# Loughborough Wave Lab vs Optics

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Loughborough Wave Lab at 80% against Optics's 30%. Loughborough Wave Lab also leads on rating (4.5 vs 3.2) and in-app purchases (none vs 1). Optics's advantage is iOS requirement (7.0 vs 13.0). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Optics sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Loughborough Wave Lab asks for nothing beyond the download.

Loughborough Wave Lab holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 13 and 6 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 80% of Loughborough Wave Lab's written reviews are positive against 30% of Optics's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 months. Both last shipped on November 1, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Loughborough Wave Lab | Optics |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/loughborough-wave-lab/id402424695/reviews)** | [3.2 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/optics/id1025745150/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **13** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | **80.0% of reviews** | 30.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 5 MB | 86 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | **7.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Daniel Browne](https://appshunter.io/developer/361958317) | [继岭 陈](https://appshunter.io/developer/954198643) |

## What reviewers say

### Loughborough Wave Lab

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/loughborough-wave-lab/id402424695)

This educational app helps students grasp electromagnetic wave concepts through interactive simulations. It features a virtual ripple tank, waveguide simulator, and Young's Double Slit experiment. Educators can create custom simulations for an enhanced learning experience.

**Highlights:** Virtual pond and ripple tank, Sinusoidal pulse generation, Waveguide simulation, Young's Double Slit experiment, Custom simulation mode, Educator-authored simulation uploads

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Optics

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/optics/id1025745150)

This app allows users to simulate various optical phenomena, including light sources, reflection, and refraction. It supports ideal lenses and mirrors, and includes tools for angular measurement. It's designed for educational purposes, helping users visualize and understand optics concepts.

**Highlights:** Simulate beam and point light sources, Simulate reflection in plane or arc mirrors, Simulate refraction in plane or arc interfaces, Simulate ideal lens/mirror equations, Angular measurement tool

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Professional | $0.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Loughborough Wave Lab free?

Loughborough Wave Lab is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Optics free?

Optics is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Loughborough Wave Lab or Optics?

Loughborough Wave Lab is rated higher. Loughborough Wave Lab averages 4.5 out of 5 from 13 ratings, while Optics averages 3.2 from 6 ratings.

### Do Loughborough Wave Lab or Optics have ads?

Neither Loughborough Wave Lab nor Optics shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Loughborough Wave Lab or Optics?

Loughborough Wave Lab ships an update every 3 months, and Optics every 3 months. Most recently, Loughborough Wave Lab was updated on November 1, 2026 and Optics on November 1, 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.*