# phyphox vs Rift Student

The clearest difference is price: phyphox at Free against Rift Student's $0.99. phyphox also leads on rating (4.6 vs 3.6) and review sentiment (79% vs 50%). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

phyphox is free to download; Rift Student costs $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

phyphox holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: phyphox has 276 ratings behind it against 35, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 79% of phyphox's written reviews are positive against 50% of Rift Student's.

phyphox ships an update every 3 months, Rift Student every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and September 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | phyphox | Rift Student |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $0.99 |
| Rating | **[4.6 (276 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phyphox/id1127319693/reviews)** | [3.6 (35 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rift-student/id1590799737/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **276** | 35 |
| Positive reviews | **78.9% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Size | 19 MB | 8 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [RWTH Aachen University](https://appshunter.io/developer/371466796) | [Varun Chitturi](https://appshunter.io/developer/1590799739) |

## What reviewers say

### phyphox

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phyphox/id1127319693)

Unlock your phone's sensors for scientific exploration. Conduct pre-built experiments or create your own using accelerometers, magnetometers, and more. Analyze and export data in various formats for further study.

**Highlights:** Pre-defined experiments, Data export (CSV, TSV, Excel), Web-based remote control, Custom experiment editor, Access to phone sensors, Advanced analysis functions

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💡 Access to phone sensors
- 🔬 Useful for physics experiments
- 📊 Data logging and export
- 🆓 Free and no ads
- 🤔 Sparks curiosity

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs and crashes
- 📉 Inconsistent performance
- 🔒 App locks/minimizes recording
- ❓ Units not always clear
- ⚠️ Potential for device damage

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on older devices
- Barometer not working on iOS 17.4
- Network error: Generic error
- Sound measurement curve disappears
- App crashes frequently

**Requested features**

- Add infrasound detector
- More units of measurement (G-force, PSI, feet)
- NFC/RFID support
- In-app bug report feature
- Allow other sensors via USB-C


### Rift Student

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rift-student/id1590799737)

This app offers an alternative interface and enhanced features for Infinite Campus users. It includes grade checking, inbox access, and customizable views to help students manage their academic performance.

**Highlights:** Alternative Infinite Campus UI, Grade Checking, Inbox features, Quarterly Grade Checking, Weighted Grades View, Light & Dark Modes

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is phyphox free?

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

### Is Rift Student free?

Rift Student costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, phyphox or Rift Student?

phyphox is rated higher. phyphox averages 4.6 out of 5 from 276 ratings, while Rift Student averages 3.6 from 35 ratings.

### Do phyphox or Rift Student have ads?

Neither phyphox nor Rift Student shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, phyphox or Rift Student?

phyphox ships an update every 3 months, and Rift Student every 2 months. Most recently, phyphox was updated on October 1, 2026 and Rift Student on September 27, 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.*