NOVA Elements vs MEL STEM
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
NOVA Elements
Explore the periodic table and understand element properties. Learn how elements combine to form everyday objects through interactive games and educational videos.
- Interactive periodic table
- Learn element properties
- Understand element combinations
- Educational game
- NOVA program access
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Did you ever wonder why the periodic table is shaped the way it is, what gives each element its own unique set of properties, or even how elements combine to make everyday objects such as a cup of coffee? With “NOVA Elements,” explore an interactive periodic table, play a game hosted by David Pogue, or watch the two-hour NOVA program, “Hunting the Elements.”
MEL STEM
Explore fundamental scientific concepts like light, sound, and electricity through interactive games and AR experiences. This app offers visual explanations and virtual experiments for young learners, guided by engaging characters.
- Interactive science games
- AR STEM experiences
- Visual explanations of concepts
- Virtual science lab
- 3D/AR visual explanations
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What is Light? Sound? Electricity? How do they work? With a variety of observations and integrated kids games, your kid will discover all of that and more. Begin your journey into the world of science for kids accompanied by two trusty guides — Zach and Newt. Their marvelous machines are the perfect testing ground for virtual science experiments for kids. With MEL STEM: Science for Kids you’ll get: - An introduction to science backed by fun science games - Simple visual explanations of basic scientific concepts - A science kids AR app full of things to learn and free of ads or in-app purchases - A virtual interactive kids science lab - A great addition to our MEL STEM subscription if you choose to buy one In short, MEL STEM: Science for Kids is carefully crafted to bring science to kids aged 6 to 8 through 3D/AR visual explanations.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: MEL STEM at 4.8 against NOVA Elements's 4.1. MEL STEM also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 5 months) and review sentiment (71% vs 62%). NOVA Elements's advantage is iOS requirement (8.0 vs 13.0). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
MEL STEM holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 254 and 429 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 62% of NOVA Elements's written reviews are positive against 71% of MEL STEM's.
NOVA Elements ships an update every 5 months, MEL STEM monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | NOVA Elements | MEL STEM |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.1 (254 ratings) | 4.8 (429 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 62.1% of reviews | 71.4% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 254 | 429 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | Monthly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 8.0 — better | 13.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 513 MB | 244 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | PBS | MEL Science Limited |
Customer experience
NOVA Elements
MEL STEM
Bugs and requests
NOVA Elements
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
MEL STEM
Reported bugs
5 issues- Card cannot be scanned, no option available
- AR sections show black screen
- App is completely unusable due to black screens in AR and 3D mode after update
- Non-stop crashing, app not working
- Missing instruction book for luminescence kit
Requested features
2 requests- Fix card scanning functionality
- Ensure instruction books are included with kits
In-app purchases
NOVA Elements
No in-app purchases
MEL STEM
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is NOVA Elements free?
Is MEL STEM free?
Which has better reviews, NOVA Elements or MEL STEM?
Do NOVA Elements or MEL STEM have ads?
Which is updated more often, NOVA Elements or MEL STEM?
Other comparisons
