Comparison

iBeams vs Deflection Lite

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

Deflection Lite

This app provides interactive and precise structural beam analysis. Easily visualize beam bending by dragging loads and supports, and calculate key engineering results like reactions, shear force, and bending moment.

Highlights
  • Interactive beam bending visualization
  • Calculate reactions, shear force, and bending moment
  • Built-in cross-section databases
  • Unlimited loads and supports
  • Export design to shareable permalink
  • Metric and standard units
Features
Read full description

Deflection Lite is the most interactive, fast, and precise app available for structural beam analysis. Simply drag loads and supports on the beam, and see how it bends. RESULTS Calculate reactions, shear force, bending moment, and beam deflection quickly and easily. CROSS SECTION DATABASES Specify elastic modulus and moment of inertia values directly, or find common shapes and materials using the built-in databases, which include most international steel sections, as well as some aluminum and wood shapes. UNLIMITED LOADS AND SUPPORTS Simply drag any load or support on the beam. • Concentrated point loads • Distributed loads • Moment loads • Simple supports • Fixed supports • Fixed hinges • Floating Gerber hinges OTHER FEATURES • Export your design to a permalink that you can share. • Automatic detection of local maxima and minima in diagrams • Metric and standard measurement units CONTACT We like to hear from you! Please email contact@ketchep.com if you have any issues, questions, or comments.

Screenshots

iBeams4 screens
Deflection Lite4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Deflection Lite at 4.5 against iBeams's 3.5. Deflection Lite also leads on update cadence (every 3 months vs every 17 months) and ratings volume (46 vs 2). iBeams's advantage is monetization model (free vs paid) and review sentiment (53% vs 44%). On price, 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

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

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Deflection Lite holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Deflection Lite has 46 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 53% of iBeams's written reviews are positive against 44% of Deflection Lite's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

iBeams ships an update every 17 months, Deflection Lite every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 18, 2026 and September 17, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
iBeams versus Deflection Lite: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameteriBeamsDeflection Lite
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.5 (2 ratings)4.5 (46 ratings) — better
Positive reviews53.3% of reviews — better44.4% of reviews
Number of ratings246 — better
Update frequencyEvery 17 monthsEvery 3 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS17.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size5 MB108 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNorm SchusterBlue Ketchep

Customer experience

iBeams

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

Deflection Lite

All ratings46 ratings
Positive82.6%
Neutral10.9%
Negative6.5%
Written reviews9 reviews
Positive44.4%
Neutral0.0%
Negative55.6%

In-app purchases

None

iBeams

No in-app purchases

None

Deflection Lite

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is iBeams free?
iBeams is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Deflection Lite free?
Deflection Lite is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, iBeams or Deflection Lite?
Deflection Lite is rated higher. iBeams averages 3.5 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Deflection Lite averages 4.5 from 46 ratings.
Do iBeams or Deflection Lite have ads?
Neither iBeams nor Deflection Lite shows ads.
Which is updated more often, iBeams or Deflection Lite?
iBeams ships an update every 17 months, and Deflection Lite every 3 months. Most recently, iBeams was updated on September 18, 2026 and Deflection Lite on September 17, 2026.

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