Comparison

iPTE vs iCircuit 3D

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

Head to head
About

iPTE

Explore the periodic table with extensive data on chemical elements and over 5500 isotopes. Features include element images, electron configurations, discovery history, and a solubility chart. Ideal for students, teachers, and science enthusiasts.

Highlights
  • Extensive element data
  • Over 5500 isotopes
  • Solubility chart
  • Element images and electron configurations
  • Discovery history
  • Search functionality
Features
Read full description

This fact-filled, image-rich app is the only periodic table you need. In the app You will find a huge amount of data about chemical elements. More than 5500 Isotopes of all the element are also in the app. You will learn a lot of new and useful for yourself, ideal if you're a student, teacher or just have an interest in the chemical sciences or nuclear sciences. The table has a long-form approved by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) as the core. Besides the elements, you can use the Table of solubility. - When you move your finger on any element provides information that is constantly updated. - Every item have an image of element and an image of electron configuration. - Discovery history. - Solubility Chart. - To find any element you can use the search by typing any character. - More than 5500 Isotopes of all the element. - Animation engarded to show the information. - IUPAC Naming or CAS Naming as your choice.

About

iCircuit 3D

Design, build, and test electronic circuits in a realistic 3D environment. This app offers a virtual workbench with over 150 simulated parts and tools to experiment with circuits, diagnose issues, and visualize component behavior.

Highlights
  • 3D virtual workbench
  • Real-time circuit simulation
  • 150+ physically simulated parts
  • Realistic component behavior
  • Magic smoke failure simulation
  • Import custom 3D models
  • Symbolic component library
Features
Read full description

iCircuit 3D gives you an endless virtual workbench to design, build, and test electronics projects in 3D. It combines the robust real-time, always-on simulation engine of iCircuit with modern 3D rendering and physics on iOS and macOS. Do not let the availability of physical parts limit your creativity. Choose from an expansive library of 150+ physically and electronically simulated parts and over 1,000 reference boards to plan layouts, wire circuits, test ideas, and iterate fast. It also includes the full standard component library from the original iCircuit, so you can switch between realistic parts and symbolic circuit elements whenever you want. When powered, LEDs light up realistically, DC motors spin, and speakers make noise. Watch current flow along your simulated wires. See pinouts and color codes directly on components. Tap any part to view live values like voltage and current, then change parameters instantly. If you miswire something or overstress a component, magic smoke will billow from the point of failure so you can quickly diagnose and fix the problem. Add reference photos to the environment, import your own 3D models to mount projects onto, or use Blocks to build enclosures, panels, and simple structures. FEATURES • Tons of resistors, capacitors, and LEDs • Multiple breadboards and wiring elements • Diodes, BJTs, MOSFETs • DC power supplies • Waveform generators (AC, square, sawtooth) • Batteries (AA, AAA, 18650, coin cells, and more) • Switches (SPST, SPDT) • Buzzers and speakers • DC motors and servos • Programmable Arduino elements • The full symbolic iCircuit library (standard components included) • 1,000+ reference circuit boards for layout planning (not fully simulated) • Import board layouts from Eagle (imported layouts are for wiring/layout reference and do not simulate) • Import custom 3D models to attach your projects to, and simulate their behavior on the workbench • Import images for reference or documentation and place them as physical photographs HOW IT WORKS Add parts to the 3D workbench and they land on the table with gravity. Drag parts around, then draw wires between ports to connect them. When a circuit is completed, it starts simulating immediately. Wires stay connected as you move parts, so you can build tidy panels and enclosures, or leave parts scattered like a real bench. iCircuit 3D was designed for fun and exploration, with plenty more to discover as you build. I hope you enjoy this new take on circuit software.

Screenshots

iPTE4 screens
iCircuit 3D4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: iPTE at 100% against iCircuit 3D's 41%. iPTE also leads on price ($1.99 vs $12.99). On update cadence, 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

iPTE costs $1.99 and iCircuit 3D $12.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

iPTE ships an update every 9 months, iCircuit 3D every 8 months. Both last shipped on November 3, 2026.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
iPTE versus iCircuit 3D: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameteriPTEiCircuit 3D
Price$1.99 — better$12.99
Rating—4.1 (72 ratings) — better
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better40.8% of reviews
Number of ratings—72 — better
Update frequencyEvery 9 monthsEvery 8 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, MaciPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac
Requires iOS13.013.0
Further details — not scored
Size98 MB142 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer建锋 宋Krueger Systems, Inc.

Customer experience

iPTE

Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

iCircuit 3D

All ratings72 ratings
Positive75.0%
Neutral8.3%
Negative16.7%
Written reviews49 reviews
Positive40.8%
Neutral14.3%
Negative44.9%

Bugs and requests

iPTE

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

iCircuit 3D

Reported bugs

21 issues
  • Wheels fly upwards when attached
  • Crashes often
  • Components flip, turn or move easily
  • Wrong component added when tapping
  • App freezes when creating templates
Show 16 more
  • Settings don't apply to new projects
  • Drops components on workspace
  • Components respond randomly to signals
  • Difficult to select components
  • Select wrong component
  • Details appear multiple times
  • Context sensitive menus are hit or miss
  • Teases out of the application
  • Needs bug fixes
  • Ability to sort, filter, and search for components
  • App crashes when rearranging wires
  • Object inference not set to an instance of object
  • Zener diode smokes
  • Constant crashes
  • Autosave feature barely works
  • Program locks up

Requested features

27 requests
  • Add search function for vertical mode
  • Fix buggy wheels when attaching
  • Improve camera angle control
  • Add option to follow moving objects
  • Add option to hold objects in place
Show 22 more
  • Improve 7-segment display behavior
  • Add Snap To Grid option
  • Option to turn off fake physics
  • Add Arduino implementation that works
  • Add multimeter tool
  • Allow adding own components
  • Add double throw relays
  • See voltage and current across components
  • Raspberry Pi simulation
  • Add components to circuit boards
  • Rotate components
  • Link Wikipedia to info
  • Add Teensy boards
  • Add serial console output
  • Add MIDI interface to iOS
  • Lock components onto the desk
  • Improve movement of components
  • Add a free version with limited use
  • Export and import projects between 2D and 3D apps
  • Share projects like on GitHub
  • View lists of top projects
  • Competitions and similar options

In-app purchases

None

iPTE

No in-app purchases

None

iCircuit 3D

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is iPTE free?
iPTE costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is iCircuit 3D free?
iCircuit 3D costs $12.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do iPTE or iCircuit 3D have ads?
Neither iPTE nor iCircuit 3D shows ads.
Which is updated more often, iPTE or iCircuit 3D?
iPTE ships an update every 9 months, and iCircuit 3D every 8 months. Most recently, iPTE was updated on November 3, 2026 and iCircuit 3D on November 3, 2026.

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