Codewire vs Ugly's Electrical References
Ugly's Electrical References is the pocket book generations of electricians have carried, and it's a great reference. But it's paper. Here's an honest comparison for the day-to-day calculations.
Speed
With a book you look up tables and do the math by hand. Codewire computes voltage drop, conduit fill, box fill, wire ampacity, and bends as you type — usually faster than flipping pages, with an instant pass/fail.
Always current
A printed reference is a snapshot of one code cycle. Codewire's data is built around the NEC and updated digitally, structured so new editions can be added.
It saves your work
A book can't remember a calculation. Codewire lets you save results to a job (address, notes) and, with Pro, sync across devices and export a PDF report for the file.
Cost
Ugly's is a one-time purchase. Codewire's calculators are free; Pro (cloud sync, unlimited jobs, PDF export) is $6/month or $45/year.
The honest take
Keep Ugly's in your bag — it never needs a battery. But for fast, repeatable calculations you can save to a job, Codewire is built for the phone already in your pocket. Either way, always verify against the code edition adopted by your local AHJ.
Frequently asked questions
Is Codewire free?
Yes — all five calculators are free with up to two saved jobs. Codewire Pro ($6/month or $45/year) adds unlimited jobs, cloud sync, and PDF export.
Does Codewire replace the NEC code book?
No. Codewire is a field aid for calculations; always verify against the printed code and the edition adopted by your authority having jurisdiction (AHJ).
All Codewire calculators · Verify against the NEC edition adopted by your AHJ.