# PhET Simulations vs Mathspace for Students

The clearest difference is price: Mathspace for Students at Free against PhET Simulations's $0.99. Mathspace for Students also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 14 months) and ratings volume (395 vs 49). PhET Simulations's advantage is rating (4.5 vs 3.9) and review sentiment (66% vs 30%). On ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Mathspace for Students is free to download; PhET Simulations costs $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

PhET Simulations holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Mathspace for Students has 395 ratings behind it against 49, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 66% of PhET Simulations's written reviews are positive against 30% of Mathspace for Students's.

PhET Simulations ships an update every 14 months, Mathspace for Students weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PhET Simulations | Mathspace for Students |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $0.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.5 (49 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phet-simulations/id1134126831/reviews)** | [3.9 (395 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mathspace-for-students/id1445097311/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 49 | **395** |
| Positive reviews | **65.5% of reviews** | 29.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 14 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#37** | — |
| Size | 125 MB | 65 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [University of Colorado Boulder](https://appshunter.io/developer/972210292) | [Mathspace Pty Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/586612058) |

## What reviewers say

### PhET Simulations

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

**Currently charting:** #37 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


### Mathspace for Students

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mathspace-for-students/id1445097311)

This app offers a digital platform for students to solve math problems online, providing instant feedback and step-by-step assistance. It features a vast library of interactive questions across various math topics and supports multiple international curricula.

**Highlights:** Interactive math problems, Instant feedback, Step-by-step help, Handwriting recognition, Extensive question bank, Multiple curriculum support

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Good for students
- 💡 Adaptive learning
- 🚀 Helpful features (hints, videos)

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Handwriting recognition issues
- 🤔 Confusing UI/UX
- 🤯 Frustrating experience
- 🤖 Unhelpful AI assistant
- 🕰️ Slow and laggy

**Reported bugs**

- Incorrect answers marked as correct
- Repeated questions despite completion
- Login and account issues
- Content loading failures

**Requested features**

- Add keyboard input option
- Improve handwriting recognition
- Customize question difficulty
- Better error handling and feedback


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PhET Simulations free?

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

### Is Mathspace for Students free?

Mathspace for Students is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, PhET Simulations or Mathspace for Students?

PhET Simulations is rated higher. PhET Simulations averages 4.5 out of 5 from 49 ratings, while Mathspace for Students averages 3.9 from 395 ratings.

### Do PhET Simulations or Mathspace for Students have ads?

Neither PhET Simulations nor Mathspace for Students shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, PhET Simulations or Mathspace for Students?

PhET Simulations ships an update every 14 months, and Mathspace for Students weekly. Most recently, PhET Simulations was updated on October 15, 2026 and Mathspace for Students on October 14, 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.*