# Lab4U vs PhET Simulations

The clearest difference is price: Lab4U at Free against PhET Simulations's $0.99. Lab4U also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 14 months). PhET Simulations's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and review sentiment (66% vs 36%). On rating, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Lab4U is free to download; PhET Simulations costs $0.99 up front. Lab4U sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. PhET Simulations asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for Lab4U against 4.5 for PhET Simulations. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 10 and 49 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 36% of Lab4U's written reviews are positive against 66% of PhET Simulations's.

Lab4U ships an update fortnightly, PhET Simulations every 14 months. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Lab4U | PhET Simulations |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $0.99 |
| Rating | [4.5 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lab4u/id1049405068/reviews) | [4.5 (49 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phet-simulations/id1134126831/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 10 | **49** |
| Positive reviews | 36.4% of reviews | **65.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 14 months |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | **#41** |
| Size | 104 MB | 125 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Lab4U Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1049405067) | [University of Colorado Boulder](https://appshunter.io/developer/972210292) |

## What reviewers say

### Lab4U

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lab4u/id1049405068)

This app transforms your device into a scientific tool for hands-on biology, physics, and chemistry experiments. Explore real-time data using your phone's sensors to learn and teach science in an engaging, inquiry-based manner.

**Highlights:** Real-time sensor experiments, Biology, physics, and chemistry labs, Inquiry-Based Learning methodology, Curriculum-aligned content, Scientific thinking development, Device camera, microphone, and motion sensor integration

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Lab4physics Trial | Free | one-time |
| Lab4U Trial | Free | one-time |
| Lab4Physics Premium | $45.99 | one-time |
| Lab4U Premium | $45.99 | one-time |


### PhET Simulations

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phet-simulations/id1134126831)

**Currently charting:** #41 Top Paid · Education (US App Store)

Explore science and math concepts through interactive simulations. This app provides over 75 HTML5 simulations for learning about atoms, energy, multiplication, and more. It's ideal for students, parents, and educators, offering offline access and multiple language support.

**Highlights:** Interactive science and math simulations, Offline play capability, Multiple language support, Customizable favorites collection, Automatic simulation updates, Easy simulation sorting

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Lab4U free?

Lab4U is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is PhET Simulations free?

PhET Simulations costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Lab4U or PhET Simulations?

Lab4U and PhET Simulations are both rated 4.5 out of 5 on the App Store, from 10 and 49 ratings respectively.

### Do Lab4U or PhET Simulations have ads?

Neither Lab4U nor PhET Simulations shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Lab4U or PhET Simulations?

Lab4U ships an update fortnightly, and PhET Simulations every 14 months. Most recently, Lab4U was updated on October 10, 2026 and PhET Simulations 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.*