Napier's Bones Simulation vs SlipStick
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!
SlipStick
This app is a fully functional digital reproduction of a classic engineering slide rule. It allows users to perform complex calculations like multiplication, division, logarithms, and trigonometry, just like the original manual tool.
- Virtual slide rule reproduction
- Multiplication and division
- Logarithm calculations
- Trigonometry calculations
- Classic engineering tool
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A reproduction of a classic engineering tool - the slide rule. This fully functional manual calculating device was the engineer and math student's means of quickly solving multiplication, division, logarithm and trigonometry calculations until the invention and wide spread use of electronic calculators.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: SlipStick at weekly against Napier's Bones Simulation's every 25 months. SlipStick also leads on price ($0.99 vs $1.99). On ads, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement 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
Napier's Bones Simulation costs $1.99 and SlipStick $0.99 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, SlipStick weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 16, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Napier's Bones Simulation | SlipStick |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1.99 | $0.99 — better |
| Rating | — | 4.6 (9 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | — | 83.3% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | — | 9 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 25 months | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | — | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV — better | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | 12.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 29 MB | 1 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Ventura Educational Systems | Steve Glenner |
In-app purchases
Napier's Bones Simulation
No in-app purchases
SlipStick
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Napier's Bones Simulation free?
Is SlipStick free?
Do Napier's Bones Simulation or SlipStick have ads?
Which is updated more often, Napier's Bones Simulation or SlipStick?
Other comparisons
