# The Elements by Theodore Gray vs Universal Zoom

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Universal Zoom at 97% against The Elements by Theodore Gray's 73%. Universal Zoom also leads on price ($5.99 vs $9.99) and rating (4.8 vs 4.6). On ratings volume, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

The Elements by Theodore Gray costs $9.99 and Universal Zoom $5.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Universal Zoom holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 123 and 363 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 73% of The Elements by Theodore Gray's written reviews are positive against 97% of Universal Zoom's.

The Elements by Theodore Gray ships an update every 3 months, Universal Zoom every 4 months. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Elements by Theodore Gray | Universal Zoom |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $9.99 | **$5.99** |
| Rating | [4.6 (123 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-elements-by-theodore-gray/id364147847/reviews) | **[4.8 (363 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universal-zoom-science-guide/id807673066/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 123 | **363** |
| Positive reviews | 73.1% of reviews | **96.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Size | 1.5 GB | 175 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.5** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [NatureGuides Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/310574314) | [GamifyIt](https://appshunter.io/developer/807673069) |

## 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


### Universal Zoom

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universal-zoom-science-guide/id807673066)

Explore the universe's vastness and intricacy through interactive visual comparisons. Seamlessly zoom from subatomic particles to the observable universe, gaining intuition about scale and size with stunning imagery and clear explanations.

**Highlights:** Seamless zooming across scales, Visual comparisons of objects, Jargon-free scientific explanations, Audio narration, Over 270 objects presented to scale, Multi-language support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Fascinating and informative
- 🚀 Smooth and seamless experience
- 💡 Puts things into perspective
- 👍 Great learning tool for all ages
- 👍 Visually appealing and well-designed

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional bugs and crashes
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 🔇 Background music could be improved

**Reported bugs**

- Incorrect information for some objects
- Compatibility issues on older devices
- Typos and minor errors in text

**Requested features**

- Add more objects and comparisons
- Customizable object feature
- Support for more languages
- Ability to toggle between metric and imperial units
- Search and filtering options


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Elements by Theodore Gray free?

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

### Is Universal Zoom free?

Universal Zoom costs $5.99, with no in-app purchases.

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

Universal Zoom is rated higher. The Elements by Theodore Gray averages 4.6 out of 5 from 123 ratings, while Universal Zoom averages 4.8 from 363 ratings.

### Do The Elements by Theodore Gray or Universal Zoom have ads?

Neither The Elements by Theodore Gray nor Universal Zoom shows ads.

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

The Elements by Theodore Gray ships an update every 3 months, and Universal Zoom every 4 months. Most recently, The Elements by Theodore Gray was updated on October 24, 2026 and Universal Zoom on October 24, 2026.

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