Napier's Bones Simulation vs Roughness
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Napier's Bones Simulation
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John Napier's contribution to mathematics was truly significant. Born in Scotland, Napier studied as a mathematician, physicist and astronomer. He is best known as the inventor of logarithms, but he also invented one of the first computing devices. The device, known as Napier's Bones, is manually operated and can be used to find the products and quotients of numbers. Napier's device was based on Arab mathematics and used the lattice method of multiplication. Each of the rods are inscribed with the multiplication tables for a specific number. By arranging the rods on the board, the product of two numbers can be found by performing addition operations. Use the Napier's Bones app to learn how one of the earliest calculating devices worked. More than 400 years ago, people used Napier's Bones to find the product of large numbers. In using this simulation you will discover a new way to multiply. Have fun!
Roughness
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When it comes to the surface of workpieces, a large number of surface parameters are required in design and manufacture. Before installation or delivery, the workpieces are also verified in quality management. The roughness app from ZEISS provides information on the most common surface parameters with related formulas and graphs.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Roughness at Free against Napier's Bones Simulation's $1.99. Napier's Bones Simulation's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Roughness is free to download; Napier's Bones Simulation costs $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Napier's Bones Simulation ships an update every 25 months, Roughness every 14 months. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Napier's Bones Simulation | Roughness |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1.99 | Free — better |
| Update frequency | Every 25 months | Every 14 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV — better | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 29 MB | 26 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Ventura Educational Systems | Carl Zeiss AG |
In-app purchases
Napier's Bones Simulation
No in-app purchases
Roughness
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Napier's Bones Simulation free?
Is Roughness free?
Do Napier's Bones Simulation or Roughness have ads?
Which is updated more often, Napier's Bones Simulation or Roughness?
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