Comparison

Laser Lab vs DENRAKU

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

Head to head
About

Laser Lab

Features
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LASER LAB: AN INTERACTIVE INTRODUCTION TO OPTICS Laser Lab is an educational application designed to provide an interactive and engaging introduction to the science of lasers and optics. Through a series of structured challenges, users explore fundamental and advanced concepts in a hands-on virtual laboratory environment. A COMPREHENSIVE LEARNING EXPERIENCE Laser Lab offers 160+ carefully designed activities that introduce key principles of light behavior and optical systems. Users can freely move, rotate, and interact with various optical elements to simulate laboratory experiments. This interactive approach helps build an intuitive understanding of complex physical principles, supporting learning from high school to university levels. TOPICS COVERED Laser Lab introduces a wide range of optical phenomena through its interactive challenges: • Focusing • Telescopes • Color • Wavelength • Polarization • Optical Path • Coherence • Elliptical Polarization • Interference • Diffraction • Delay Lines • Second Harmonic Generation • Nonlinear Optics HANDS-ON INTERACTION WITH OPTICAL COMPONENTS Users engage directly with realistic virtual components, including lasers, mirrors, lenses, filters, polarizers, wave plates, nonlinear crystals, cameras, spectrometers and oscilloscopes. Through manipulation and experimentation, users learn how these components influence the properties of light. DESIGNED FOR STUDENTS, EDUCATORS, AND ENTHUSIASTS Laser Lab is suitable for a wide range of users, including secondary school students beginning their study of optics, university students deepening their understanding, and lifelong learners interested in exploring physics. The progressive structure allows users to develop problem-solving skills and scientific reasoning at their own pace. EDUCATIONAL APPROACH Rather than presenting information passively, Laser Lab encourages active engagement through experimentation and problem solving. This method bridges the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application, fostering deeper comprehension of fundamental and advanced topics in optics. A VIRTUAL LABORATORY EXPERIENCE Laser Lab provides an accessible and comprehensive platform for learning about light and optics. Whether used independently or as a supplement to formal education, it offers a rewarding and enriching experience that promotes curiosity, critical thinking, and a deeper appreciation for the science of light.

About

DENRAKU

Features
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DENRAKU is an interactive educational app that visualizes the invisible world of electromagnetism in real time. Touch and move fields, currents and waves to connect the equations with what you see. Developer: Fuji Bit Inc. DENRAKU is the electromagnetism edition of the "-raku" physics simulation series. It turns the electromagnetism of school and university physics into moving pictures, not just formulas. 12 simulations in 3 categories: - Electricity and current - Electric Field: Place positive (+) charges with a tap or negative (-) charges with a long press. Field lines and a strength map follow Coulomb's law, with particles flowing along the lines. Drag charges to reshape the field. - Capacitor: Watch an RC circuit charge and discharge. Synced graphs of Q(t), I(t) and V(t) show what the time constant tau means. - Circuit: Explore Ohm's law (V = IR) with a series circuit. Adjust voltage and resistance with sliders and watch current particles speed up or slow down. - Ion Conduction: See cations and anions drift in opposite directions inside an electrolyte. Adjust voltage, ion density, mobility and temperature to explore drift velocity (vd = mu E) and conductivity (sigma = nq mu). - Magnetism and induction - Magnetic Field: Place bar magnets and observe dipole field lines (B proportional to 1/r^3) from the N pole to the S pole, with a field strength heatmap and cyan particles. Drag to move magnets, long press to remove them. - Field of a current (new): See the field lines and compass needles around a straight wire, a circular loop and a solenoid, shown in cross-section. Drag the probe to read the magnetic flux density B in microtesla at any point. The loop and solenoid are computed from the exact 3D field of circular currents, so you can check the right-hand rule. - Hall Effect: Apply a magnetic field to a current-carrying conductor and watch the Lorentz force deflect carriers, producing the Hall voltage Vh = IB/(nqt). Switch between electrons and holes to see the accumulation side reverse. - Electromagnetic Induction: Drag a magnet toward and away from a coil. A real-time meter and graph show Faraday's law (EMF = -N dPhi/dt) and Lenz's law in action. - AC and electromagnetic waves - Generator: See how a coil rotating in a magnetic field generates a sinusoidal EMF, epsilon = NBA omega sin(omega t). Tune the field, turns, angular frequency and load to study the peak EMF and output power. - Transformer: Simulate mutual induction between primary and secondary coils on an iron core. Adjust voltage, frequency, turns ratio and load to see V2/V1 = N2/N1 and I2/I1 = N1/N2 in real-time waveforms. - RLC AC circuit (new): Apply an AC voltage to a series circuit of a resistor R, an inductor L and a capacitor C. Charges moving back and forth in the circuit, voltage and current waveforms, a phasor diagram and the resonance curve are shown together. Sweep the frequency to see the phase shift and resonance, or tune to the resonant frequency f0 with one tap. - Electromagnetic Wave: Watch electric (red) and magnetic (blue) fields oscillate perpendicular to each other as they propagate. Adjust wavelength, amplitude and frequency; learn Maxwell's equations and c = lambda f. Features: - Clean, modern design (dark and light themes) - Home screen organized by category - Tips and a play button in the control panel - Intuitive touch controls (tap, long press, drag) and parameter sliders - An explanation sheet with formulas for every simulation - In landscape, the canvas and control panel are shown side by side - Supports larger text sizes - 73 languages including English and Japanese, following your device language - No sign-in: start exploring right away Price: - Free - In-app purchases: none - Subscriptions: none - Ads: a banner ad by Pangle at the bottom of the screen The "-raku" educational app series: - SUUGAKU - Mathematics - BUTURAKU - Mechanics - DENRAKU - Electromagnetism - HARAKU - Waves

Screenshots

Laser Lab4 screens
DENRAKU4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Laser Lab at none against DENRAKU's shown. Laser Lab also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs every 2 weeks) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price Ā· Rating Ā· Positive reviews Ā· Number of ratings Ā· Update frequency Ā· Ads Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Monetization Ā· Best chart rank Ā· Devices Ā· Requires iOS

CostPrice Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Ads Ā· Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Laser Lab ships an update every 3 days, DENRAKU every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and November 9, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences Ā· 3 level
Laser Lab versus DENRAKU: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLaser LabDENRAKU
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 3 days — betterEvery 2 weeks
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size344 MB27 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMate KuruczFuji Bit Inc.

In-app purchases

None

Laser Lab

No in-app purchases

None

DENRAKU

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Laser Lab free?
Laser Lab is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is DENRAKU free?
DENRAKU is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Laser Lab or DENRAKU have ads?
DENRAKU shows ads; Laser Lab does not.
Which is updated more often, Laser Lab or DENRAKU?
Laser Lab ships an update every 3 days, and DENRAKU every 2 weeks. Most recently, Laser Lab was updated on November 8, 2026 and DENRAKU on November 9, 2026.

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