GPlates vs Quantum
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
GPlates
Explore Earth's geological history by reconstructing and visualizing spatial data through geological time. This tool offers an intuitive interface for students, teachers, researchers, and enthusiasts to understand our planet's evolution.
- Reconstruct spatial data
- Visualize geological time
- Intuitive interface
- Explore Earth's history
- Plate reconstruction software
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The GPlates App is a powerful tool designed to enable users to reconstruct and visualise spatial data through geological time. Built on top of the acclaimed plate reconstruction software, GPlates, the App benefits from the feature-rich web APIs and the flexible software architecture of its underlying technology. With its intuitive interface and advanced capabilities, the GPlates App is an invaluable tool for anyone seeking to gain a deeper understanding of the Earth's geological history. Whether you are a student, teacher, researcher, or just a curious enthusiast, the GPlates App is the perfect tool to explore our ever-evolving planet.
Quantum
Explore the hidden world of particles with a real-time simulator. Model up to 10,000 particles and experiment with natural phenomena like crystallization and orbital mechanics. Customize interactions and visualize results dynamically.
- Real-time particle simulation
- Model up to 10,000 particles
- Simulate natural phenomena
- Four distinct particle classes
- Customizable rules editor
- Dynamic visualizations
- Interactive control
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Experience the hidden world of particles Quantum is a real-time particle life sandbox for exploring emergent motion, artificial physics, and complex systems. Build fields with up to 10,000 particles, tune how classes attract or repel each other, and watch simple rules turn into flowing structures, swarms, or chaotic patterns. Why Quantum stands out: - Real-time particle simulation with four interacting particle classes. - Seamless 2D fields and perspective 3D volumes with touch rotation. - Rule editor for custom attraction and repulsion matrices. - Temperature, viscosity, solid/fluid edge behavior, and force tools. - Black hole and white hole tools for live interaction. - Save and load fields, rule sets, and color schemes. - P3 color support and vivid visual presets for generative art. Use Quantum as a physics toy, creative sandbox, teaching aid, or generative art lab. It is built for people who enjoy science, cellular automata, n-body systems, chaos, and beautiful simulations.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Quantum at 4.8 against GPlates's 3.0. Quantum also leads on review sentiment (81% vs 44%) and update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 6 months). GPlates's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 6) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 26.0). On price, 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
Both are free to download. Quantum sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. GPlates asks for nothing beyond the download.
Quantum holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Quantum has 151 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 44% of GPlates's written reviews are positive against 81% of Quantum's.
GPlates ships an update every 6 months, Quantum every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | GPlates | Quantum |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.0 (8 ratings) | 4.8 (151 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 44.4% of reviews | 81.3% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 8 | 151 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | Every 5 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 — better | 26.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 57 MB | 32 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Xiaodong Qin | GEORGY OSTROBROD |
Customer experience
GPlates
Quantum
In-app purchases
GPlates
No in-app purchases
Quantum
- Developer tip2 variants$1.99
- Developer tip2 variants$3.99
- Developer tip2 variants$5.99









