Comparison

STEMulator vs MathU Merlin

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

Head to head
About

STEMulator

Features
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Calling all teenagers and younger. A virtual world full of informative animations on all things STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics), from pumping human hearts to power station turbines, microbes to mountains, farming to factories. How does it work? How is it made? What career and subject choices? Our simple visual navigation system allows you to explore the world at leisure. Get behind the scenes. Still in its infancy, we're hungry for additional content. Think Wikipedia. No in-app purchases required. We’re sharing our knowledge. The STEMulator is for sharing.

About

MathU Merlin

Features
Read full description

Step into the future of teaching with Merlin, the ultimate companion app for educators. As part of the MathU Teaching Emporium ecosystem, Merlin revolutionises how you approach lesson planning, analysis, and student engagement. Merlin harnesses cutting-edge analytics to provide insights into your lessons. Based on this analysis, the app empowers you to seamlessly assign tailored homework to your class – ensuring personalised learning like never before. Key Features: Lesson Analysis: Gain feedback on lessons, highlighting strengths and areas for improvement. Smart Homework Assignment: Automatically generate targeted homework aligned with your lesson goals and student needs. Integrated Ecosystem: Works seamlessly with the MathU ecosystem, providing a unified platform for planning, tracking, and optimizing learning outcomes. Time-Saving Automation: Reduce admin time and focus on what you do best – teaching! Merlin is designed to be intuitive, efficient, and transformative – bringing you closer to your students and their unique learning journeys. Whether you're a seasoned teacher or new to the classroom, Merlin equips you with the tools to teach smarter, not harder.

Screenshots

STEMulator1 screens
MathU Merlin3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: MathU Merlin at every 4 weeks against STEMulator's every 9 months. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

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

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

UpkeepUpdate frequency

STEMulator ships an update every 9 months, MathU Merlin every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on May 19, 2026 and September 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference Β· 5 level
STEMulator versus MathU Merlin: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSTEMulatorMathU Merlin
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 9 monthsEvery 4 weeks β€” better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.114.0 β€” better
Further details β€” not scored
Size35 MB79 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperSTEMulatorMathU Teaching Emporium (Pty) Ltd

In-app purchases

None

STEMulator

No in-app purchases

None

MathU Merlin

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is STEMulator free?
STEMulator is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is MathU Merlin free?
MathU Merlin is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do STEMulator or MathU Merlin have ads?
Neither STEMulator nor MathU Merlin shows ads.
Which is updated more often, STEMulator or MathU Merlin?
STEMulator ships an update every 9 months, and MathU Merlin every 4 weeks. Most recently, STEMulator was updated on May 19, 2026 and MathU Merlin on September 8, 2026.

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