Comparison

Physics Lab AR vs 3DPhyS

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

3DPhyS

Explore fundamental physics concepts through interactive simulations. Adjust parameters like initial velocity and bounce coefficient to understand phenomena like free fall, projectile motion, and circular motion. This app supports learning in multiple languages.

Highlights
  • Interactive physics simulations
  • Adjustable experiment parameters
  • Multiple physics experiment modules
  • Multilingual interface
  • Free to download and use
Features
Read full description

3DPhyS offers a fun way to learn physics using Physics Simulator! Localized the home scene into Japanese, English, Chinese, Spanish, German, French, Portuguese, Russian, Indonesian, Arabic, and Korean! Some parts are still in Japanese, but you can still simulate the game even if you do not understand Japanese! The following courses of experiments are available Free Fall Vertical projection Horizontal projection Oblique projection Monkey Hunting Bounce coefficient Object sliding on a slope Buoyancy force Frictional force Momentum conservation law for two-object collision (bounce coefficient) Momentum conservation law for splitting Circular motion Circular motion under gravity Single swing of pendulum Universal gravitation In each experiment, you can freely change parameters such as initial velocity and bounce coefficient! Please use this app to improve your performance! If you have any comments or typos, please feel free to contact us.

Screenshots

Physics Lab AR4 screens
3DPhyS3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: 3DPhyS at none against Physics Lab AR's 7. 3DPhyS also leads on review sentiment (80% vs 47%) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). Physics Lab AR's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price and device support 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. 3DPhyS asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Physics Lab AR ships an update every 2 months, 3DPhyS fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and August 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Physics Lab AR versus 3DPhyS: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPhysics Lab AR3DPhyS
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (1.8K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews47.1% of reviews80.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1.8K — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesAd-supported — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.012.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size177 MB176 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTurtle Sim LLCSota Takasugi

Customer experience

Physics Lab AR

All ratings1,811 ratings
Positive91.4%
Neutral3.8%
Negative4.7%
Written reviews121 reviews
Positive47.1%
Neutral7.4%
Negative45.5%

3DPhyS

Written reviews5 reviews
Positive80.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative20.0%

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

3DPhyS

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

3DPhyS

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Physics Lab AR free?
Physics Lab AR is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is 3DPhyS free?
3DPhyS is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Physics Lab AR or 3DPhyS have ads?
3DPhyS shows ads; Physics Lab AR does not.
Which is updated more often, Physics Lab AR or 3DPhyS?
Physics Lab AR ships an update every 2 months, and 3DPhyS fortnightly. Most recently, Physics Lab AR was updated on September 24, 2026 and 3DPhyS on August 6, 2026.

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