# iBeams vs Structural Navigator

The clearest difference is rating: Structural Navigator at 5.0 against iBeams's 3.5. Structural Navigator also leads on update cadence (every 5 months vs every 17 months) and iOS requirement (9.1 vs 17.0). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume 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.

Structural Navigator holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 1 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 53% of iBeams's written reviews are positive against 50% of Structural Navigator's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

iBeams ships an update every 17 months, Structural Navigator every 5 months. Both last shipped on October 5, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | iBeams | Structural Navigator |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ibeams/id398882202/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/structural-navigator/id479978190/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **2** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | **53.3% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 17 months | **Every 5 months** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 5 MB | 90 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **9.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Norm Schuster](https://appshunter.io/developer/398882205) | [Bentley Systems, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/457925574) |

## 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


### Structural Navigator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/structural-navigator/id479978190)

View, query, and annotate 3D structural models on your mobile device. Navigate complex designs with intuitive controls, filter elements by properties, and check for clashes. Ideal for on-site reviews and collaboration.

**Highlights:** 3D model navigation (zoom, rotate, pan), Color-coding by element properties, Filtering models by member attributes, Clash detection between objects, Adding markups with status and due dates, Interactive querying of member properties

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is iBeams free?

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

### Is Structural Navigator free?

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

### Which has better reviews, iBeams or Structural Navigator?

Structural Navigator is rated higher. iBeams averages 3.5 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Structural Navigator averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do iBeams or Structural Navigator have ads?

Neither iBeams nor Structural Navigator shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, iBeams or Structural Navigator?

iBeams ships an update every 17 months, and Structural Navigator every 5 months. Most recently, iBeams was updated on October 5, 2026 and Structural Navigator on October 5, 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.*
