# NOVA Elements vs Elementium

The clearest difference is rating: Elementium at 4.6 against NOVA Elements's 4.1. Elementium also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 5 months) and review sentiment (75% vs 62%). NOVA Elements's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 9) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 16.1). On price, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Elementium sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. NOVA Elements asks for nothing beyond the download.

Elementium holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 254 and 576 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 62% of NOVA Elements's written reviews are positive against 75% of Elementium's.

NOVA Elements ships an update every 5 months, Elementium every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NOVA Elements | Elementium |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.1 (254 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nova-elements/id512772649/reviews) | **[4.6 (576 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/elementium/id892123825/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 254 | **576** |
| Positive reviews | 62.1% of reviews | **75.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 513 MB | 752 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 16.1 |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [PBS](https://appshunter.io/developer/329374179) | [Samuel Spencer](https://appshunter.io/developer/1128165856) |

## 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


### Elementium

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/elementium/id892123825)

Access comprehensive information on every element of the periodic table. Explore detailed data, visualize trends, and utilize a built-in solubility calculator. Perfect for students and professionals needing quick, accurate chemical data.

**Highlights:** Detailed element information, Interactive periodic table, Dynamic filtering and trend visualization, Solubility calculator, Element image library, Bohr model visualizations, Home screen widgets

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ION, 1 month | $1.99 | per month |
| ION, 3 Months | $3.99 | per 3 months |
| ION, 6 months | $5.99 | per 6 months |
| ION, 1 year | $9.99 | per year |
| Export Data | $0.99 | one-time |
| Bohr Models | $1.99 | one-time |
| Advanced Sorting | $2.99 | one-time |
| Visual Elements | $3.99 | one-time |
| Advanced Tools | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 User-friendly and intuitive interface
- 📚 Comprehensive element information and data
- 🎨 Beautiful, clean, and visually appealing design
- 🔗 Helpful Wikipedia and external resource links
- 📖 Excellent for educational purposes and studying

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription model for premium features
- 🔐 Paywall blocking key features and element images
- 📺 Intrusive ads and purchase prompts on startup
- 🎨 Poor color contrast on metalloid background text
- 📱 Crashes on older devices (iPhone 6G iPod Touch, iPhone XS Max)

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on startup and when tapping elements
- Crashes on older iOS devices and iPod Touch
- Molar mass not visible in iPhone landscape orientation
- Intrusive purchase prompt that's difficult to dismiss
- Rating request spam appearing too early in user experience

**Requested features**

- Element images and visual representations
- One-time purchase option instead of subscription
- Zoom out to view entire periodic table at once
- Better display of molar mass on iPhone in landscape mode
- More detailed information and content


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NOVA Elements free?

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

### Is Elementium free?

Elementium is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, NOVA Elements or Elementium?

Elementium is rated higher. NOVA Elements averages 4.1 out of 5 from 254 ratings, while Elementium averages 4.6 from 576 ratings.

### Do NOVA Elements or Elementium have ads?

Neither NOVA Elements nor Elementium shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, NOVA Elements or Elementium?

NOVA Elements ships an update every 5 months, and Elementium every 3 weeks. Most recently, NOVA Elements was updated on October 3, 2026 and Elementium on October 8, 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.*