Comparison

Nuclear vs atom.sim

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

Head to head
About

Nuclear

Explore the quantum world and learn about chemical elements by building atoms. This app visually models interactive atoms, allowing you to add or subtract subatomic particles to construct stable elements and unlock them on the periodic table.

Highlights
  • Interactive 3D atom visualization
  • Build chemical elements by adding/subtracting particles
  • Unlock elements on the periodic table
  • Explore atomic decay of isotopes
  • Learn about matter at the atomic scale
Features
Read full description

*** Brought to you by the team behind the internationally acclaimed educational star gazing app - Star Chart *** Dare you enter the quantum world of Nuclear? Where things are not just stranger than you might imagine, but stranger than you can imagine! Witness the interplay of energies and physics at the tiniest of scales as you learn to play, discover and explore the chemical elements at the atomic level. Nuclear is a high tech educational application that dynamically models an interactive atom in a beautiful and intuitive way. In Nuclear, you get to build all the elements of the periodic table via a simple mechanic of adding and subtracting the atomic building blocks of neutrons, protons and electrons. The goal of the app is to let you learn about each of the elements of the periodic table by constructing a stable version of that element. Once a stable element has been created, it is unlocked in the periodic table. Can you create and unlock them all? This app has been designed for all types of users: from children interested in learning through play about what matter is made of and how it works, to teachers looking for an intuitive and exciting way to help educate others on chemical elements. Nuclear lets you: * Learn about the atom through this stunning 3D visualisation. * Explore the effects of manipulating matter at the atomic level. * Add or subtract protons, electrons or neutrons to create virtually any base chemical element. * Create and watch as unstable isotopes decay into more stable elements. * Through tactile exploration grasp an understanding of what we and everything around us is made of. - Please note the initial app allows you to create and unlock the first 54 elements for free. The remaining elements can be unlocked via a small in-app purchase. Nuclear is continually being developed, so please feel free to let us know your thoughts and feedback. We will endeavour to expand and improve Nuclear, incorporating customer feedback wherever possible. Contact us at: Nuclear@EscapistGames.com Don't forget to check out our other great Educational App - Star Chart.

About

atom.sim

Features
Read full description

A simulation of the anatomy of atoms. This app shows the first 18 atoms in 3d detail, provides info about the anatomy of these atoms and shows how empty an atom is. Ideal for students in mid school and high school.

Screenshots

Nuclear4 screens
atom.sim3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: atom.sim at none against Nuclear's 3. Nuclear's advantage is update cadence (every 3 months vs every 7 months) and iOS requirement (7.0 vs 15.0). On price, ads and device support 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

Both are free to download. Nuclear sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. atom.sim asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Nuclear ships an update every 3 months, atom.sim every 7 months. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Nuclear versus atom.sim: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNuclearatom.sim
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.2 (302 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews69.5% of reviews—
Number of ratings302 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 months — betterEvery 7 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS7.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size55 MB78 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperESCAPE VELOCITY LIMITEDHans Kovi

Bugs and requests

Nuclear

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Can't exit element discovery screen
  • Proton cap prevents reaching higher elements
  • Certain elements cannot be created
  • Crashes when trying to add particles to Ununoctium

Requested features

4 requests
  • Expand decay modes (alpha, beta, etc.)
  • Add ability to create molecules
  • Improve stability/decay simulation
  • Add more explanations and tutorials

atom.sim

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Nuclear

One-time3
  • Build All Elements$2.99
  • Discover Your Table$2.99
  • Discover All$4.99
None

atom.sim

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Nuclear free?
Nuclear is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is atom.sim free?
atom.sim is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Nuclear or atom.sim have ads?
Neither Nuclear nor atom.sim shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Nuclear or atom.sim?
Nuclear ships an update every 3 months, and atom.sim every 7 months. Most recently, Nuclear was updated on October 20, 2026 and atom.sim on October 11, 2026.

Other comparisons