Rotation vs Fractal Wallpaper
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Rotation
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Rotation is a visual art application based on the phenakistoscope principle, allowing you to easily create fascinating dynamic visual effects. By placing images on a rotating disc and utilizing the persistence of vision phenomenon, it produces magical visual experiences. 【Main Features】 • 77 Pre-installed Images: The app includes various specially selected phenakistoscope and persistence of vision effect images, ready to use • Custom Images: Import your own images from photo library to create personalized visual effects • Flexible Parameter Adjustment: Control frame rate, rotation angle, rotation direction, image size, and position • Rich Preset Styles: Offers five preset styles including modern, classic, dynamic, natural, and abstract • Multi-language Support: Compatible with 33 languages, including English, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and more 【Parameter Details】 • Frame Rate: Controls the number of frames displayed per second, ranging from 1-60 fps • Rotation Angle: Adjusts the rotation angle of each frame, ranging from 1°-180° • Rotation Direction: Choose between clockwise or counterclockwise rotation • Image Size: Controls the display ratio of images on the disc, ranging from 100%-300% • Alignment: Sets the position of images on the disc, supporting both horizontal and vertical alignment 【Persistence of Vision】 Persistence of vision is a physiological characteristic of the human eye. When we see an image, the impression formed on the retina doesn't disappear immediately but persists for a short period (about 0.1-0.4 seconds). This phenomenon allows us to perceive rapidly presented static images as continuous smooth motion. 【Phenakistoscope Principle】 The phenakistoscope is an optical toy invented in the 19th century that creates visual illusions through rotation, reflection, and optical principles. Combined with the persistence of vision effect, when the disc rotates rapidly, it creates a superimposed effect on the retina, producing stunning symmetrical and fractal patterns. 【Application Scenarios】 • Visual Art Creation: Designers can create unique visual effects • Educational Demonstrations: Teachers can explain the principle of persistence of vision • Mental Relaxation: Watching the rotation effects can help relax the mind • Entertainment: Add fun to family gatherings or friend meetups 【Usage Tips】 • For phenakistoscope effect images, it's recommended to set the rotation angle to 360° divided by the number of evenly divided portions in the image • Adjusting the image size to 200%-300% can achieve a more concentrated visual effect • Try different rotation directions to produce different visual experiences Whether you're a visual art enthusiast, designer, or just someone who enjoys interesting visual experiences, Rotation can bring you a unique visual treat. Download the app and start your phenakistoscope visual journey!
Fractal Wallpaper
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Fractal turns a simple word or number into stunning, infinitely detailed fractal art — right on your iPhone and iPad. Type any seed, like "nebula" or "1024", and Fractal instantly generates a unique, colorful image. The same seed always recreates the same artwork, so your favourites are easy to find again. Tap Surprise for an endless stream of new creations. EXPLORE SIX FRACTAL FAMILIES • Mandelbrot — the classic set with endless detail at every zoom • Julia — flowing filaments and spirals shaped by a seed point • Burning Ship — jagged, ship-like structures • Tricorn — the mirrored "Mandelbar" • Phoenix — swirling tendrils with a feedback term • Celtic — heart-shaped lobes from a folded Mandelbrot MAKE IT YOURS • Eight vivid colour palettes: Aurora, Inferno, Ocean, Neon, Sunset, Viridis, Candy and Mono • Fine-tune detail, hue, colour density and interior glow • Drag to pan and pinch or double-tap to zoom deep into the structure • Hand-tuned gallery of beautiful starting points SAVE & SHARE • Export high-resolution artwork straight to your Photos • Share to Messages, Mail, social apps, or set as a wallpaper FAST & PRIVATE • Rendered live on your device’s GPU with Metal • Completely offline — no account, no network, no tracking • Photo access is requested only when you choose to save an image Whether you want a one-of-a-kind wallpaper, a relaxing way to explore mathematical beauty, or a creative tool for generative art, Fractal makes it effortless.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Fractal Wallpaper at Free against Rotation's $3.99. Rotation's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs weekly). On ads, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement 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
Fractal Wallpaper is free to download; Rotation costs $3.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Rotation ships an update every 3 days, Fractal Wallpaper weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Rotation | Fractal Wallpaper |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $3.99 | Free — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 days — better | Weekly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 17 — better | 18.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 37 MB | 2 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | 思明 陈 | Alfred Ang |
In-app purchases
Rotation
No in-app purchases
Fractal Wallpaper
No in-app purchases









