Comparison

iBeams vs A

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

Head to head
About

iBeams

This tool helps structural engineers visualize and analyze beam behavior. It displays reaction, shear, moment, and deflection diagrams for various configurations. Users can edit load and geometric values for custom analysis.

Highlights
  • Beam and load configuration display
  • Reaction, shear, moment, deflection diagrams
  • Editable load values
  • Editable geometric values
  • Structural engineering analysis
Read full description

iBeams is a tool for structural engineers. The app displays various beam and load configurations along with the corresponding reaction, shear, moment, and deflection diagrams. Load and geometric values can be edited.

About

A

Analyze complex 3D space frames with this powerful yet easy-to-use application. Input node coordinates, member alignments, and material properties to solve structures and view step-by-step calculations. Visualize deformations and generate shear force and bending moment diagrams.

Highlights
  • 3D space frame analysis
  • Stiffness Matrix Method
  • Step-by-step calculation display
  • Equilibrium check
  • Deformation visualization
  • Shear Force & Bending Moment Diagrams
Features
Read full description

The Space Frame is considered to be the complicated structure due to the members of such frames may be oriented in any directions in three-dimensional space more over the external loads oriented in any arbitrary directions can be applied to joints, as well as members. A-Frame 3D is an app that is so easy to use yet so powerful!!! Data input is just as simple as - Node coordination (x, y, z) - Member alignment (node-i to node-j) - Applied loads to each nodes and members - Material properties E, G, Iy, Ix, J and A values Not only A-Frame can solve the Space Frame but the app also showing the calculation step by step for the result data so that you can counter check the correctness of the calculation. A-Frame 3D is an application for structural engineers or engineering students who need a tool to analyze the space frames. A-Frame 3D solves the space frame by using the Stiffness Matrix Method, providing following features: - The frame members can be aligned in any direction in space. - Load applied to each members can oriented in any direct around the frame members. - Equilibrium check for Forces & Bending Moments - Deformation of each points along the members. - Shear Force Diagram (S.F.D) and Bending Moment Diagram (B.M.D) of each sections along each members in 3D.

Screenshots

iBeams4 screens
A4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: iBeams at Free against A's $9.99. iBeams also leads on rating (3.5 vs 1.0). A's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 17 months). On ratings volume, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

iBeams is free to download; A costs $9.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

iBeams holds the better App Store score, 3.5 against 1.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 1 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

iBeams ships an update every 17 months, A fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 18, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
iBeams versus A: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameteriBeamsA
PriceFree — better$9.99
Rating3.5 (2 ratings) — better1.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews53.3% of reviews—
Number of ratings2 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 17 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.0 — better18.6
Further details — not scored
Size5 MB23 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNorm SchusterJutarus Ratanasethakul

Customer experience

iBeams

All ratings2 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%
Written reviews15 reviews
Positive53.3%
Neutral33.3%
Negative13.3%

A

All ratings1 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

In-app purchases

None

iBeams

No in-app purchases

None

A

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is iBeams free?
iBeams is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is A free?
A costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, iBeams or A?
iBeams is rated higher. iBeams averages 3.5 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while A averages 1.0 from 1 ratings.
Do iBeams or A have ads?
Neither iBeams nor A shows ads.
Which is updated more often, iBeams or A?
iBeams ships an update every 17 months, and A fortnightly. Most recently, iBeams was updated on September 18, 2026 and A on September 28, 2026.

Other comparisons