# Stepik vs Phystech

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Phystech at none against Stepik's 10. Stepik's advantage is ratings volume (890 vs 3) and update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Stepik sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Phystech asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Stepik against 5.0 for Phystech. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Stepik has 890 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 69% of Stepik's written reviews are positive against 75% of Phystech's.

Stepik ships an update weekly, Phystech every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Stepik | Phystech |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.9 (890 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stepik-best-online-courses/id1064581926/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phystech/id1580960177/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **890** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 68.6% of reviews | **75.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 122 MB | 46 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Iuliia Tikhokhod](https://appshunter.io/developer/1751367646) | [FIZTEKH-TSENTR, OOO](https://appshunter.io/developer/1543240504) |

## What reviewers say

### Stepik

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stepik-best-online-courses/id1064581926)

Access a vast marketplace of online courses with video lectures and practical assignments. Download content for offline learning and study a wide range of subjects from leading institutions and companies.

**Highlights:** Online course marketplace, Video lectures, Practical assignments, Offline content download, Courses from IT companies and universities, Diverse subject offerings

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Course Tier 78 | $299.99 | one-time |
| Course Tier 79 | $349.99 | one-time |
| Course Tier 80 | $399.99 | one-time |
| Course Tier 81 | $449.99 | one-time |
| Course Tier 82 | $499.99 | one-time |
| Course Tier 83 | $599.99 | one-time |
| Course Tier 84 | $699.99 | one-time |
| Course Tier 85 | $799.99 | one-time |
| Course Tier 86 | $899.99 | one-time |
| Course Tier 87 | $999.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Convenient and user-friendly
- 💡 Variety of interesting courses
- 🚀 Efficient learning platform
- 🙏 Helpful and supportive developers

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and stability issues
- 🔌 Problems with video playback and loading
- 🔄 App freezes when rotating the screen

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on iOS 18
- Videos not loading on iPhone XR
- Landscape mode causes app to crash

**Requested features**

- Offline mode for courses
- Language selection options
- Improved performance and stability


### Phystech

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phystech/id1580960177)

This app provides students, staff, and applicants with essential information about Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology. Access your schedule, get campus news, connect with others, and find important contacts. It also features a helpful chatbot and appointment booking for psychological support.

**Highlights:** Editable group timetable, Class notifications and widget, Campus news feed, Smart chatbot for inquiries, Connect with teachers and classmates, Psychologist appointment booking, Campus navigation and contacts

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Stepik free?

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

### Is Phystech free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Stepik or Phystech?

Phystech is rated higher. Stepik averages 4.9 out of 5 from 890 ratings, while Phystech averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do Stepik or Phystech have ads?

Neither Stepik nor Phystech shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Stepik or Phystech?

Stepik ships an update weekly, and Phystech every 3 weeks. Most recently, Stepik was updated on October 19, 2026 and Phystech on October 17, 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.*