# PolyWorks|Talisman vs STL Simple Viewer

The clearest difference is review sentiment: PolyWorks|Talisman at 100% against STL Simple Viewer's 17%. PolyWorks|Talisman also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 4) and ads (none vs shown). STL Simple Viewer's advantage is rating (4.3 vs 3.0) and ratings volume (866 vs 7). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. STL Simple Viewer sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days. PolyWorks|Talisman asks for nothing beyond the download.

STL Simple Viewer holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: STL Simple Viewer has 866 ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 100% of PolyWorks|Talisman's written reviews are positive against 17% of STL Simple Viewer's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

PolyWorks|Talisman ships an update every 3 months, STL Simple Viewer every 20 months. The most recent releases landed on June 4, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PolyWorks|Talisman | STL Simple Viewer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.0 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/polyworkstalisman/id422670138/reviews) | **[4.3 (866 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stl-simple-viewer/id1493598400/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 7 | **866** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 17.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 20 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 12 MB | 19 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | +4 |
| Developer | [InnovMetric Software Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/422670141) | [Victor Bovio](https://appshunter.io/developer/327627515) |

## What reviewers say

### PolyWorks|Talisman

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/polyworkstalisman/id422670138)

Operate PolyWorks|Inspector measurement software remotely from your mobile device. Control probing and scanning operations directly next to the inspected part, receiving live feedback and guidance cues. Ensures confidential and secure operation without internet connection.

**Highlights:** Remote control of PolyWorks|Inspector, Operate from mobile devices, Connect to probing/scanning devices, Configure measurement modes, Live 3D Scene display, Real-time guidance cues, Encrypted communications

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### STL Simple Viewer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stl-simple-viewer/id1493598400)

Easily view and interact with 3D STL CAD models. Supports various file types and offers advanced rendering options for detailed analysis. Get model information and explore interiors with clipping planes.

**Highlights:** View ASCII and Binary STL files, Load STL from ZIP, Rotate, pan, and zoom, Orthogonal and Perspective modes, Model info (triangle count, bounding box), Rendering options (faces, edges, transparency), Clipping plane for interiors

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro version (1 week plan) | $0.99 | per 7 days |
| Pro version (1 month plan) | $1.99 | per month |
| Remove Ads | $2.99 | one-time |
| Export to OBJ, DAE, DXF, PLY | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Simple and intuitive viewer
- 👍 Useful viewing options
- 💡 Supports multiple file formats

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 🚨 Excessive and intrusive ads
- 🔍 Limited functionality for larger files

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when opening larger STL files
- Inability to open some file formats
- Ads continue to appear even after paying for ad removal

**Requested features**

- Add ability to save color/lighting settings
- Improve stability and reduce crashes
- Provide an ad-free paid version


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PolyWorks|Talisman free?

PolyWorks|Talisman is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is STL Simple Viewer free?

STL Simple Viewer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, PolyWorks|Talisman or STL Simple Viewer?

STL Simple Viewer is rated higher. PolyWorks|Talisman averages 3.0 out of 5 from 7 ratings, while STL Simple Viewer averages 4.3 from 866 ratings.

### Do PolyWorks|Talisman or STL Simple Viewer have ads?

STL Simple Viewer shows ads; PolyWorks|Talisman does not.

### Which is updated more often, PolyWorks|Talisman or STL Simple Viewer?

PolyWorks|Talisman ships an update every 3 months, and STL Simple Viewer every 20 months. Most recently, PolyWorks|Talisman was updated on June 4, 2026 and STL Simple Viewer on September 23, 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.*