# Loughborough Wave Lab vs RayLab

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Loughborough Wave Lab at none against RayLab's 10. Loughborough Wave Lab also leads on ads (none vs shown). RayLab's advantage is update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (63 vs 13). On price, rating, review sentiment and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. RayLab sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Loughborough Wave Lab asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for Loughborough Wave Lab against 4.6 for RayLab. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 13 and 63 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 80% of Loughborough Wave Lab's written reviews are positive against 75% of RayLab's.

Loughborough Wave Lab ships an update every 3 months, RayLab every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 9, 2026 and July 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Loughborough Wave Lab | RayLab |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/loughborough-wave-lab/id402424695/reviews) | **[4.6 (63 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/raylab/id710190065/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 13 | **63** |
| Positive reviews | **80.0% of reviews** | 75.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 5 MB | 39 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Daniel Browne](https://appshunter.io/developer/361958317) | [Kamyar Ghandi](https://appshunter.io/developer/710190068) |

## 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


### RayLab

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/raylab/id710190065)

Design and simulate optical systems with this powerful tool. Explore 2D and 3D models, perform advanced ray tracing, and analyze optical performance. Ideal for learning or professional design.

**Highlights:** 2D/3D optical modeling, Geometric ray tracing, Sequential and non-sequential analysis, Advanced optical elements, Polarization ray tracing, Design optimization, Glass catalogs

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| RayLab Pro Subscription | $3.99 | per month |
| RayLab Pro Upgrade | Free | one-time |
| Schott Glass Catalog | $0.99 | one-time |
| Custom Glass Editor | $0.99 | one-time |
| Advanced Optical Elements | $1.99 | one-time |
| Source and Lens Arrays | $1.99 | one-time |
| Solver/Optimizer Module | $3.99 | one-time |
| 3D Modeling | $4.99 | one-time |
| RayLab Pro 2 | $19.99 | one-time |
| RayLab Pro Bundle | $19.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Loughborough Wave Lab free?

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

### Is RayLab free?

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

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

RayLab is rated higher. Loughborough Wave Lab averages 4.5 out of 5 from 13 ratings, while RayLab averages 4.6 from 63 ratings.

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

RayLab shows ads; Loughborough Wave Lab does not.

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

Loughborough Wave Lab ships an update every 3 months, and RayLab every 6 weeks. Most recently, Loughborough Wave Lab was updated on September 9, 2026 and RayLab on July 29, 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.*