Comparison

Phys.org vs Interesting Engineering

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

Head to head
About

Phys.org

Stay updated with daily science and technology news across various fields like physics, space, biology, and engineering. Bookmark and share articles easily. Access a selection of spotlight stories for free, with an option to subscribe for unlimited content.

Highlights
  • Daily science and technology news
  • Covers physics, space, biology, engineering, and more
  • Bookmark favorite stories
  • Share articles
  • Ads-free experience
  • Free spotlight stories
Features
Read full description

Daily spotlight science and technology news stories from Phys.org. This includes stories in the fields of physics, nanotechnology, electronics, space and earth sciences, biology, chemistry, computer sciences, engineering, mathematics, etc. Readers may bookmark and share favorite stories from the app. The Phys.org app is ads-free. Free app content is limited to selected spotlight stories. Access to Phys.org's full content is available with the monthly subscription plan for just $0.99. Your first subscription week is free. Monthly subscription options: - Unlimited digital access on any device for $0.99 per month. You will be charged in your local currency at the prevailing exchange rate as defined by App Store. - The app offers 7 days trial. At the end of the free trial period, the full price of the subscription will be charged thereafter. Cancellations must occur 24 hours before the end of the subscription period to avoid being charged. - Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. - Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. - Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period, and identify the cost of the renewal. - Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Account Settings after purchase. - No cancellation of the current subscription is allowed during active subscription period. Privacy policy can be found at http://sciencex.com/help/privacy/ Terms of use: https://sciencex.com/help/terms/ Feedback and comments: https://sciencex.com/help/feedback/

About

Interesting Engineering

Stay informed with the latest advancements in technology, science, and engineering. Access exclusive content, personalized news feeds, and engaging quizzes. Designed for a clean and focused reading experience.

Highlights
  • Cutting-edge discoveries
  • AI, renewable energy, space coverage
  • Premium interviews and podcasts
  • Personalized news feeds
  • Exclusive articles and videos
  • Daily quizzes and Wordle
  • Dark mode
Features
Read full description

Trusted by 25M+ readers worldwide, Interesting Engineering brings the biggest breakthroughs in science, technology, AI, space, and engineering into one place. Stay ahead with expert reporting on the discoveries, inventions, and emerging technologies shaping our future. From artificial intelligence and robotics to space exploration, physics, energy, and engineering, Interesting Engineering helps you understand what’s happening, why it matters, and what could come next. Explore the latest science news, technology news, engineering breakthroughs, and scientific research from around the world. Follow advances in AI, quantum technology, nuclear energy, aerospace, robotics, electric vehicles, climate technology, defense, and more. The app is free to download. Browse the latest stories and preview headlines for free, then subscribe to unlock unlimited access to articles, videos, podcasts, and exclusive reporting. WHY INTERESTING ENGINEERING? Go beyond the headlines with stories that explain the technology and science changing our world. * Discover the latest science and technology news * Follow breakthroughs in AI, robotics, and emerging technology * Explore space, NASA, aerospace, and space exploration * Understand advances in physics, quantum technology, and scientific research * Track energy, nuclear technology, EVs, and climate innovation * Read about drones, defense, military technology, and next-generation engineering * Learn from researchers, scientists, founders, and engineers WHAT YOU GET WITH A SUBSCRIPTION * Unlimited access to all Interesting Engineering articles and videos * Premium interviews with researchers, founders, scientists, and engineers * Exclusive podcasts and audio content * Daily quizzes * Clean, ad-free reading experience * In-depth reporting on the technologies shaping the future EXPLORE THE WORLD OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY AI & EMERGING TECHNOLOGY Follow artificial intelligence, machine learning, robotics, automation, and the emerging technologies transforming industries and everyday life. SPACE & AEROSPACE Explore NASA missions, space exploration, rockets, satellites, aerospace engineering, astronomy, and the technology taking humanity beyond Earth. PHYSICS & QUANTUM Discover new research in physics, quantum technology, materials science, and the scientific breakthroughs expanding our understanding of the universe. ENERGY & CLIMATE Stay informed about renewable energy, nuclear energy, clean technology, electric vehicles, sustainability, and climate innovation. ENGINEERING & INNOVATION See remarkable inventions, engineering projects, infrastructure, machines, and research from engineers and scientists around the world. ROBOTICS, DRONES & DEFENSE Follow robotics, autonomous systems, drones, aviation, military technology, defense engineering, and next-generation aircraft. SCIENCE & RESEARCH Keep up with scientific discoveries, research, biotechnology, health technology, and new ideas that could shape the future. MADE FOR CURIOUS MINDS Interesting Engineering is built for engineers, scientists, researchers, technology enthusiasts, students, professionals, and anyone curious about science, technology, engineering, AI, and the future. Whether you want to follow the latest AI breakthrough, understand a new discovery in physics, explore NASA and space technology, learn about nuclear energy, or simply stay informed about the world’s most exciting innovations, Interesting Engineering keeps you connected to what’s next. SUBSCRIPTION OPTIONS * Monthly: $4.99 * Annual: $41.99 Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Policies: https://interestingengineering.com/policies

Screenshots

Phys.org4 screens
Interesting Engineering4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Interesting Engineering at 67% against Phys.org's 18%. Interesting Engineering also leads on rating (4.7 vs 2.8) and update cadence (every 10 days vs every 5 weeks). Phys.org's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, ratings volume, 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. Phys.org sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $0.99 per month and Interesting Engineering sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Interesting Engineering holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 70 and 96 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 18% of Phys.org's written reviews are positive against 67% of Interesting Engineering's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Phys.org ships an update every 5 weeks, Interesting Engineering every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
Phys.org versus Interesting Engineering: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPhys.orgInteresting Engineering
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.8 (70 ratings)4.7 (96 ratings) — better
Positive reviews18.5% of reviews66.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings7096 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeksEvery 10 days — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank—#187 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS13.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size7 MB116 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperOmicron Tech LtdIE Media, Inc.

Customer experience

Phys.org

All ratings70 ratings
Positive37.1%
Neutral15.7%
Negative47.1%
Written reviews65 reviews
Positive18.5%
Neutral15.4%
Negative66.2%

Interesting Engineering

All ratings96 ratings
Positive94.8%
Neutral1.0%
Negative4.2%
Written reviews9 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%

Bugs and requests

Phys.org

Reported bugs

14 issues
  • App crashes when trying to view saved articles
  • App crashes on startup
  • App crashes after iOS updates
  • Login issues
  • Subscription not working
Show 9 more
  • Blank screen for content
  • Flickering articles
  • SSL errors
  • Favorites bug (crashes when accessing)
  • Tech feed not working
  • Dark blue hyperlinks unreadable in dark mode
  • Side swipe gesture reloads article
  • Orientation change reloads article and loses scroll position
  • No data connection error

Requested features

10 requests
  • Add search functionality
  • Sync ScienceX account for saved articles
  • Improve dark mode readability
  • Add Stage Manager support for iPadOS
  • Add Apple Watch compatibility
Show 5 more
  • Consolidate updates into an 'All' tab
  • Allow offline reading of more than a few articles
  • Add audio narration or video summaries
  • Allow toggling light/dark mode independently of OS
  • Filter articles by specific science subjects

Interesting Engineering

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Phys.org

Subscriptions1
  • All access$0.991 Month
4 purchases

Interesting Engineering

Subscriptions4
  • Monthly Plan$4.991 Month
  • Quarterly Plan$16.993 Months
  • Annually Plan$41.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Annually Plan1 Year trial$41.991 Year

Questions

Is Phys.org free?
Phys.org is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Interesting Engineering free?
Interesting Engineering is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Phys.org or Interesting Engineering?
Interesting Engineering is rated higher. Phys.org averages 2.8 out of 5 from 70 ratings, while Interesting Engineering averages 4.7 from 96 ratings.
Do Phys.org or Interesting Engineering have ads?
Interesting Engineering shows ads; Phys.org does not.
Which is updated more often, Phys.org or Interesting Engineering?
Phys.org ships an update every 5 weeks, and Interesting Engineering every 10 days. Most recently, Phys.org was updated on September 25, 2026 and Interesting Engineering on September 23, 2026.

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