Distributions vs PatternLab
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Distributions
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Drag the curve. Shade a region. Watch probability respond. Distributions is a modern statistics study tool for students, educators, and anyone who wants to feel how probability distributions behave—not just memorize formulas. EXPLORE 41 DISTRIBUTIONS Browse discrete and continuous families with interactive PDF/PMF and CDF charts, live parameter sliders, descriptive statistics, examples, and random sampling. Search, favorites, recents, and side-by-side comparison keep the catalog usable on iPhone and iPad. TOUCH THE MATH Drag parameters on the chart and see the shape move. Turn on Probability mode to shade continuous regions or select discrete values and read the probability instantly. Typeset formulas stay linked to the live parameters. LEARN DEEPER Practice with Guess-the-Distribution quizzes, walk a relationship map between families, look up a searchable glossary, and check live z, t, and χ² critical values—all offline. ON-DEVICE AI (APPLE INTELLIGENCE) Ask the Distribution Advisor to suggest a distribution from a scenario, tap Explain for contextual teaching prompts, and optionally mix AI-generated quiz questions. AI output is labeled and advisory; exact probabilities and quantiles always come from the app’s calculator. When Apple Intelligence is unavailable, Explain and quizzes use built-in content and the Advisor tells you why it’s unavailable—everything else works the same. No accounts. No tracking. No third-party AI services. FIT MY DATA Paste or import a dataset, estimate candidate distributions, rank goodness of fit, inspect histogram and Q–Q overlays, and export reports. ONE-TIME PURCHASE Distributions is a paid app. One purchase includes all 41 distributions, interactive charts, calculators, Fit My Data, saved parameter sets, every quiz mode, exports, and unlimited on-device Advisor use. No subscriptions. No in-app purchases. No ads. Privacy-first by design: your exploration stays on your device.
PatternLab
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Discover the beauty of patterns. PatternLab is a creative sandbox for exploring cellular automata — simple rules that give rise to endless complexity. Inspired by Conway’s Game of Life, PatternLab lets you draw, experiment, and watch living patterns unfold in real time. Whether you’re curious about math, love puzzles, or just want to relax and watch mesmerizing shapes evolve, PatternLab makes science playful and accessible. Features: • Multiple rule sets: Conway, Seeds, Maze, Day & Night • Pre-built patterns: Glider, Blinker, Pulsar, and more • Custom drawing tools to create your own designs • Adjustable grid size and simulation speed • Color themes including high contrast & accessibility modes • Undo/redo support for fast experimentation Why you’ll love it: • Relax and watch infinite patterns evolve • Spark creativity with mathematical art • Learn about complex systems in a hands-on way PatternLab is perfect for students, creators, and anyone who enjoys interactive experiments. Dive in, play with rules, and see how small changes create surprising results.
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Verdict
The clearest difference is price: PatternLab at Free against Distributions's $4.99. PatternLab also leads on iOS requirement (18.4 vs 26.0). On ads, in-app purchases 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
PatternLab is free to download; Distributions costs $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
| Parameter | Distributions | PatternLab |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4.99 | Free — better |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | — |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | 18.4 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 15 MB | 1 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Joao Frasco | CARLOS ANTONIO MURRIETA STEINMAN |
In-app purchases
Distributions
No in-app purchases
PatternLab
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Distributions free?
Is PatternLab free?
Do Distributions or PatternLab have ads?
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