# The Elements by Theodore Gray vs NOVA Elements

The clearest difference is price: NOVA Elements at Free against The Elements by Theodore Gray's $9.99. NOVA Elements also leads on iOS requirement (8.0 vs 17.0). The Elements by Theodore Gray's advantage is rating (4.6 vs 4.1) and review sentiment (73% vs 62%). On ratings volume, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

NOVA Elements is free to download; The Elements by Theodore Gray costs $9.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

The Elements by Theodore Gray holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 122 and 254 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 73% of The Elements by Theodore Gray's written reviews are positive against 62% of NOVA Elements's.

The Elements by Theodore Gray ships an update every 3 months, NOVA Elements every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Elements by Theodore Gray | NOVA Elements |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $9.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.6 (122 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-elements-by-theodore-gray/id364147847/reviews)** | [4.1 (254 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nova-elements/id512772649/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 122 | **254** |
| Positive reviews | **73.0% of reviews** | 62.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Size | 1.5 GB | 513 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **8.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [NatureGuides Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/310574314) | [PBS](https://appshunter.io/developer/329374179) |

## What reviewers say

### The Elements by Theodore Gray

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-elements-by-theodore-gray/id364147847)

Explore the building blocks of the universe with this interactive guide to the periodic table. Discover beautifully photographed elements, fascinating stories, and detailed 3D models of over 500 objects, all presented in multiple languages.

**Highlights:** Living periodic table interface, Rotating 3D element samples, Detailed 3D object models, Pinch-zoom and 3D stereo viewing, Multilingual support, Fascinating stories and facts

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💎 Stunning visuals and 3D animations
- 📚 Comprehensive information on elements
- 🎨 Engaging and humorous writing style
- 🏫 Excellent educational tool for all ages

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Difficult to navigate and find specific elements
- 🔌 Massive file size takes up a lot of storage
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and stability issues
- 💰 Expensive for the limited content

**Reported bugs**

- Element descriptions cut off on iPhone 6 Plus
- Crashes when switching landscape orientations
- Unable to download app after initial purchase

**Requested features**

- Add option to disable animations
- Improve periodic table navigation
- Include more detailed scientific information
- Support multiple languages and spellings


### NOVA Elements

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nova-elements/id512772649)

Explore the periodic table and understand element properties. Learn how elements combine to form everyday objects through interactive games and educational videos.

**Highlights:** Interactive periodic table, Learn element properties, Understand element combinations, Educational game, NOVA program access

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Elements by Theodore Gray free?

The Elements by Theodore Gray costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is NOVA Elements free?

NOVA Elements is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, The Elements by Theodore Gray or NOVA Elements?

The Elements by Theodore Gray is rated higher. The Elements by Theodore Gray averages 4.6 out of 5 from 122 ratings, while NOVA Elements averages 4.1 from 254 ratings.

### Do The Elements by Theodore Gray or NOVA Elements have ads?

Neither The Elements by Theodore Gray nor NOVA Elements shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, The Elements by Theodore Gray or NOVA Elements?

The Elements by Theodore Gray ships an update every 3 months, and NOVA Elements every 5 months. Most recently, The Elements by Theodore Gray was updated on October 9, 2026 and NOVA Elements on October 3, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*