# Optics vs Light Lab

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Optics at 7.0 against Light Lab's 16.6. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Optics sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Light Lab sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 4, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Optics | Light Lab |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.2 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/optics/id1025745150/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **5** | — |
| Positive reviews | 25.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 86 MB | 8 MB |
| Requires iOS | **7.0** | 16.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [继岭 陈](https://appshunter.io/developer/954198643) | [THSS](https://appshunter.io/developer/1722239755) |

## What reviewers say

### Optics

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/optics/id1025745150)

This app allows users to simulate various optical phenomena, including light sources, reflection, and refraction. It supports ideal lenses and mirrors, and includes tools for angular measurement. It's designed for educational purposes, helping users visualize and understand optics concepts.

**Highlights:** Simulate beam and point light sources, Simulate reflection in plane or arc mirrors, Simulate refraction in plane or arc interfaces, Simulate ideal lens/mirror equations, Angular measurement tool

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Professional | $0.99 | one-time |


### Light Lab

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/light-lab-learn-optics/id6504238420)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Purchase all lenses | $4.99 | one-time |
| Lens Ticket Issuance Function | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Optics free?

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

### Is Light Lab free?

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

### Do Optics or Light Lab have ads?

Neither Optics nor Light Lab shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Optics or Light Lab?

Optics ships an update every 3 months, and Light Lab every 3 months. Most recently, Optics was updated on October 4, 2026 and Light Lab on October 2, 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.*