9 of The Best Calculators for Electricians [Online, Apps, Physical]

Best Phone App Calculators for Electricians

Some of the best phone app calculators for electricians are the following:

1. Electrodoc

Electrodoc app is a digital compilation of electrical calculators and references that works on Apple, windows, and Android mobile devices.

Formerly known as Electrodroid, the tool contains built-in calculators that handle complex electrical calculations such as minimum circuit breaker sizes, ampacity, power factors, and motor full-load amps. Electrical contractors can also use the calculator to convert from one unit to another.

Electrodoc contains resources you may need on the job, such as resistivity tables and capacitor marking codes. This eliminates the need to carry bulky electrical reference books or perform web searches. 

Electrodoc has a free version with ads and a premium version without ads.

Best for: Electrodoc is a good tool for handling complex calculations on the job

2. Ugly's Electrical References

Ugly's Electrical References is a digital tool with built-in calculators and references for every aspect of an electrician's job.

For 35 years and counting, this tool has helped electricians perform complex calculations and conversions and gain instant access to essential information at their fingertips. 

Ugly's Electrical References also contains the latest installation guidelines and regulations from the National Electrical Code (NEC).

You can install the application on your Android or iOS device and pay a monthly fee to keep it updated. Or you can order the pocket-sized handbook, which costs $26.95.

Best for: This is great for accessing the different NEC regulations without having to carry a bulky handbook.

3. ElectriCalc Pro App

ElectriCalc Pro App is the digital version of the ElectriCalc Pro handheld calculator.  You can process repetitive electrical formula calculations in seconds, such as voltage drop, wire sizes, Ohm’s Law equations, and conduit sizing.

If you need to know the perfect conduit size for your project, no problem! This tool handles all combinations of THW/THHW, XHH/XHHW, and THHN/THWN wires.

Furthermore, the calculator is NEC-compliant, contains code-related calculations, and has a 12-digit internal accuracy. This reduces project downtimes so you complete projects on schedule and minimizes mistakes.

The application is easy to use and understand. However, if you encounter any challenges, you can use the application’s built-in user guide or long-press any key to request assistance.

Best for: ElectriCalc pro app is best for performing complex calculations without holding a physical calculator.

4. Electrical Formulator

The Electrical Formulator is one of the most comprehensive electrical calculators available. It contains several electrical calculations and conversion formulas, such as from Amps to kVA and vice versa.

Unlike other electrical calculators on this list, the Electrical Formulator displays your most recently and frequently used formulas. Plus, it lets you save, print, and email your calculation or conversion results.

Finally, the Electrical Formulator has several charts and NEC tables. There are also links to different states' electrical safety regulations and guidelines.

Best for: This is great for accessing different electrical formulas.

Best Online Electrician Calculators

Sometimes, you may need a calculator with wider display dimensions to visualize complex formulas, input data, and view results easily. That’s where online electrical calculators (or browser-based calculators) come in handy.

They work on every device, including PCs, mobile devices, and tablets.

Another advantage of browser-based calculators is that they offer a wider range of functionality. They are not affected by storage space limitations like phone application calculators.

Some examples of online electrical calculators include:

1. Electrical Load Calculations for Residential Service Panel

Electrical Load Calculations for Residential Service Panel is an online tool for determining the correct NEC-compliant electrical load for a home’s electrical panel.

The tool isn't just for experts. Novice, intermediate, and advanced electricians can consult starter guides on the website containing step-by-step instructions for using the calculator.

Best for: Beginner electricians can use it to perform complex electrical calculations.

2. Powerload Calculator

Powerload calculator is a website application that determines the maximum electrical load a circuit can carry without breaking NEC electrical load guidelines. You can also use the tool to calculate minimum circuit breaker sizes—a value you’ll need when planning electrical projects.

Simply select the electrical variable you want to measure, pick your nation’s standard power supply in volts, enter the circuit breaker’s amperage, and then the power usage. The tool will display the power load in seconds.

Best for: It’s an excellent tool for performing calculations on large electrical projects.

3. Inch Calculator

Inch calculator is one of this list's most comprehensive web-based electrical calculators. It’s essentially a webpage with links to various code-compliant electrical calculators (such as the raceway fill and voltage drop calculator), estimators, and converters.

Electricians also use the tool to convert between electrical units, estimate the power consumption of electrical appliances, and determine wire sizes appropriate for projects.

The Inch Calculator also has an electrical installation and repair estimator, making it the perfect tool for planning electrical projects.

Best for: The inch calculator is a comprehensive list of electrical calculators that perform every electrical calculation.

4. Electricians Calculator from vCalc

vCalc created this online calculator to help electricians succeed.

The webpage features electrical equations—electrical cost, voltage drop, and Ohm's Law equations—broken into sections with detailed explanations. There’s even a help guide at the bottom of the page. This makes the tool easy to use for beginners and professionals alike.

Best for: It’s excellent for carrying out electrical wiring calculations.

Best Physical Electrician Calculators

Online and phone app electrical calculators have two things in common: they work with an internet connection and can only be accessed from a digital device.

But what happens when you’re stuck in a remote location with no internet connection? What if bad weather knocks off the internet service? Or what if your phone’s battery is drained?

Physical or handheld electrician calculators are your best option since they operate without an internet connection and run on long-lasting lithium batteries.

1. ElectriCalc Pro

ElectriCalc Pro is a battery-powered code calculator electricians use to resolve complex electrical equations they encounter on the job. The calculator has Ohm’s and Kirchoff’s laws built into it, making it easier to perform electrical calculations.

The most recent ElectricCalc Pro has NEC’s 2023 electrical code installed, ensuring you remain on code. However, you can set the calculator’s code to any year up to 1996 and update it to new NEC-code releases using the upgradable compliance chip inside the calculator.

This helps to ensure that you remain code-compliant in different jurisdictions.

The calculator has an 8-digit LCD display, a shock-resistant protective cover, an easy-to-understand help and pocket reference guide, and a long-lasting battery.

Pro tip: Consider checking calculated industries’ YouTube channel to learn how to perform different electrical calculations on the calculator.

Best for: performing electrical calculations in remote areas without internet access.

How Do You Choose the Best Calculator for Electricians?

Before picking an electrical calculator, here are some things you need to consider:

• Physical or digital: a physical calculator is ideal for situations where portability and uninterrupted performance are crucial, such as fieldwork in remote locations. However, a digital calculator will be the better choice if you want more advanced functionalities and want to store your calculations for future reference.

• Use case: ensure the calculator has formulas and equations for your frequently performed calculations.

• Ease of use: pick a calculator with an easy-to-understand interface and help guides. We advise you to check the pictures of the calculator’s interface online before you buy them.

Some calculators are created only for professionals who perform advanced electrical work with complex calculations. Such calculators will pose a challenge to a beginner.

So, check the calculator’s target audience before you purchase. If you're a beginner, you could start with general-use electrical calculators.

• Capabilities: generally, electrical calculators facilitate basic calculations such as Ohm’s law and voltage drop equations. But that’s not sufficient for more advanced electrical projects.

So, carefully read the calculator’s description. Can it do several calculations? Does its capabilities match your everyday needs and tasks? 

• Frequency of use: the type of calculator you’ll pick depends on how often you do electrical calculations. If you calculate often, you can use a physical or app calculator. If you do electrical calculations occasionally, you can use an online calculator.

Going Beyond Calculators to Empower Technicians

Calculators help electricians perform complex calculations in record time, which helps them focus more on the job. However, the time savings a calculator brings will be no benefit if electricians still rely on manual processes for invoicing, upselling customers, confirming customer details from back-office staff, etc.

You must still equip electricians with the right tools to automate processes and part with archaic paper forms and clipboards. ServiceTitan’s Field Service Application is a perfect example of such a tool.

After installing the application on their tablets, technicians can see all the customer information support representatives collected during the intake call.

Also, before a technician leaves the job site, they can review a detailed report of the customer’s property to discover problems not initially reported. This makes the technician more proactive, leading to increased customer satisfaction.

Over to You

Now, you have all you need to pick the best electrician calculator.

Always pick a calculator that matches your needs and experience level and has the features you always use. 

Consider using an electrical tool like ServiceTitan to drive more on-field sales and increase productivity.

ServiceTitan is a cloud-based software that electrical companies use to streamline and automate their business processes. Thousands of service companies nationwide have increased their revenue by an average of 25% in just their first year of using the tool.