Comparison

Poetics vs Sci

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

Head to head
About

Poetics

Create and explore unique visual poetry with mutable text, chance operations, and gestural controls. This app allows for nonlinear compositions, custom filters, and physics-based interactions, supporting multiple languages and voice input.

Highlights
  • Mutable text
  • Chance operations
  • Gestural semiotics
  • Physics-based interactions
  • Custom photo filters
  • Voice input
  • Multiple languages
Features
Read full description

Poetics is a visual poetry app focused on developing concepts of mutable, semiotic poetry and decentralized art. The app is an ongoing project by Seth Indigo Carnes, an artist based in New York City. Poetics is used in over 150 countries, across languages and cultures. Art features: • mutable text • chance operations • ephemeral missives • gestural semiotics • nonlinear flux • meta tangents • intermedia cutups • multimodal love App features: • works on all iOS devices • portrait and landscape compositions • curated set of font choices • always editable, saved work • custom photo filters • minimal text styling and color • physics-based interactions • nuanced gestural control • zoom in and out for detailed work • write in multiple languages • speak your words into app Music in App Store preview courtesy of Patrick Golden and Jim Clouse of Parkwest Records. Feedback or thoughts? hello@poetics.app Metta

About

Sci

Transform your mobile typing experience with a fully customizable keyboard. Choose from numerous themes, backgrounds, key styles, and fonts to create a unique input panel. Personalize colors, height, and sounds for a truly tailored feel.

Highlights
  • 20 preset themes
  • 81 background images
  • 44 animated GIF backgrounds
  • 50 key styles
  • 35 fonts
  • 160 typing sounds
  • DIY customization tools
Features
Read full description

Make your keyboard a Sci-Fi input panel. Have fun typing with the style and sounds you love. Includes: • 20 preset themes • 81 background images (or use your own photos) • 44 animated GIF backgrounds • 50 key styles (or blank) • 35 fonts + default • Set 6 typing sounds (160 to choose from) • 50+ Languages/keyboard layouts (Asian writing languages are incomplete) • Lots of DIY tools and options to change the colors, height, vibration, popup, suggestions, and more. Some of the Sci-Fi styles are loosely modeled after popular sci-fi shows and movies. To parody how the sci-fi designers thought future displays would look while displaying meaningless information and having indecipherable use, I gave them actual function that makes sense. *These are generic images. Please do not ask me in reviews or by mail to include any trademarked names, logos, images or other properties. I respect copyrights and will not include them.

Screenshots

Poetics4 screens
Sci2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Poetics at 4.2 against Sci's 3.7. Poetics also leads on ratings volume (68 vs 9) and price ($2.99 vs $3.99). Sci's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 13) and review sentiment (83% vs 75%). On ads, chart position, device support and iOS requirement 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

Poetics costs $2.99 and Sci $3.99 up front. Poetics sells 12 one-off in-app purchases. Sci asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Poetics holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Poetics has 68 ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 75% of Poetics's written reviews are positive against 83% of Sci's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Poetics versus Sci: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPoeticsSci
Price$2.99 — better$3.99
Rating4.2 (68 ratings) — better3.7 (9 ratings)
Positive reviews74.7% of reviews83.3% of reviews — better
Number of ratings68 — better9
Update frequencyEvery 8 months—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterPaid
Best chart rank#66#52 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS14.7 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size23 MB161 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSoulincode Inc.NSTE, LLC

Customer experience

Poetics

All ratings68 ratings
Positive82.4%
Neutral2.9%
Negative14.7%
Written reviews91 reviews
Positive74.7%
Neutral4.4%
Negative20.9%

Sci

All ratings9 ratings
Positive77.8%
Neutral0.0%
Negative22.2%
Written reviews6 reviews
Positive83.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative16.7%

Bugs and requests

Poetics

Reported bugs

11 issues
  • App crashes constantly
  • Freezes up with replace option
  • Saving in messenger is broken
  • Crashes when tapping text button
  • Crashes before sending postcard
Show 6 more
  • Crashes on specific photos
  • App doesn't open
  • Crashes losing all edits
  • Only crashes when sending postcard
  • Reduces photo resolution
  • Text blurry when using software background images

Requested features

23 requests
  • More fonts
  • Ability to type longer phrases
  • Add return key
  • Broader selection of type faces
  • Automatic text wrapping
Show 18 more
  • Resizing text to fit window
  • More features
  • Different font or text styles
  • Control aspect ratio
  • Control image size
  • iPad version
  • Square image support
  • More text box length and size options
  • Tint white backgrounds behind words
  • More fonts or layouts
  • Suggested text for when word-poor
  • Ability to string poems together in stanzas for email
  • Change font types
  • Use text without the 'label'
  • Rotate picture ability
  • Text takes on filter appearance
  • Make app compatible with iPads
  • Add more editing features

Sci

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

12 purchases

Poetics

One-time12
  • Whitman$0.99
  • Cage$0.99
  • Mallarmé$0.99
Show 9 more
  • Basquiat$0.99
  • Duchamp$0.99
  • Baskerville$0.99
  • Didot$0.99
  • Gill Sans$0.99
  • Avenir$0.99
  • Cochin$0.99
  • Filter Pack$5.99
  • Font Pack$5.99
None

Sci

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Poetics free?
Poetics costs $2.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Sci free?
Sci costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Poetics or Sci?
Poetics is rated higher. Poetics averages 4.2 out of 5 from 68 ratings, while Sci averages 3.7 from 9 ratings.
Do Poetics or Sci have ads?
Neither Poetics nor Sci shows ads.
Which is more popular, Poetics or Sci?
Poetics currently peaks at #66 in the App Store charts, and Sci at #52. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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