Comparison

Physics Lab AR vs PE.Mech[Lite]

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Physics Lab AR

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
Read full description

Are you a curious student eager to explore deeper into the physics world? Are you a science enthusiast who wants to share your ideas with others? Are you an adventurer bounded by textbook instructions and budget limits? Are you a romantic dreaming of having your own customized galaxy? Are you a teacher who wants to use fun and interactive demonstrations in your physics lessons? Learn science by doing experiments in your virtual lab with Physics Lab. With our new AR mode, you can even bring your experiments to life! In Physics Lab, you can play with various circuit components, build your own 3D electric circuits, and see how they work in real time. With 100+ circuit components to choose from (and more coming soon), the possibilities are endless. Plus, all of our experiments are backed by science and calculated with precise numbers, so you can learn and have fun at the same time. Physics Lab is not only for students, but for teachers too! Use it to demonstrate experiments in class, and help your students learn and explore in a new way. And because it's virtual, you don't have to worry about expensive lab equipment or safety concerns. Explore with freedom - Pick from 100+ circuit components (more coming!) - Drag them from the toolbox to the virtual desk and connect them the way you like - All experiment results are backed by science and calculated in precise numbers - Design your own galaxy or load from our solar system - Electromagnetic experiments with field line visualization Better than real life - Set properties of circuit components to different figures and observe changes of behavior and stats in real time - One-click to turn what you have built into an editable circuit diagram and vice versa - No expenses on lab equipments, no worry about safety issues A lab for everyone - Teachers have been using Physics Lab to demonstrate experiments and assist teaching in class - Students, in primary or high schools, can learn science and explore freely anywhere, anytime - Kids or not, curious minds now have their own virtual lab to learn knowledge by doing experiments Whether you're a teacher, student, or just someone who loves learning about physics, Physics Lab has something for everyone. Connect with us and let us know what you think, and check out our subscription options to access even more experiments and components. We can't wait to see what you create! Email: turtlesim@u.northwestern.edu =========================== Concerning Component Subscription During your subscription period, you will have access to all paid components for free, including future ones. 1) Subscription periods are one month long and will be charged to your iTunes Account at the time of purchase. 2) Your subscription is linked to your Physics Lab account. 3) You will be charged for renewals 24 hours before the end of the current period, and will be notified of the cost. 4) You can manage your subscriptions at any time in your Account Settings. 5) By purchasing a subscription, you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Terms of Use: https://static.turtlesim.com/products/Term-Of-Use.txt Privacy Policy: https://static.turtlesim.com/products/Privacy-Policy.txt

About

PE.Mech[Lite]

Explore fundamental physics concepts through interactive simulations. Visualize motion, energy, and forces with real-time diagrams and adjustable parameters. Ideal for high school and college students to supplement theoretical learning.

Highlights
  • Simulate kinematics and motion laws
  • Visualize physical values in real-time
  • Adjustable parameters for varied results
  • Frictionless and air resistance-free environments
  • Diagrams for forces, energy, and motion
Features
Read full description

This app is aimed at mechanics part and includes 11 experiments [need full version] about: kinematics, Newton's laws of motion, work and energy, momentum and impulse, periodic motion etc. It has some features: 1. You can set ideal conditions, for example: friction=0, air resistance=0, any gravity acceleration; 2. Show changing physical values by function diagram, free body diagram, energy diagram etc in real time to compensate for the lack of real experiments; 3. You can set any reasonable parameters to see different results, and calculate them by the descriptions to test your understanding; 4. Suitable for use in high school and college students; I hope this app can help you in your physics learning.

Screenshots

Physics Lab AR4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: PE.Mech[Lite] at none against Physics Lab AR's 7. PE.Mech[Lite] also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.7). Physics Lab AR's advantage is ratings volume (1.8K vs 1) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, update cadence, ads and iOS requirement 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Physics Lab AR sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per month. PE.Mech[Lite] asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

PE.Mech[Lite] holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Physics Lab AR has 1.8K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Physics Lab AR versus PE.Mech[Lite]: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPhysics Lab ARPE.Mech[Lite]
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (1.8K ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews47.5% of reviews—
Number of ratings1.8K — better1
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPad
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size177 MB34 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTurtle Sim LLC巍 顾

Customer experience

Physics Lab AR

All ratings1,811 ratings
Positive91.4%
Neutral3.8%
Negative4.7%
Written reviews122 reviews
Positive47.5%
Neutral7.4%
Negative45.1%

PE.Mech[Lite]

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Physics Lab AR

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • 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

6 requests
  • 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
Show 1 more
  • Improve stability and reduce crashes

PE.Mech[Lite]

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

7 purchases

Physics Lab AR

Subscriptions1
  • Monthly Component Subscription$1.491 Month
One-time6
  • 60 Diamonds$0.99
  • 10 Diamonds$0.99
  • 120 Diamonds$1.99
Show 3 more
  • 300 Diamonds$4.99
  • 680 Diamonds$9.99
  • 1280 Diamonds$19.99
None

PE.Mech[Lite]

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Physics Lab AR free?
Physics Lab AR is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is PE.Mech[Lite] free?
PE.Mech[Lite] is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Physics Lab AR or PE.Mech[Lite]?
PE.Mech[Lite] is rated higher. Physics Lab AR averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.8K ratings, while PE.Mech[Lite] averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Physics Lab AR or PE.Mech[Lite] have ads?
Neither Physics Lab AR nor PE.Mech[Lite] shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Physics Lab AR or PE.Mech[Lite]?
Physics Lab AR ships an update every 2 months, and PE.Mech[Lite] every 2 months. Most recently, Physics Lab AR was updated on October 14, 2026 and PE.Mech[Lite] on September 23, 2026.

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