, and use the gyroscope and accelerometer in your phone to determine if a surface is level. Most of the apps are free, though some charge a fee for advanced features.

“Some apps can be impressively precise for the casual need of hanging a shelf or figuring out if a surface is level,” says app and electronics expert Nikolay Petrov. “I’ve used them in comparison tests, with digital spirit levels, on job sites, and the difference is often less than 1°, which is plenty good enough for most DIYers.”

Indeed, in our tests, the level apps gave similar results to both our physical bubble and laser levels. However, there was a hiccup with using my iPhone 12. It has buttons on both sides, so it doesn’t sit flat. I ended up placing it vertically, which gave similar readings to horizontal, despite the buttons. With the bubble app, the angle meter also drifted a few tenths of a degree while the phone was sitting on the surface without anyone touching it. Conclusion: These are great for smaller DIY projects, but I definitely wouldn’t build a house with them.

Caliper Apps

Caliper apps are similar to ruler apps, but instead of the ruler being at the edge of the screen, it’s in the middle, along with a virtual, slidable caliper. This theoretically makes a more accurate measurement for smaller items, like screw heads.

“But of course, there are limits,” says Petrov. “I once tested a caliper app when restoring a vintage amplifier. Even with a high-res screen and stylus, it couldn’t go anywhere near my analog dial calipers for ease of use and precision. The app had to be calibrated each time, and screen parallax made fine measurement nearly impossible.”

It’s also tricky to line up the edges perfectly without the physical barriers of the caliper.

Protractor Apps

Like hand-held protractors, protractor apps can help you measure angles. In our tests, the apps proved to be decently accurate for that application, though under certain circumstances, it was difficult to hold the phone steady enough to precisely line up the angles. One task they don’t help well with is drawing a specific angle. So for that, there’s no substitution for an actual protractor or carpenter’s speed square.

Magnifying Glass Alternative

One task in which digital tools can actually top the real McCoy is using your smartphone camera in lieu of a magnifying glass (assuming you have a decent-quality smartphone, and particularly if your phone features a dedicated macro lens for extreme close-ups). This can be handy if you need to read tiny print or if you’re inspecting or soldering small electronics and other micro items. The better-lit an area is, the better this will work.

Thermal Camera Apps

Thermal cameras and their corresponding apps use infrared radiation to display differences in temperature. They are game changers for home inspection and maintenance, helping find everything from faulty wiring and plumbing leaks in the wall, to figuring out where you have air leaking in through windows and doors or are lacking insulation. They are also fun for spying on little mammals in your garden at night.

We put our handheld Ampbank H128 to the test against our Flir One Edge Pro, which connects onto a smartphone. Both gave identical temperature readings in multiple situations, and both offer an array of light spectrum options. The app-based camera takes slightly longer to activate, but has better resolution, since the cellphone screen is larger than the handheld monitor. The app also had the option to outline objects on the screen, to make it more obvious where the temperature gradations are (granted, this particular Flir is higher-end than the handheld model, so perhaps other handheld models offer that option). On the flip side, the handheld felt more rugged, and the battery tends to last longer.

Are Cell Phone Hardware Tool Apps as Good as the Real Thing?

Usually not. If all you need is a quick level for hanging a picture or a ruler to get a rough measurement, apps can be more convenient than having to go find or buy a tool. They’re also good for in-the-field backups. But if exactness matters, then you can’t beat an actual tool in your hand.

“My takeaway here is that apps are great for ballpark and on the go, but they can’t replace the tactile, application-specific tools needed for professional-grade consistency,” says Petrov. “If you’re serious about precision, such as when working on electronics or mechanical items, save the fundamental tools for your kit.”

Zhao agrees. “I do think apps are getting better, and they’re great in a pinch, when the real thing isn’t around, but I wouldn’t trust them as a full replacement.”

About the Experts

• Hommer Zhao is an electronics manufacturing expert and director at OurPCB, where he works closely with digital tools and smart devices in real manufacturing environments.
• Nikolay Petrov is founder and Chief Technology Officer at ZontSound. He has more than a decade of expertise with apps and electronics, including comparing app-based and hardware versions of tools.

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