# PhET Simulations vs Physics Lab AR

The clearest difference is price: Physics Lab AR at Free against PhET Simulations's $0.99. Physics Lab AR also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 14 months) and ratings volume (1.8K vs 49). PhET Simulations's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 7) and review sentiment (66% vs 47%). On ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Physics Lab AR is free to download; PhET Simulations costs $0.99 up front. Physics Lab AR sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per month. PhET Simulations asks for nothing beyond the download.

Physics Lab AR holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Physics Lab AR has 1.8K ratings behind it against 49, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 66% of PhET Simulations's written reviews are positive against 47% of Physics Lab AR's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

PhET Simulations ships an update every 14 months, Physics Lab AR every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PhET Simulations | Physics Lab AR |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $0.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.5 (49 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phet-simulations/id1134126831/reviews) | **[4.7 (1.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/physics-lab-ar/id1298984261/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 49 | **1.8K** |
| Positive reviews | **65.5% of reviews** | 47.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 14 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | **#40** | — |
| Size | 125 MB | 177 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [University of Colorado Boulder](https://appshunter.io/developer/972210292) | [Turtle Sim LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1568741108) |

## What reviewers say

### PhET Simulations

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phet-simulations/id1134126831)

**Currently charting:** #40 Top Paid · Education (US App Store)

Explore science and math concepts through interactive simulations. This app provides over 75 HTML5 simulations for learning about atoms, energy, multiplication, and more. It's ideal for students, parents, and educators, offering offline access and multiple language support.

**Highlights:** Interactive science and math simulations, Offline play capability, Multiple language support, Customizable favorites collection, Automatic simulation updates, Easy simulation sorting

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Physics Lab AR

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/physics-lab-ar/id1298984261)

Explore physics through interactive virtual experiments and augmented reality. Build and test electrical circuits with over 100 components, visualize electromagnetic fields, and even design your own galaxy. Ideal for students, teachers, and curious minds of all ages.

**Highlights:** Virtual lab with AR mode, Build 3D electric circuits, 100+ circuit components, Precise scientific calculations, Electromagnetic field visualization, Design custom galaxies

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

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Component Subscription | $1.49 | per month |
| 60 Diamonds | $0.99 | one-time |
| 10 Diamonds | $0.99 | one-time |
| 120 Diamonds | $1.99 | one-time |
| 300 Diamonds | $4.99 | one-time |
| 680 Diamonds | $9.99 | one-time |
| 1280  Diamonds | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Nice app
- 🚀 Awesome app
- 💡 Good app idea
- 👍 Helpful for learning
- 👍 Useful for teachers

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes frequently
- 🐛 Unstable app
- 🐛 Buggy app
- 🐛 App doesn't work
- 🔧 Needs improvements

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when opening experiments or circuits
- Wires don't attach properly
- Objects fall through the table
- Camera position issues
- App freezes or becomes unresponsive

**Requested features**

- Add more components like transistors and potentiometers
- Improve camera controls and view options
- Implement saving and loading of circuits
- Add more tutorials and explanations
- Support for Vietnamese and other languages


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PhET Simulations free?

PhET Simulations costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Physics Lab AR free?

Physics Lab AR is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, PhET Simulations or Physics Lab AR?

Physics Lab AR is rated higher. PhET Simulations averages 4.5 out of 5 from 49 ratings, while Physics Lab AR averages 4.7 from 1.8K ratings.

### Do PhET Simulations or Physics Lab AR have ads?

Neither PhET Simulations nor Physics Lab AR shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, PhET Simulations or Physics Lab AR?

PhET Simulations ships an update every 14 months, and Physics Lab AR every 2 months. Most recently, PhET Simulations was updated on September 23, 2026 and Physics Lab AR on September 24, 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.*