Comparison

Showbie vs PhET Simulations

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

Head to head
About

Showbie

This app facilitates paperless learning by allowing teachers to personalize assignments and provide detailed feedback on student work. It supports various feedback methods, including digital ink, text, and voice annotations, and enables the creation of digital portfolios for students. Parents can also be invited to view student progress.

Highlights
  • Personalize assignments and feedback
  • Digital ink, text, and voice annotations
  • Create digital student portfolios
  • Share work from compatible apps
  • Real-time class assessment
  • Private student chat
  • Parental access to student work
Features
Read full description

Used by over 3 million teachers and students worldwide, Showbie is the easiest and most effective digital learning app to personalise assignments and feedback on iPad. DNA of Learning: Your Foundation for Student Success Showbie supports the improvement of everyday teaching and learning by elevating four essential strands of effective classroom practice - direct instruction, independent practice, personalised feedback and real-time assessment - all in one platform. Find out how easy it is to assign, collect and review student work from thousands of compatible iPad apps, or have your students complete assignments with Showbie’s built in tools. Provide rich feedback using digital ink, text and voice annotations right on images and PDFs, and then add your students’ best work to personalized digital portfolios that can be securely shared with parents. WHAT EDUCATORS ARE SAYING “Showbie is my number one can't live without app! It makes the iPad workflow process a breeze! I especially love how it works seamlessly with so many other apps.” — Kristen Paino, Lead Technology Integrator at Avenues: The World School “I don't need to convince my colleagues that they need to use this app — it sells itself. I like that it gives me the flexibility in how I choose to grade my student's work, especially with the voice notes feature. There is no single third party app that I would rather champion.” — Suzanne Lustenhouwer, Teacher and iPad Coordinator, Apple Distinguished Educator “I love that Showbie is so versatile that the youngest of students can use it independently, yet it is appropriate for older grades as well. The ease of use makes it a great workflow solution for classes with iPads.” — Kristi Meeuwse, Kindergarten Teacher, Apple Distinguished Educator KEY FEATURES FOR TEACHERS & STUDENTS • Share work from thousands of compatible iPad apps in a few taps • Use the pen tool and pin text notes directly on any PDF or image • Gauge class understanding in real-time with minute-by-minute assessment • Instantly differentiate assignments and materials to specific students • Quickly distribute instructions and materials to your whole class • Chat privately with individual students to provide timely feedback • Record voice notes for verbal feedback or language exercises • Quickly review and assess batches of student work and provide rich, valuable feedback • Add student work to individual digital portfolios, or enable students to curate their own portfolios • Invite parents to view their student’s work and keep them informed of classroom activity • Can be used with any classroom subject • Available in 18 languages ENHANCED SHOWBIE PRO FEATURES • Record and track grades as numeric scores or letter grades, along with qualitative feedback • Provide richer feedback with more pen colours and line thicknesses, by typing on the page, or by pinning voice notes directly to student work • Record longer voice notes and videos and upload larger files • Lock assignments to control student access to documents and feedback • Give parents complete access to assignments in the classes you choose

About

PhET Simulations

Explore science and math concepts through interactive simulations. This app provides over 75 HTML5 simulations for learning about atoms, energy, multiplication, and more. It's ideal for students, parents, and educators, offering offline access and multiple language support.

Highlights
  • Interactive science and math simulations
  • Offline play capability
  • Multiple language support
  • Customizable favorites collection
  • Automatic simulation updates
  • Easy simulation sorting
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Engage in learning science and math with the award-winning PhET simulations! Whether understanding atoms, exploring energy, or mastering multiplication, there is a sim for every learner. Perfect for at home, in class, or on the road, this app delivers all PhET HTML5 sims (over 75 sims) in one easy-to-use package. Developed by experts at the University of Colorado Boulder, PhET sims are used by millions of students every year. The PhET iPad app delivers these exclusive features: • Offline play: learn on the bus or at the park without a WiFi connection. • Multiple languages: app translate in many languages (great for bilingual learners). • Favorites: pick your favorite sims and create your own custom collection. • Automatic updates: get the latest HTML5 sims as soon as they are released. • Easy sorting: find the right sims for you. • Fullscreen: maximize your screen real estate for optimal sim exploration. PARENTS: Engage your child in science and math discovery. TEACHERS: Your favorite HTML5 sims at your fingertips, even without internet access. ADMINISTRATORS: Optimized for school use, so your teachers will be seamlessly up to date. STUDENTS: Tell your parents there’s an exciting app for learning science and math. Note: The app does not include PhET’s Java or Flash sims. In addition, although we are currently working on improving the accessibility of our sims, most of the sims included in this app do not include keyboard navigation or screen reader access. As accessible sims become available, they will be updated within the app. Proceeds from the app support the development of more HTML5 sims. On behalf of the PhET team and the students whose lives you have helped improve — Thank you!

Screenshots

Showbie4 screens
PhET Simulations3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Showbie at Free against PhET Simulations's $0.99. Showbie also leads on update cadence (every 8 days vs every 14 months) and ratings volume (238 vs 49). PhET Simulations's advantage is rating (4.5 vs 3.7) and in-app purchases (none vs 1). On 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

Showbie is free to download; PhET Simulations costs $0.99 up front. Showbie sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. PhET Simulations asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

PhET Simulations holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 238 and 49 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 36% of Showbie's written reviews are positive against 66% of PhET Simulations's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Showbie ships an update every 8 days, PhET Simulations every 14 months. Both last shipped on October 19, 2026.

Scorecard9 real differences · 2 level
Showbie versus PhET Simulations: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterShowbiePhET Simulations
PriceFree — better$0.99
Rating3.7 (238 ratings)4.5 (49 ratings) — better
Positive reviews36.1% of reviews65.5% of reviews — better
Number of ratings238 — better49
Update frequencyEvery 8 days — betterEvery 14 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterPaid
Best chart rank—#44 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS18.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size297 MB125 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperShowbie Inc.University of Colorado Boulder

Customer experience

Showbie

All ratings238 ratings
Positive65.5%
Neutral4.6%
Negative29.8%
Written reviews466 reviews
Positive36.1%
Neutral5.4%
Negative58.6%

PhET Simulations

All ratings49 ratings
Positive87.8%
Neutral0.0%
Negative12.2%
Written reviews145 reviews
Positive65.5%
Neutral4.1%
Negative30.3%

Bugs and requests

Showbie

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Text boxes disappearing or moving unexpectedly
  • Notifications not working correctly
  • Assignments not uploading or disappearing
  • Compatibility issues on older devices

Requested features

4 requests
  • Calendar view for assignments
  • More annotation tools and customization
  • Offline mode for accessing content
  • Better integration with other apps

PhET Simulations

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Showbie

One-time1
  • Showbie Pro$239.99
None

PhET Simulations

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Showbie free?
Showbie is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is PhET Simulations free?
PhET Simulations costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Showbie or PhET Simulations?
PhET Simulations is rated higher. Showbie averages 3.7 out of 5 from 238 ratings, while PhET Simulations averages 4.5 from 49 ratings.
Do Showbie or PhET Simulations have ads?
Neither Showbie nor PhET Simulations shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Showbie or PhET Simulations?
Showbie ships an update every 8 days, and PhET Simulations every 14 months. Most recently, Showbie was updated on October 19, 2026 and PhET Simulations on October 19, 2026.

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