Comparison

Light Lab vs Linear Algebra

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

Head to head
About

Light Lab

Features
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Move light. Refract it. Reflect it. Light Lab is an interactive science app where you learn by playing with light. 【Discover the Magic of Light】 Touch the screen and move the light source. Rotate lenses and change refractive indices. Watch light rays change in real-time! Create rainbows, bounce light off mirrors. "Why does this happen?" As you play, you'll naturally understand how light works. 【Perfect For】 ・Students learning about light in elementary or middle school ・Anyone studying light propagation, reflection, and refraction ・Teachers who want to make science class more engaging ・Anyone curious about optics 【What You Can Do】 ◆ Real-Time Light Manipulation Move light sources and lenses to see light rays change instantly. Rotation, translation, refractive index changes—all operations reflect in real-time. ◆ Place Various Lenses Triangular prisms, convex lenses, concave lenses, diamonds, spheres, mirrors, and more. Place up to 10 lenses simultaneously to recreate complex light behaviors. ※2 lens types are free (triangle prism, biconvex lens) ◆ 3 Types of Light Sources ・Parallel: Like sunlight ・Spotlight: Like a light bulb ・Dispersion: Rainbow-colored light ◆ Create Animations Save lens and light arrangements as "scenes." Connect multiple scenes to create animations showing how light transforms. ◆ Save and Share Save your creations in the app. Generate QR codes to share with friends and classmates. 【For Teachers】 Designed as an educational tool for classroom use. ・Visually understand light propagation, reflection, and refraction ・Simulate phenomena that are difficult to explain, like total internal reflection and dispersion ・Students can experiment independently—perfect for inquiry-based learning ・Save and share scenes as teaching materials Try it for free first! 【Features in Detail】 <Light Source Adjustments> ・Position and rotation ・Adjust number of rays and width <Lens Adjustments> ・Position and rotation ・Refractive index settings ・Size adjustment ・Curvature adjustment for convex and concave lenses <Scene Features> ・Create up to 5 scenes ・Smooth animations between scenes <File Features> ・Local saving ・QR code sharing 【Pricing】 Basic features are free. ◆ Lens Unlock ($5.99/ One-time purchase) Unlock premium lenses (plano-convex lens, biconcave lens, diamond, sphere, mirror, reflector). ◆ Lens Ticket Issuing Feature ($11.99/ One-time purchase) ※Requires "Lens Unlock" purchase first Generate QR codes to unlock all lenses on other devices for 1 year. Tickets can be issued repeatedly—perfect for teachers adopting the app school-wide or classroom-wide. 【Privacy】 ・No personal information is collected ・Works offline by default ・Internet connection required only for accurate time retrieval when using Lens Ticket feature 【Requirements】 ・iPhone / iPad ・iOS 16.0 or later 【Support】 Detailed instructions are available in the in-app "How to Use" menu. For questions, contact us via the support page. Bring the world of light closer. Let's play with light!

About

Linear Algebra

Features
Read full description

MatrixViz makes linear algebra and computer graphics understandable by turning the maths into interactive visuals. Built for complete beginners, MatrixViz lets you drag vectors, reshape matrices, move cameras, adjust projections, and immediately see what each formula does. Every learning module connects a plain-language idea to a guided experiment, a live visual, the underlying equation, and a symbol-by-symbol explanation. LEARN LINEAR ALGEBRA VISUALLY • Explore vectors in 2D and 3D • Turn matrix columns into draggable handles • See rotation, scale, shear, reflection, and composition happen live • Understand determinants, inverse matrices, span, basis, and independence • Discover eigenvectors by finding the directions a transformation cannot turn UNDERSTAND COMPUTER GRAPHICS • Follow coordinates from object space to the screen • Inspect model, view, and projection matrices • Compare perspective and orthographic projection • Learn cameras, frustums, lighting, normals, depth, blending, winding, and culling • Experiment with Metal shader patterns using beginner-friendly visual controls LEARN BY DOING • Guided lessons paired with the real interactive modules • Always-visible formulas and plain-language symbol keys • Sliders and direct manipulation instead of code-first controls • Saved sandbox presets for returning to experiments • Adaptive layouts for iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Vision Pro • Light and dark appearance options MATRIXVIZ PRO Optional MatrixViz Pro unlocks iCloud lesson-progress sync, educator presentation mode, and 1080p matrix-animation export across supported Apple platforms. MatrixViz Pro Monthly and MatrixViz Pro Yearly are auto-renewable subscriptions. Payment is charged to your Apple Account when the purchase is confirmed. Subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the current period ends. You can manage or cancel subscriptions in Apple Account Settings. MatrixViz Pro Lifetime is a one-time purchase and does not renew. Prices vary by storefront. Privacy Policy: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pWwcNOmDiuzImLw2JztnpJbhKFnS7unBt5iFSJZcz2w/edit?usp=sharing Terms of Use (Apple Standard EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Support: codedspartant@gmail.com

Screenshots

Light Lab4 screens
Linear Algebra4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Linear Algebra at every 2 days against Light Lab's every 3 months. Light Lab's advantage is iOS requirement (16.6 vs 18.6). On price, ads, in-app purchases 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

Both are free to download. Light Lab sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and Linear Algebra sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Light Lab ships an update every 3 months, Linear Algebra every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on September 14, 2026 and September 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 4 level
Light Lab versus Linear Algebra: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLight LabLinear Algebra
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Mac — better
Requires iOS16.6 — better18.6
Further details — not scored
Size8 MB21 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTHSSMohammed Yussif

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Light Lab

One-time2
  • Purchase all lenses$4.99
  • Lens Ticket Issuance Function$9.99
1 purchases

Linear Algebra

One-time1
  • MatrixViz Pro Lifetime$44.99

Questions

Is Light Lab free?
Light Lab is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Linear Algebra free?
Linear Algebra is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Light Lab or Linear Algebra have ads?
Neither Light Lab nor Linear Algebra shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Light Lab or Linear Algebra?
Light Lab ships an update every 3 months, and Linear Algebra every 2 days. Most recently, Light Lab was updated on September 14, 2026 and Linear Algebra on September 7, 2026.

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