# PhET Simulations vs AI tutor

The clearest difference is price: AI tutor at Free against PhET Simulations's $0.99. AI tutor also leads on update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 14 months) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). PhET Simulations's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and chart position (#43 vs unranked). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

AI tutor is free to download; PhET Simulations costs $0.99 up front. AI tutor sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. PhET Simulations asks for nothing beyond the download.

PhET Simulations ships an update every 14 months, AI tutor every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PhET Simulations | AI tutor |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $0.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.5 (49 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phet-simulations/id1134126831/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **49** | — |
| Positive reviews | 65.5% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 14 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Best chart rank | **#43** | — |
| Size | 125 MB | 227 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [University of Colorado Boulder](https://appshunter.io/developer/972210292) | [Expandel Tecnologia LTDA](https://appshunter.io/developer/1809702577) |

## What reviewers say

### PhET Simulations

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

**Currently charting:** #43 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


### AI tutor

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ai-tutor/id6744874555)

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| AI tutor Monthly | $7.99 | per month |
| AI tutor Annual | $59.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PhET Simulations free?

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

### Is AI tutor free?

AI tutor is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do PhET Simulations or AI tutor have ads?

Neither PhET Simulations nor AI tutor shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, PhET Simulations or AI tutor?

PhET Simulations ships an update every 14 months, and AI tutor every 6 weeks. Most recently, PhET Simulations was updated on October 19, 2026 and AI tutor on October 15, 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.*