Mandel Draw vs Pixel Wind Tunnel
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Mandel Draw
Explore the infinite beauty of fractals with this intuitive drawing app. Generate Mandelbrot and Julia sets with numerous functions and color palettes. Enjoy simple touch controls for navigation and advanced settings for high-resolution output and iCloud syncing.
- Mandelbrot and Julia set generation
- 80+ fractal functions
- 20+ color palettes
- Intuitive touch controls (drag, pinch, tap)
- High-resolution output
- iCloud Sync for favorites and palettes
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Mandel Draw is an application that allows you to enjoy fractals, Mandelbrot sets and filled Julia sets, in a fast and comfortable way. The app allows you to draw an infinite number of fractal images from up to 80 different functions, 20+α color palettes, and freely configurable Julia parameters. Operation is simple. Drag to move, pinch to zoom in and out. Double- and triple-tap operations are also available. Convenient settings are also available. - Use DF64 operation: Double the float operation to make it possible to zoom in more. (Disabled in the Appendix 1,2) - Select render version: Two types of rendering methods can be selected. - Display coordinates and magnification: The current coordinates and magnification will be displayed on the screen. - Output detailed information: Add detailed information to the text when sharing. - High-resolution output: Outputs at 4 times the vertical and horizontal resolution when sharing. - iCloud Sync: Share favorites and My Palette with another iPhone or iPad. In addition, all functions are available when unlocked with in-app purchase. 1) All functions are selectable 2) All palettes can be selected 3) Up to 2000 favorites can be saved 4) Maximum number of My Palettes that can be saved is now 30. Now, please enjoy the wonderful and mysterious world of fractals. What is a fractal? Simply put, a fractal is a self-similar figure that does not lose its complexity no matter how much it is enlarged. (Though computers have their limitations.) There are various fractal shapes, such as the Koch curve, Sierpinski's gasket, and Menger's sponge. The Mandelbrot set and the filled Julia set are fractals drawn computationally on the complex plane.
Pixel Wind Tunnel
Visualize real fluid dynamics on your device by drawing shapes and simulating their interaction with air or liquid. Explore flow patterns, measure aerodynamic coefficients, and understand physics with real calculations, not approximations.
- Draw custom shapes for simulation
- Real-time 2D fluid dynamics calculations
- Multiple visualization modes (velocity, pressure, vorticity, streamlines)
- Calculate aerodynamic coefficients (drag, lift)
- Place probes to track fluid properties
- Adjust simulation parameters (inlet velocity, viscosity)
- Compare different shape designs
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Draw a shape. Tap Simulate. Watch real fluid dynamics come alive in pixels. Pixel Wind Tunnel is a 2D fluid simulation app that runs real CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) calculations right on your device. No simplified approximations — the app solves the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations using the CIP advection method and Pressure Poisson solver, the same mathematical framework used in professional engineering software. HOW IT WORKS Draw any shape with your finger — airfoils, cars, buildings, anything Tap Simulate Watch the flow develop in real time That's it. Real fluid physics in three steps. SEE THE FLOW Switch between visualization modes to explore different aspects of the physics: • Velocity — where the flow speeds up and slows down • Pressure — high and low pressure regions around your shape • Vorticity — spinning structures and vortex shedding • Streamlines — paths that fluid particles follow MEASURE PERFORMANCE Real-time aerodynamic coefficients calculated from surface pressure and viscous stress integration: • Drag coefficient (Cd) • Lift coefficient (Cl) • Reynolds number Draw two different shapes and compare which one has less drag. Understand why streamlined shapes work better — with real numbers, not guesswork. EXPLORE DEEPER • Place point probes anywhere to track velocity and pressure over time • Scrub through simulation history with the timeline slider • Adjust inlet velocity and viscosity to change flow conditions • Save shapes with screenshots and reload them anytime REAL CALCULATION, NOT AN ANIMATION Every frame you see is computed from the actual Navier-Stokes equations. The CIP (Cubic Interpolated Propagation) method handles advection with minimal numerical diffusion, while the SOR iterative solver resolves the pressure field. Boundary conditions, viscous forces, and flow separation are all physically modeled. FOR CURIOUS MINDS Whether you're a student studying fluid mechanics, an engineer sketching quick ideas, a teacher demonstrating aerodynamics in class, or simply someone who wonders why things are shaped the way they are — draw it and find out.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Mandel Draw at 53% against Pixel Wind Tunnel's 0%. Mandel Draw also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (weekly vs every 7 months). Pixel Wind Tunnel's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1). On price, 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
Both are free to download. Mandel Draw sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Pixel Wind Tunnel asks for nothing beyond the download.
Mandel Draw ships an update weekly, Pixel Wind Tunnel every 7 months. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Mandel Draw | Pixel Wind Tunnel |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.5 (147 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 53.3% of reviews — better | 0.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 147 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Weekly — better | Every 7 months |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Ad-supported — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 22 MB | 21 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Kouji Mori | Hiroki Kijima |
Customer experience
Mandel Draw
Pixel Wind Tunnel
In-app purchases
Mandel Draw
- Unlock$1.99
Pixel Wind Tunnel
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Mandel Draw free?
Is Pixel Wind Tunnel free?
Do Mandel Draw or Pixel Wind Tunnel have ads?
Which is updated more often, Mandel Draw or Pixel Wind Tunnel?
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