# iBeams vs Beam HPC

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Beam HPC at 100% against iBeams's 53%. Beam HPC also leads on rating (4.0 vs 3.5) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 17.0). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Beam HPC holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 3.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 4 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 53% of iBeams's written reviews are positive against 100% of Beam HPC's.

iBeams ships an update every 17 months, Beam HPC every 18 months. The most recent releases landed on September 18, 2026 and September 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | iBeams | Beam HPC |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ibeams/id398882202/reviews) | **[4.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/beam-hpc/id1447917199/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **4** |
| Positive reviews | 53.3% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 17 months** | Every 18 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 5 MB | 18 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **9.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Norm Schuster](https://appshunter.io/developer/398882205) | [Kurt Gramoll](https://appshunter.io/developer/782218116) |

## What reviewers say

### iBeams

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ibeams/id398882202)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Beam HPC

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/beam-hpc/id1447917199)

This app calculates structural diagrams for beams, including moment, shear, and deflection. It supports various loads, supports, and material properties, allowing for interactive adjustments and comparisons. Designed for educational purposes, it helps users visualize and understand beam behavior.

**Highlights:** Moment, shear, and deflection diagrams, Multiple load types (forces, moments, distributed), Adjustable support conditions (pinned, fixed, roller), Segmented beams with varying properties, Interactive drag-and-drop interface, Educational focus on beam behavior

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is iBeams free?

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

### Is Beam HPC free?

Beam HPC is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, iBeams or Beam HPC?

Beam HPC is rated higher. iBeams averages 3.5 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Beam HPC averages 4.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do iBeams or Beam HPC have ads?

Neither iBeams nor Beam HPC shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, iBeams or Beam HPC?

iBeams ships an update every 17 months, and Beam HPC every 18 months. Most recently, iBeams was updated on September 18, 2026 and Beam HPC on September 2, 2026.

---

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