# Circuit Playground vs Thangs

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Circuit Playground at 86% against Thangs's 24%. Circuit Playground also leads on rating (4.3 vs 3.0) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.4). Thangs's advantage is price (Free vs $2.99) and update cadence (weekly vs every 6 weeks). On ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Thangs is free to download; Circuit Playground costs $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Circuit Playground holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Thangs has 117 ratings behind it against 19, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 86% of Circuit Playground's written reviews are positive against 24% of Thangs's.

Circuit Playground ships an update every 6 weeks, Thangs weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Circuit Playground | Thangs |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $2.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.3 (19 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/circuit-playground/id492487671/reviews)** | [3.0 (117 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thangs/id1636718933/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 19 | **117** |
| Positive reviews | **86.0% of reviews** | 23.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 27 MB | 46 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Adafruit Industries](https://appshunter.io/developer/492487674) | [Physna, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1636718935) |

## What reviewers say

### Circuit Playground

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/circuit-playground/id492487671)

This app serves as a comprehensive electronics reference and calculation tool. It helps makers and hobbyists by simplifying complex calculations for various circuits, deciphering component codes, and providing essential diagrams.

**Highlights:** Circuit value calculations, Resistor and capacitor code deciphering, Ohm's Law and power calculators, Number and character conversions, Series/parallel component calculations, IC and connector pinout diagrams

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Clean, intuitive, easy-to-use interface
- 🚀 Fast load times and responsive performance
- 📚 Comprehensive reference tools and calculators
- 🎯 Resistor and capacitor color code tools
- 📍 Useful pinout references for various boards

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and stability issues
- ⚠️ Outdated and needs regular updates
- ❌ Limited calculator functionality and flexibility
- 🎨 Poor visual design in some areas
- 📱 Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when opening multiple capacitors section
- LED Resistor Help Menu crashes the app
- Wavelength to Colour slider inoperable until text field activated
- Capacitor code function broken (incorrect default values)
- Number converter only accepts value 50

**Requested features**

- Update USB Type-C connector information
- Add transistor pinouts and HFE values
- Transistor and op-amp calculators
- Voltage divider calculator
- Arduino and Raspberry Pi pinout references


### Thangs

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thangs/id1636718933)

Explore the largest 3D model search engine with over 15 million models. Discover new creators and connect with a growing community for CAD, 3D printing, AR, and VR applications. Find or upload tens of thousands of models weekly across various 3D formats.

**Highlights:** Largest 3D search engine, Over 15 million 3D models, Discover 3D creators, Support for 30+ 3D formats, Filters for 3D printing, Connect with creators

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Efficient 3D model search across multiple platforms
- 👍 Intuitive and clean user interface
- 💡 Image-based search functionality
- 🔄 Seamless syncing with website account
- 📱 Easy browsing on mobile devices

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App stuck on splash/loading screen (critical)
- 🖼️ Images fail to load or display
- 🔐 Login functionality broken with 2FA
- ⚠️ Frequent app crashes
- 🔗 Paywall blocking most content

**Reported bugs**

- App freezes on splash screen and never loads
- Image preview loading failures
- 2FA login code submission button hidden behind keyboard
- Email/password login not functional
- App crashes within minutes of use

**Requested features**

- Direct download functionality from mobile app
- Dark mode option
- Ability to view liked models on mobile
- Zoom functionality for model images
- Save to collections feature


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Circuit Playground free?

Circuit Playground costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Thangs free?

Thangs is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Circuit Playground or Thangs?

Circuit Playground is rated higher. Circuit Playground averages 4.3 out of 5 from 19 ratings, while Thangs averages 3.0 from 117 ratings.

### Do Circuit Playground or Thangs have ads?

Neither Circuit Playground nor Thangs shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Circuit Playground or Thangs?

Circuit Playground ships an update every 6 weeks, and Thangs weekly. Most recently, Circuit Playground was updated on September 26, 2026 and Thangs on September 25, 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.*