Armillary Sphere vs Tinkercad
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Armillary Sphere
Explore the cosmos with this 3D astronomical tool. Measure and record the positions and movements of celestial bodies, and determine sunrise/sunset times and day length. Reconstructs an ancient scientific instrument using modern technology.
- 3D astronomical model
- Measure celestial positions
- Record Sun and star movements
- Determine sunrise/sunset times
- Calculate day length
- Adjustable Meridian, Equator, Horizon, Ecliptic, Altitude
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Armillary is a handy astronomical application for measurement and recording specific times, locations and movement of the Sun and the stars, based on a Ptolemaic model. With this app, we can easily determine the time and position of sunrise and sunset, the length of a day, the altitude of the sun at different times of the year and the position of celestial objects. This 3-dimensional Armillary app reconstructs the ancient armillary sphere with the help of modern technology. The ancient device, believed to be first invented around 200 B.C., had been in use for over 2,000 years in history. FEATURES • This modern-day counterpart can be displayed in any scale and rotated by any angle. • You can make desired measurements by making relevant adjustment of the “Meridian”, “Equator”, “Horizon”, “Ecliptic” and “Altitude” on the app. USER CONTROLS • Touch-screen rotation – Gently swipe or slide fingers for desired rotation of armillary sphere rings • Swipe-touch panel – Swipe fingers on the display panel for desired movement of armillary sphere rings • Pinch-to-zoom – Use index finger and the thumb in a pinch motion to enlarge or shrink the screen as desired.
Tinkercad
This app empowers aspiring designers and engineers with essential skills in 3D design, electronics, and coding. Learn through hands-on projects, build confidence, and bring your creations to life in the real world. It's a safe, ad-free environment for all ages to explore innovation.
- 3D design optimized for mobile
- Circuit simulation with Arduino/micro:bit
- 3D design from code (Codeblocks)
- AR viewer for designs
- Import/export various file formats
- Educational tools for teachers
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Tinkercad is a free app that equips the next generation of designers and engineers with the foundational skills for innovation: 3D design, electronics, and coding. • FREE FOR EVERYONE: No strings attached. Start creating from the first click. • LEARN BY DOING: Build confidence, persistence, and problem-solving skills. • SAFE FOR ALL AGES: Ad-free. kidSAFE certified. Privacy first. KEY FEATURES • Easily build 3D with controls optimized for your device. • Connect, code, and simulate circuit components with Arduino and micro:bit microcontrollers. • Make 3D designs from code using Tinkercad Codeblocks. • Bring your designs into the real world with the Tinkercad AR viewer. • Import STL, OBJ and SVG files into the 3D design space to build on an existing design. • Export your files including STL, OBJ, USDZ, and SVG or send them to other programs. • All you need is a device and an internet connection. • Apple Pencil compatible. FOR EDUCATORS • Tinkercad Classrooms allows teachers to assign Activities, send and receive assignments, invite co-teachers, and monitor student progress—all from your dashboard. • Tinkercad Lesson Plans and starters available for students to get started with 3D CAD design, electronics simulation, and block-based programming. • Compatible with Google Classroom. Tinkercad is a free product from Autodesk, a leader in 3D design, engineering, and entertainment software. Tomorrow's innovators start here. Children’s Privacy Statement: https://www.autodesk.com/company/legal-notices-trademarks/privacy-statement/childrens-privacy-statement
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Tinkercad at 4.6 against Armillary Sphere's 4.0. Tinkercad also leads on ratings volume (20K vs 6). Armillary Sphere's advantage is review sentiment (86% vs 59%) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Tinkercad holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Tinkercad has 20K ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 86% of Armillary Sphere's written reviews are positive against 59% of Tinkercad's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Armillary Sphere ships an update every 5 months, Tinkercad every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Armillary Sphere | Tinkercad |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.0 (6 ratings) | 4.6 (20K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 85.7% of reviews — better | 58.6% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 6 | 20K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | Every 4 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPad |
| Requires iOS | 9.0 — better | 15.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 275 MB | 12 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | HKU TELI | Autodesk Inc. |
Customer experience
Armillary Sphere
Tinkercad
Bugs and requests
Armillary Sphere
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Tinkercad
Reported bugs
4 issues- Login issues and lost connection problems
- Dimensions box repeatedly appearing
- Designs reverting to earlier versions
- Overlapping UI elements
Requested features
5 requests- Add support for Apple Pencil and trackpad
- Improve alignment and grouping tools
- Provide offline functionality
- Expand library of shapes and templates
- Implement better tutorial and documentation
In-app purchases
Armillary Sphere
No in-app purchases
Tinkercad
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Armillary Sphere free?
Is Tinkercad free?
Which has better reviews, Armillary Sphere or Tinkercad?
Do Armillary Sphere or Tinkercad have ads?
Which is updated more often, Armillary Sphere or Tinkercad?
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