# NOVA Elements vs DIY Sun Science

The clearest difference is review sentiment: DIY Sun Science at 92% against NOVA Elements's 62%. DIY Sun Science also leads on rating (4.4 vs 4.1) and device support (3 vs 1). NOVA Elements's advantage is ratings volume (254 vs 21) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 12.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

DIY Sun Science holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NOVA Elements has 254 ratings behind it against 21, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 62% of NOVA Elements's written reviews are positive against 92% of DIY Sun Science's.

NOVA Elements ships an update every 5 months, DIY Sun Science every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NOVA Elements | DIY Sun Science |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.1 (254 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nova-elements/id512772649/reviews) | **[4.4 (21 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/diy-sun-science/id836712493/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **254** | 21 |
| Positive reviews | 62.1% of reviews | **91.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 months** | Every 6 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 513 MB | 134 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [PBS](https://appshunter.io/developer/329374179) | [The Lawrence Hall of Science](https://appshunter.io/developer/462994550) |

## What reviewers say

### NOVA Elements

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nova-elements/id512772649)

Explore the periodic table and understand element properties. Learn how elements combine to form everyday objects through interactive games and educational videos.

**Highlights:** Interactive periodic table, Learn element properties, Understand element combinations, Educational game, NOVA program access

**In-app purchases:** none


### DIY Sun Science

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/diy-sun-science/id836712493)

Explore the Sun through hands-on activities and real-time data. This app offers 15 engaging experiments, live solar images from NASA, and educational videos to foster understanding of solar science for families and educators.

**Highlights:** 15 hands-on solar activities, Step-by-step instructions, Live Sun images from NASA SDO, NASA Earth and space observatory images, NASA solar videos, Learn about solar activity

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NOVA Elements free?

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

### Is DIY Sun Science free?

DIY Sun Science is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, NOVA Elements or DIY Sun Science?

DIY Sun Science is rated higher. NOVA Elements averages 4.1 out of 5 from 254 ratings, while DIY Sun Science averages 4.4 from 21 ratings.

### Do NOVA Elements or DIY Sun Science have ads?

Neither NOVA Elements nor DIY Sun Science shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, NOVA Elements or DIY Sun Science?

NOVA Elements ships an update every 5 months, and DIY Sun Science every 6 months. Most recently, NOVA Elements was updated on October 3, 2026 and DIY Sun Science on October 1, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*