Comparison

Knots 3D vs Army Knots

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Knots 3D

Master over 220 essential knots with detailed 3D animations and offline access. This app is perfect for learning rope work for activities like fishing, climbing, and boating, offering interactive tutorials and customizable organization features.

Highlights
  • 225+ knots in 12+ categories
  • Offline access, no internet required
  • Interactive 3D knot animations
  • Rotate and scrub through knot tying
  • Customizable knot categories
  • Add personal notes and keywords
  • ABOK number cross-reference
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Learn to tie over 240 knots for fishing, climbing, boating, sailing, camping, scouting and other ropework. Knots 3D is the original 3D knot-tying app, first released in 2011 and rated 4.9 by tens of thousands of users worldwide. Choose a knot app with care, as your safety may depend on it. Watch each knot tie itself in 3D, slow it down, and turn it around until it makes sense. Browse by category or type, search by name, common synonym or Ashley Book of Knots (ABoK) number, or describe what you need the knot to do. Save your favorite knots for quick review. Features: - 241 knots in over a dozen categories, with new knots added regularly - No ads, no subscriptions and no in-app purchases. Ever! - Completely OFFLINE and self-contained. No additional downloads or internet access required! - Watch knots tie themselves and pause or adjust the speed of the animation at any time - Rotate knots in 360-degree, 3D views to study them from any angle with a swipe of a finger - "Scrub" over the knot with a finger to advance or rewind the animation - Mirror (left-hand) mode, zoom, and rotate the view to match how you hold the rope - Describe a task in your own words, like "tie a boat to a dock", to find the right knots for the job - High-res graphics with photorealistic rope textures - Dark mode and light mode - List, Card and Icon view options - Create your own custom categories to group knots, such as "Mastered", "Practice" or "Top Ten" - Add personal notes, links and your own search keywords to any knot - Share a knot link by text message, email, social media and more - ABoK numbers for cross-reference to The Ashley Book of Knots Includes the knots people look for most: Bowline, Clove Hitch, Figure Eight, Trucker's Hitch, Square Knot, Sheet Bend, Prusik, Taut Line Hitch, Cleat Hitch, Palomar Knot, Uni Knot, Double Fisherman's Knot, Alpine Butterfly, Monkey's Fist, Munter Hitch and many more. Every knot comes with a description of what it is for and a list of common uses. Most also include the other names the knot goes by, strength and reliability notes, structure, related knots, ABoK numbers and history. Available in 25 languages: Arabic, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish, Ukrainian and Vietnamese Categories: - Essential Knots - Arborist - Boating - Camping - Caving - Climbing - Decorative - Diving - Fire & Rescue - Fishing - Military - Neckties - Pioneering - Rope Care - Scouting - Theatre & Film Types: - Bends - Binding - Coils - Friction Hitches - Hitches - Lashings - Loops - Mats - Multi-Loop - Quick Release - Stoppers - Whippings The complete list of knots: https://knots3d.com/en/complete-list Missing a knot? Suggest one from inside the app. Knots 3D is a learning reference. Learn from a skilled instructor if you plan to use ropes or knots in a situation where failure could cause property damage, injury, or death.

About

Army Knots

Master essential knots for military training and survival with interactive 3D models and step-by-step instructions. This app provides offline access to a comprehensive knot library, allowing users to track their progress and easily find the knots they need.

Highlights
  • Extensive knot library
  • Rotatable 3D knot models
  • Step-by-step instructions
  • Offline access
  • Mastered knots tracking
  • Knot search functionality
Features
Read full description

Army Knots is the ultimate knot tying app designed for the modern soldier! Master the essential knots required for Army Ranger and Army Sapper training. Whether you're a military professional, an outdoor enthusiast, or just someone looking to enhance their survival skills, this app has you covered. With Army Knots, you can avoid the dreaded "no-go" due to not knowing the required knots during your evaluations or training exercises. Key Features: - Knot Library: Explore an extensive collection of knots that are crucial for Army Ranger and Army Sapper mountaineering training. From basic bends to complex hitches, we've got you covered! - Rotatable 3D Views: Visualize and study each knot in stunning detail with our interactive 3D models. Rotate and zoom to see the knots from every angle, ensuring you'll never miss a crucial step. - Step-by-Step Instructions: Follow clear and concise, step-by-step instructions that make learning and mastering these knots a breeze. Checkpoints verify you've tied the knot correctly. - Offline Access: Access your knots in remote locations without internet. Army Knots is fully functional offline, so you'll always have the knowledge you need, right at your fingertips. - Mastered Knots and Search Functionality: Mark knots as "Mastered" for easy reference, tracking your progress in knot-tying proficiency. Locate the knot you need swiftly with our efficient search functionality, searching across common names and synonyms. - Regular Updates: Stay up-to-date with the latest knot techniques and recommendations from the military community. Our dedicated team is committed to keeping the app current and accurate. - NO PERMISSIONS REQUIRED! Army Knots is the ultimate companion for anyone aiming to elevate their knot-tying abilities. Download now to master the art of knot-tying and stand prepared for any situation requiring indispensable knot expertise. Hooah!

Screenshots

Knots 3D4 screens
Army Knots4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Army Knots at Free against Knots 3D's $5.99. Army Knots also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.0). Knots 3D's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 6 weeks) and ratings volume (13K vs 1K). On rating, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

Army Knots is free to download; Knots 3D costs $5.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Knots 3D against 4.8 for Army Knots. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Knots 3D has 13K ratings behind it against 1K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 98% of Knots 3D's written reviews are positive against 88% of Army Knots's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Knots 3D ships an update fortnightly, Army Knots every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Knots 3D versus Army Knots: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterKnots 3DArmy Knots
Price$5.99Free — better
Rating4.9 (13K ratings) — better4.8 (1K ratings)
Positive reviews97.9% of reviews — better88.1% of reviews
Number of ratings13K — better1K
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterEvery 6 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
Best chart rank#2 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.012.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size511 MB54 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperNynixNynix

Customer experience

Knots 3D

All ratings12,715 ratings
Positive98.3%
Neutral0.9%
Negative0.8%
Written reviews625 reviews
Positive97.9%
Neutral0.8%
Negative1.3%

Army Knots

All ratings1,044 ratings
Positive96.9%
Neutral1.7%
Negative1.3%
Written reviews42 reviews
Positive88.1%
Neutral4.8%
Negative7.1%

User reviews

Knots 3D

From 13K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Excellent instructions and animations
  • 🚀 Adjustable speed control for learning
  • 🔍 Ability to view knots from different angles
  • 📚 Comprehensive knot library
  • 💡 Detailed information on knot uses and history

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Favorites list disappearing after updates
  • 💡 Desire for more splices and advanced knots
  • 💡 Request for step-by-step instructions and ability to pause/rewind animations

Army Knots

From 1K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Intuitive UI
  • 🚀 Clear instructions
  • 🚀 Helpful animations
  • 👍 Practical knots
  • 👍 Easy to understand

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Can be confusing for beginners
  • 💡 Needs more knot options

Bugs and requests

Knots 3D

Reported bugs

1 issue
  • Favorites list disappearing after updates

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add more splices and advanced knots
  • Implement step-by-step instructions and ability to pause/rewind animations
  • Add a continuous loop option for the knot animations
  • Introduce a game mode or practice feature

Army Knots

Reported bugs

1 issue
  • Some users had trouble tightening the knots

Requested features

3 requests
  • Add more knot options
  • Ability to practice tying knots on-screen
  • Provide more background information on each knot

In-app purchases

None

Knots 3D

No in-app purchases

None

Army Knots

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Knots 3D free?
Knots 3D costs $5.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Army Knots free?
Army Knots is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Knots 3D or Army Knots?
Knots 3D is rated higher. Knots 3D averages 4.9 out of 5 from 13K ratings, while Army Knots averages 4.8 from 1K ratings.
Do Knots 3D or Army Knots have ads?
Neither Knots 3D nor Army Knots shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Knots 3D or Army Knots?
Knots 3D ships an update fortnightly, and Army Knots every 6 weeks. Most recently, Knots 3D was updated on September 24, 2026 and Army Knots on September 20, 2026.

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