# phyphox vs 3

The clearest difference is rating: 3 at 5.0 against phyphox's 4.6. 3 also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 79%) and update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months). phyphox's advantage is ratings volume (272 vs 3) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

3 holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: phyphox has 272 ratings behind it against 3, 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 100% of 3's.

phyphox ships an update every 3 months, 3 monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | phyphox | 3 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (272 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phyphox/id1127319693/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/3-body/id6642661687/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **272** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 78.9% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 19 MB | 9 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [RWTH Aachen University](https://appshunter.io/developer/371466796) | [Cubic Insights LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1763432190) |

## 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


### 3

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/3-body/id6642661687)

Explore the wonders of gravity with this 2D N-body simulator. Experiment with celestial mechanics, create mesmerizing patterns, and customize your simulations. It's a fun and educational playground for anyone curious about physics.

**Highlights:** Simulate gravity interactions, Explore preset configurations, Customize body size, color, and trails, Educational and fun physics experiments, Create mesmerizing visual patterns

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is phyphox free?

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

### Is 3 free?

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

### Which has better reviews, phyphox or 3?

3 is rated higher. phyphox averages 4.6 out of 5 from 272 ratings, while 3 averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do phyphox or 3 have ads?

Neither phyphox nor 3 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, phyphox or 3?

phyphox ships an update every 3 months, and 3 monthly. Most recently, phyphox was updated on September 24, 2026 and 3 on September 3, 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.*