# Showbie vs PhET Simulations

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.

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.

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.

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

## The numbers

| Metric | Showbie | PhET Simulations |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $0.99 |
| Rating | [3.7 (238 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/showbie/id548898085/reviews) | **[4.5 (49 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phet-simulations/id1134126831/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **238** | 49 |
| Positive reviews | 36.1% of reviews | **65.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 8 days** | Every 14 months |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | **#67** |
| Size | 297 MB | 125 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Showbie Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/523263741) | [University of Colorado Boulder](https://appshunter.io/developer/972210292) |

## What reviewers say

### Showbie

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/showbie/id548898085)

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:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Showbie Pro | $239.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Efficient workflow
- 📚 Helpful for learning
- 🤝 Good for collaboration

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and glitches
- 💾 Unreliable file saving and syncing
- 🕰️ Slow performance and lag
- 🔍 Confusing navigation and UI

**Reported bugs**

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

**Requested features**

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


### PhET Simulations

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phet-simulations/id1134126831)

**Currently charting:** #67 Top Paid · Education (US App Store)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked 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.

---

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