# DroneBlocks vs Academia @ SIMS

The clearest difference is rating: Academia @ SIMS at 4.5 against DroneBlocks's 3.4. Academia @ SIMS also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 2 months). DroneBlocks's advantage is review sentiment (49% vs 14%) and ratings volume (58 vs 8). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Academia @ SIMS holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: DroneBlocks has 58 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 49% of DroneBlocks's written reviews are positive against 14% of Academia @ SIMS's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

DroneBlocks ships an update every 2 months, Academia @ SIMS monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | DroneBlocks | Academia @ SIMS |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.4 (58 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/droneblocks/id1045826508/reviews) | **[4.5 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/academia-sims/id1564202293/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **58** | 8 |
| Positive reviews | **48.9% of reviews** | 13.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 85 MB | 36 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [DroneBlocks, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1024277072) | [Siddharth Badjatiya](https://appshunter.io/developer/1191175984) |

## What reviewers say

### DroneBlocks

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/droneblocks/id1045826508)

Program drones using a block-based interface. Create custom flight paths, control camera functions, and execute missions with virtual joysticks. Supports various drone models and offers pre-flight checks for compliance.

**Highlights:** Block programming interface, Virtual joysticks for control, Pre-flight compliance checks, Camera and photo blocks, Telemetry data display, Offline mission storage, Support for Tello and DJI drones

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to code drone
- 👍 Great for educators
- 👍 Fun and engaging learning
- 👍 Potential for STEM programs
- 👍 Good for basic programming understanding

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inconsistent performance
- 🐛 Frequent disconnections
- 🐛 Difficult to save/change missions
- 🐛 UI issues on small phones
- 🐛 App crashes frequently

**Reported bugs**

- App keeps crashing
- App breaks when trying to flip
- Drone blew up and smashed window
- App doesn't execute code
- App crashes after app crash

**Requested features**

- Add camera controls for Tello
- Allow local saving of missions
- Improve UI for smaller phones
- Add more login options for Chinese users
- Support for metric units


### Academia @ SIMS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/academia-sims/id1564202293)

Access your academic information on the go. View course enrollments, timetables, attendance, homework, exams, and fees. Streamlines communication between students and institutions.

**Highlights:** Course enrollments, Timetable access, Daily attendance tracking, Homework assignments, Examination results, Fees information

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is DroneBlocks free?

DroneBlocks is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Academia @ SIMS free?

Academia @ SIMS is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, DroneBlocks or Academia @ SIMS?

Academia @ SIMS is rated higher. DroneBlocks averages 3.4 out of 5 from 58 ratings, while Academia @ SIMS averages 4.5 from 8 ratings.

### Do DroneBlocks or Academia @ SIMS have ads?

Neither DroneBlocks nor Academia @ SIMS shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, DroneBlocks or Academia @ SIMS?

DroneBlocks ships an update every 2 months, and Academia @ SIMS monthly. Most recently, DroneBlocks was updated on October 24, 2026 and Academia @ SIMS on October 15, 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.*