iCircuit vs Circuitry
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
iCircuit
Design and simulate analog and digital electronic circuits in real-time. This app offers a comprehensive component library, built-in test equipment, and the ability to create custom elements. It's ideal for learning, prototyping, and validating designs without physical components.
- Real-time circuit simulation
- Extensive component library (300+)
- Built-in test equipment (multimeter, oscilloscope)
- Programmable Arduino and PIC microcontroller support
- Custom element creation and sharing
- Audio simulation
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iCircuit is the premier iPhone and iPad app for designing, simulating, and learning analog and digital electronics. Its advanced simulation engine provides real-time, always-on analysis so your circuits stay powered and live, just like working with real components. Use it like a CAD tool: add components, wire them up, and set their properties. But iCircuit is unlike typical CAD apps because it is always simulating. You do not stop to take a measurement or spend time configuring reports. Instead, you just play with the circuit as you normally would, with the power on. Build circuits with over 300 components, from simple resistors and LEDs to programmable Arduinos (Uno, Nano, Mega, ESP8266, ESP32), Raspberry Pi Pico boards running real MicroPython and CircuitPython, PIC microcontrollers, and 60 4000/7400-series digital ICs (more available with Pro). Connect elements, adjust values, and instantly see the results. BUILT-IN TEST EQUIPMENT • Multimeter: Probe any point to read voltage, current, and power • Oscilloscope: Track multiple signals with touch-controlled time scale, stacked/unstacked views, FFT analysis, and Bode plots • Gauges: Visualize voltages, currents, and frequencies directly in your circuit • Signal generators and configurable sources EXTENSIVE COMPONENT LIBRARY • Raspberry Pi Pico and Pico 2 running genuine MicroPython and CircuitPython firmware • Programmable Arduinos (Uno, Nano, Mega, ESP8266, ESP32) • Programmable PIC microcontrollers (assembly and HEX files, more available with Pro) • Power: Voltage regulators (78xx, LM317), sources, dependent sources, power jacks, and simulated antennas • Analog: Resistors, capacitors, inductors, diodes, BJTs, MOSFETs, thermistors, triodes, and tetrodes • Digital: Logic gates (AND, OR, NAND, NOR, XOR), JK and D flip-flops, and 60 4000/7400-series ICs (180+ available with Pro) • ADCs and DACs • Sensors and displays: LEDs, 7-segment, NeoPixels, matrix displays, thermistors • Electromechanical: Motors, servos, SPST/SPDT and DPST/DPDT switches, push buttons, relays, and speakers SPICE, VERILOG, AND VHDL Import vendor SPICE models and subcircuits and use them as components. Write Verilog or VHDL in the HDL element and wire it to the rest of your circuit. CREATE CUSTOM ELEMENTS Build sub-circuits and custom elements to componentize your designs and create reusable modules. Share your custom elements with others via the iCircuit Gallery. AUDIO SIMULATION Hear your circuits. Speakers, buzzers, and microphones produce real audio output. Perfect for students learning electronics, hobbyists prototyping projects, and engineers validating designs, all without burning out a single component. ABOUT ICIRCUIT PRO (OPTIONAL) iCircuit is a complete app with a one-time purchase. iCircuit Pro is optional and adds extra components (including more PICs and a larger 4000/7400 IC library) and helps fund ongoing development. Pro is not required for core simulation or everyday circuit design. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Circuitry
Build and simulate electronic circuits in an intuitive 3D environment. This app offers lightning-fast analysis and a user-friendly interface, making complex engineering accessible. Circuits are saved as documents for easy sharing and management across devices.
- 3D circuit building
- GPU-accelerated analysis
- Intuitive 3D interface
- Document-based circuit files
- Component placement and connection
- Resistor, voltage source, light bulb components
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Welcome to Circuitry - the world's first and only 3D circuit builder! INSANELY FAST Circuitry uses an optimized, GPU-accelerated network analysis algorithm that will blow your mind. It can calculate the voltages and currents of even the largest circuits in the blink of an eye - an insanely fast blinking eye! SUPER DUPER EASY TO USE While most circuit simulators are stuck in the stone age when it comes to usability, Circuitry takes you on a time-travel journey to the future. Its' 3D interface and intuitive controls will instantly feel familiar - no lengthy tutorials required. DOCUMENT-BASED Every circuit you build in Circuitry is a file. That way, they integrate perfectly into your existing files and can be used exactly the same way: you can duplicate and modify them, share them, and they are available to you on all your devices. HOW TO USE: 1. Place components by dragging from the toolkit to the canvas. 2. Connect components by tapping the sides of the components in cabling mode. 3. Delete or modify components by long pressing on them. AVAILABLE COMPONENTS: - Resistor - Voltage source - Light bulb
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Circuitry at Free against iCircuit's $12.99. Circuitry also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2). iCircuit's advantage is update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 4 months) and review sentiment (61% vs 51%). On rating, ratings volume, ads 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
Circuitry is free to download; iCircuit costs $12.99 up front. iCircuit sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Circuitry asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 3.8 for iCircuit against 3.9 for Circuitry. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 135 and 155 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 61% of iCircuit's written reviews are positive against 51% of Circuitry's.
iCircuit ships an update every 4 weeks, Circuitry every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | iCircuit | Circuitry |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $12.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 3.8 (135 ratings) | 3.9 (155 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 61.1% of reviews — better | 51.4% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 135 | 155 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks — better | Every 4 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Paid | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 12.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 179 MB | 35 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Krueger Systems, Inc. | Raffael Kaehn |
Customer experience
iCircuit
Circuitry
User reviews
iCircuit
From 135 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Great for learning and testing
- 👍 Intuitive and easy to use
- 💡 Programmable Arduino integration
- 👍 Useful for hobbyists and students
Room to improve
- 🐛 Buggy and crashes frequently
- 🔧 Difficult to edit and delete components
- 🔧 Limited component library
- 🔧 Inaccurate simulation results in some cases
Circuitry
From 155 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 💡 Cool game idea
- 👍 Nice and 3D interface
- 🚀 Easy to use and perfect 3D
- 👍 Fun and simple
- 👍 Beautifully visual and interactive
Room to improve
- 😞 Missing many components
- 😞 Limited functionality
- 😞 Not useful for professional work
- 😞 Inaccurate electrical simulation
- 😞 App is broken/crashes
Bugs and requests
iCircuit
Reported bugs
4 issues- Oscilloscope and meter functions not working properly
- Saving and loading circuits can be unreliable
- Inconsistent behavior when rotating/flipping components
- Crashes when working with larger or more complex circuits
Requested features
5 requests- More components (e.g. transformers, triodes, MOSFETs)
- Ability to create custom components
- Frequency domain analysis (Bode plots, FFT)
- Improved wiring and component placement controls
- Better support for AC circuits and motors
Circuitry
Reported bugs
6 issues- App crashes on launch
- App doesn't work after download
- Blank white screen on opening
- App won't open, only shows a folder
- Lights won't turn on
Show 1 moreShow fewer
- Cannot close circuits properly
Requested features
14 requests- Add more components (diodes, transistors, capacitors, inductors, speakers, microphones, resistors, switches, LEDs, displays, transformers)
- Add labels/names for components
- Add intensity and voltage for cables
- Add undo/redo buttons
- Add tutorials or guidance videos
Show 9 moreShow fewer
- Allow moving placed components
- Add polarity for components
- Add graphical representation of current flow
- Add export of 2D schematic
- Support DC and AC circuits
- Allow use of virtual meters
- Add oscilloscope function (graph vs time)
- Improve UI intuitiveness
- Add sample circuits
In-app purchases
iCircuit
- iCircuit Pro (Monthly)$1.991 Month
- iCircuit Pro (Yearly)$14.991 Year
Circuitry
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is iCircuit free?
Is Circuitry free?
Which has better reviews, iCircuit or Circuitry?
Do iCircuit or Circuitry have ads?
Which is updated more often, iCircuit or Circuitry?
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