Comparison

4th Wall vs Mad Scientist Controls

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

Head to head
About

4th Wall

Experience public art in augmented reality. Discover curated AR exhibitions at significant locations or place 3D artworks in your own environment. Engage with art that activates historical sites and inspires dialogue.

Highlights
  • Augmented reality public art exhibitions
  • Site-specific AR artworks
  • Place 3D dimensional drawings
  • Record and share AR creations
  • Explore historically significant sites
  • Sound integration for artworks
Features
Read full description

4th Wall is a free, augmented reality (AR) public art platform exploring inclusive creative expression. “Coordinates” hosts an ongoing series of curated, collaborative, site specific, public AR art exhibitions. Users are invited to be physically present at specific locations to experience AR artworks in situ. When users select the Coordinates feature, based on their location, they will be directed toward artworks – translated into AR-- created by artists that activate the historically, politically or culturally significant sites they have chosen. “Coordinates” aims to inspire thoughtful dialogue and expand our understanding of public art. By pressing the AR Artworks button, users can view, explore and place Nancy Baker Cahill’s dimensional drawings in the environment of their choice. Drawings can be rotated, scaled, placed and recorded by user. What’s New - A more streamlined experience for the user, with the removal of the hologram, studio experience and Desert X exhibition buttons and an expansion of the curated and site-specific “Coordinates” AR public art exhibitions platform. - Artworks may include sound so make sure to check for the new orange sound button at the top of the menu when observing an artwork on site. - The “Refresh” button updates the nearest artwork depending on the user’s location. - The “About” button directs users to the home page for 4thwallapp.org. Users can re-enter the app by tapping the text, “4th Wall” at the upper left hand corner of their screens. 4th Wall App is available on iPhone 6s iOS11 or above. Founding artist and Creative Director: Nancy Baker Cahill App Developer: Drive Studios ©nancybakercahill2019

About

Mad Scientist Controls

Control your JAWS Rover robot via Bluetooth for exciting adventures. Explore and maneuver your robot with an easy-to-use interface. Requires the JAWS Rover device.

Highlights
  • Bluetooth connectivity
  • Robot control
  • Exploration
  • Maneuvering
  • Easy-to-use interface
Features
Read full description

Take control of your JAWS Rover! This app lets you connect to your robot via Bluetooth and guide it on exciting adventures. Explore, maneuver, and have fun with this easy-to-use interface. This app requires the JAWS Rover device built with the Mad Scientist Labs (Session at CodeMash 2025)

Screenshots

4th Wall4 screens
Mad Scientist Controls4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Mad Scientist Controls at 5.0 against 4th Wall's 4.5. Mad Scientist Controls also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 11 days) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). 4th Wall's advantage is ratings volume (42 vs 4). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Mad Scientist Controls holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: 4th Wall has 42 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

4th Wall ships an update every 11 days, Mad Scientist Controls every 5 days. Both last shipped on October 7, 2026.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
4th Wall versus Mad Scientist Controls: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
Parameter4th WallMad Scientist Controls
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (42 ratings)5.0 (4 ratings) — better
Positive reviews66.7% of reviews—
Number of ratings42 — better4
Update frequencyEvery 11 daysEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.012.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size298 MB31 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperNancy Baker Cahill Studio, IncGregory Shayko

Customer experience

4th Wall

All ratings42 ratings
Positive85.7%
Neutral4.8%
Negative9.5%
Written reviews6 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%

Mad Scientist Controls

All ratings4 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

4th Wall

No in-app purchases

None

Mad Scientist Controls

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is 4th Wall free?
4th Wall is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Mad Scientist Controls free?
Mad Scientist Controls is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, 4th Wall or Mad Scientist Controls?
Mad Scientist Controls is rated higher. 4th Wall averages 4.5 out of 5 from 42 ratings, while Mad Scientist Controls averages 5.0 from 4 ratings.
Do 4th Wall or Mad Scientist Controls have ads?
Neither 4th Wall nor Mad Scientist Controls shows ads.
Which is updated more often, 4th Wall or Mad Scientist Controls?
4th Wall ships an update every 11 days, and Mad Scientist Controls every 5 days. Most recently, 4th Wall was updated on October 7, 2026 and Mad Scientist Controls on October 7, 2026.

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