Comparison

Fractal Generator vs Epicycles

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

Head to head
About

Fractal Generator

Explore the beauty of mathematics by creating intricate fractals. Design them using traditional mathematical methods or a visual drag-and-drop builder. Learn, experiment, and export high-resolution images of your mathematical art.

Highlights
  • Create fractals analytically
  • Visual drag-and-drop fractal builder
  • Learn fractal mathematics
  • Experiment with transformations
  • Export high-resolution images
  • Built-in tutorial
Features
Read full description

Fractal Generator Explore the beauty of mathematics through fractals. Fractal Generator lets you create Iterated Function System (IFS) fractals using both traditional mathematical methods and a new visual, drag-and-drop builder. Whether you’re learning linear transformations, teaching fractals in the classroom, or simply experimenting with mathematical art, the app makes fractals approachable and rewarding to explore. Create Fractals Analytically • Build fractals using classic affine transformation coefficients • Enter and edit values directly • Render self-similar fractals in real time Fractals are generated from systems of equations that describe how points are transformed. These systems can be solved using substitution, elimination, or matrices, making the app a natural companion for algebra and linear algebra coursework. New in Version 2.0 — Visual Fractal Builder Design fractals visually by placing and manipulating shapes on a grid. The visual builder converts geometric transformations into the underlying mathematical coefficients automatically, allowing you to: • Experiment without starting from equations • See how transformations affect the final fractal • Better understand how IFS systems are constructed This makes fractals more intuitive, especially for visual learners. Learn, Experiment, and Explore • Recreate classic fractals included in the app • Modify existing systems or create your own • Watch a built-in tutorial explaining how the math behind fractals works Export and Share • Export high-resolution images • Optional transparent backgrounds for PNG export • Save to Photos or share your creations easily Fractal Generator Pro Unlock the full experience with a one-time Pro upgrade: • All fractal collections • Visual drag-and-drop builder • Advanced export options No subscriptions. No accounts. No tracking. If you previously purchased any fractal pack, restoring purchases automatically unlocks Pro. Designed for iPhone, iPad, and Mac Support: support@lightbulblearninglogic.com Privacy Policy: https://lightbulblearninglogic.com/privacy-policy/

About

Epicycles

Explore the visualization of complex Fourier series through interactive epicycles. Create and analyze approximations of parametric curves and complex functions. Save animations and export custom terms for later use.

Highlights
  • Visualize Fourier series of 2D functions
  • Create epicycles from drawn curves
  • Save custom terms to documents
  • Export animations as GIFs
  • Adjust time and number of terms
  • Interactive graphic elements
Features
Read full description

The Epicycles app is a tool for exploring the visualization of complex Fourier series. It allows users to interactively create and visualize epicycles based on sampled parametric curves or predefined Fourier series terms. The app provides a visual representation of the complex Fourier series and demonstrates the approximation of complex-valued functions using epicycles. It can be used to study the properties of Fourier series, understand the concept of epicycles, and explore the visualization of complex functions in a fun and interactive way. • Visualizes Fourier series of 2D functions parameterized by time that are built-in, your own drawn 2D curves, or custom frequency components using the terms editor. • Custom terms can saved by exporting them to 'epi' documents in Files, and then later restored by importing them. • Cyclic animations can be saved to GIFs or snapshots saved to PNGs in the Photos library, with sizes 480x480, 720x720 or 1080x1080. • The main view consists of several functional items: Graphic Menu, Time Slider (t), Number of Fourier series terms slider (N), Current Function Menu. Graphic Menu: In the main view use the menubar in the graphic view to select options to hide or show the following graphic elements of the Fourier series visualization: • Circle: The blue circles that are the paths traced by the epicycles. These illustrate Euler’s formula for the complex valued terms of the Fourier series, expressing each complex exponential term as a pair (r cos(n t), r sin(n t)) that trace a circle of radius r, n times as time t varies in the period of length 2π. • Eye: The green circle that represents the value of the Fourier series at the current time. • Lightning: The red line segment path that consists of the joined radii of the epicycles circles, from the origin to the value of the Fourier series at the current time. • Pencil: The orange path that traces the current 2D function. • Star: The black path that traces the Fourier series 2D approximation of the current 2D function. Additionally in the menubar: • Magnify: Hide some views to make room for the expanded display the graphic. • Share: Save the graphic as an animated GIF or snapshot PNG in Photos library. • Play: Animate the graphic by periodically advancing the current time. • Info: Display internet resources conveniently in the app about Fourier series, epicycles and Euler’s formula. Time Slider (t): Adjust the time slider to see the state of all the graphic elements at any time within the time period [-π,π] on which the current 2D function is defined. Number of Fourier series terms slider (N): Adjust the number of terms included in the Fourier series approximation to the current 2D function. Frequency components in a partial Fourier series range from -N to N. The maximum value is limited to 100. As a guide tap the wand icon to set the number of terms to a value whose corresponding highest frequency can theoretically be reproduced with the given number of samples, based on the concept of Nyquist frequency with uniform sampling. For the built-in sample functions that sample count is fixed. The number of samples of your own drawn curve is variable, and displayed in the drawing view. The custom Fourier series using the term editor has known frequency components, limited to the range -20 to 20. The number of samples generated is sufficient for any selection in that range. Therefore in this case the wand sets N to the highest absolute frequency value of the terms. Current Function Menu: Use the segmented control to select from a variety of built-in 2D parametric curves or select the `?` item. Then you can either draw a 2D curve in the Draw tab view, or edit custom Fourier series terms in the Term tab view. In the latter case the app will numerically generate the Fourier series of a Fourier series, by sampling the summation of the series terms.

Screenshots

Fractal Generator4 screens
Epicycles4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Epicycles at 5.0 against Fractal Generator's 4.3. Epicycles also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 5) and update cadence (every 5 days vs every 3 months). Fractal Generator's advantage is ratings volume (6 vs 2). On price, ads, device support 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. Fractal Generator sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Epicycles asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Epicycles holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6 and 2 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Fractal Generator ships an update every 3 months, Epicycles every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on September 4, 2026 and June 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Fractal Generator versus Epicycles: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFractal GeneratorEpicycles
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.3 (6 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews60.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings6 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, MaciPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS16.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size19 MB4 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRussell ThormanLimit Point Software

Customer experience

Fractal Generator

All ratings6 ratings
Positive83.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative16.7%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive60.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative40.0%

Epicycles

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

5 purchases

Fractal Generator

One-time5
  • Leaf Collection$0.99
  • Snowflake Collection$0.99
  • Arrow Collection$0.99
Show 2 more
  • Spiral Collection$0.99
  • Fractal Generator Pro$2.99
None

Epicycles

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Fractal Generator free?
Fractal Generator is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Epicycles free?
Epicycles is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Fractal Generator or Epicycles?
Epicycles is rated higher. Fractal Generator averages 4.3 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while Epicycles averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do Fractal Generator or Epicycles have ads?
Neither Fractal Generator nor Epicycles shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Fractal Generator or Epicycles?
Fractal Generator ships an update every 3 months, and Epicycles every 5 days. Most recently, Fractal Generator was updated on September 4, 2026 and Epicycles on June 5, 2026.

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