Mike Holt UI comparison (review 8)

Two Different Tools For Two Different Jobs

Mike Holt's app and website have been the go-to for code training since most of us were apprentices. The content is solid. The instructors know what they are talking about. But when you are standing in an attic at 2pm with sweat in your eyes trying to figure out if that junction box needs to be accessible, you do not need a training course. You need an answer.

That is the difference. Mike Holt is built to teach. BONBON is built to answer. Both have a place in the trade, but the UI tells you immediately which job each one is trying to do.

Search And Lookup Speed

On the Mike Holt app, finding a specific code section usually means scrolling a table of contents or opening a PDF viewer and using the native search. It works, but it is built around the structure of the book. You navigate chapters and articles the way you would flip pages.

BONBON is built around the question. Type "bathroom receptacle GFCI" and you land on NEC 210.8(A) with the exact language pulled up. No scrolling through Article 210 to find the subsection. The interface assumes you already know what you are looking for and just need it fast.

Tip: time yourself looking up NEC 300.4(D) cable protection from a nail plate on both tools. The difference on a service call adds up across a week.

Content Depth Versus Content Density

Mike Holt wins on depth. The graphics, the illustrated guides, the video explanations, the context around why a rule exists... nobody else is putting that much work into teaching the code. If you are prepping for a Master's exam or trying to actually understand why 250.30 reads the way it does, his material is unmatched.

BONBON does not try to compete on that. The density is different. You get the rule, the common application, and the exceptions, formatted to read on a phone in bad light. No video. No deep dive. Just the answer.

• Mike Holt: illustrated explanations, exam prep, continuing education credits
• BONBON: fast lookup, plain language, phone-first formatting
• Mike Holt: structured around the NEC book layout
• BONBON: structured around the questions electricians actually ask

How It Feels On The Jobsite

Pulling out the Mike Holt app mid-install feels like pulling out a textbook. The layout, the navigation, the amount of tapping required... it is not hostile, but it is not designed for one hand holding a flashlight while the other holds a phone. You can make it work. You will just be slower.

BONBON is designed with the assumption that you have about fifteen seconds of patience and one thumb free. Larger tap targets, shorter answers, minimal navigation. The screens that come up for NEC 110.26 working space clearances show the dimensions first, not a paragraph of setup.

Tip: if your phone lives in a rubber case with a screen protector and cement dust, the tool that requires fewer taps wins every time.

Accuracy And Trust

This matters more than speed. Mike Holt has decades of credibility. When his material cites an article, you can take it to an inspector without a second thought. His team catches errata. His interpretations are respected across the industry.

BONBON cites directly to the NEC and shows the article number on every answer, so you can verify against your own code book. Any lookup tool worth using has to be auditable. If an answer does not include the citation, close the app. The question on a rough-in is never "what does the app say", it is "what does the code say", and the app better be able to prove it.

Pricing And Who Each One Is For

Mike Holt's pricing reflects what it is: a full training ecosystem. Books, courses, continuing ed, exam prep, videos. If you are actively studying for a license upgrade or running an apprenticeship program, the value is there.

BONBON is priced like a daily tool, not a training platform. The model assumes you already know the code at a working level and you just need a faster way to confirm the specifics when the job gets weird.

1. Studying for a Journeyman or Master exam: Mike Holt
2. Running CEUs or teaching apprentices: Mike Holt
3. Field lookups, inspection prep, quick citation checks: BONBON
4. Settling a disagreement with the GC on conduit fill: BONBON

The Honest Take

Most working electricians I know end up using both. Mike Holt for the long nights studying and the deep understanding. BONBON for the fifty times a week you just need to confirm a specific rule without losing your rhythm on the job. They are not really competing for the same slot in your phone.

If you have to pick one, pick the one that matches what you spend more time doing. If you are in the classroom mindset, Mike Holt. If you are in the boots-on mindset, a fast NEC lookup tool will earn back its cost in a week.