# Psych Lab 101 vs DSM

The clearest difference is rating: DSM at 4.7 against Psych Lab 101's 2.5. DSM also leads on ratings volume (308 vs 2) and update cadence (every 4 months vs every 13 months). Psych Lab 101's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and review sentiment (50% vs 33%). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. DSM sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $24.99 per month. Psych Lab 101 asks for nothing beyond the download.

DSM holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: DSM has 308 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 50% of Psych Lab 101's written reviews are positive against 33% of DSM's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Psych Lab 101 ships an update every 13 months, DSM every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Psych Lab 101 | DSM |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/psych-lab-101/id1014084546/reviews) | **[4.7 (308 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dsm-5/id1576503453/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **308** |
| Positive reviews | **50.0% of reviews** | 33.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 13 months | **Every 4 months** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 35 MB | 35 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Neurobehavioral Systems, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/705361617) | [MastrAPI](https://appshunter.io/developer/1618627725) |

## What reviewers say

### Psych Lab 101

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/psych-lab-101/id1014084546)

Explore 35 psychology experiments and 11 visual illusions. Compare your results to classic findings and adjust parameters to see how perception changes. Includes background information and options for class data analysis.

**Highlights:** 35 psychology experiments, 11 adjustable visual illusions, Background information and references, Multiple experiment versions, Class data analysis upload, Interactive parameter adjustment

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### DSM

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dsm-5/id1576503453)

Prepare for the DSM-5 exam with a comprehensive mobile study guide. It offers practice questions, personalized study plans, and detailed performance tracking to boost your confidence and improve diagnostic skills.

**Highlights:** Personalized study plan, 500+ practice questions, Strength and weakness tracking, Detailed test statistics, Community score comparison, Updated for DSM-5-TR

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly with Trial | $24.99 | per month |
| Lifetime | $99.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Psych Lab 101 free?

Psych Lab 101 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is DSM free?

DSM is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Psych Lab 101 or DSM?

DSM is rated higher. Psych Lab 101 averages 2.5 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while DSM averages 4.7 from 308 ratings.

### Do Psych Lab 101 or DSM have ads?

Neither Psych Lab 101 nor DSM shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Psych Lab 101 or DSM?

Psych Lab 101 ships an update every 13 months, and DSM every 4 months. Most recently, Psych Lab 101 was updated on October 7, 2026 and DSM on October 22, 2026.

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