# Physics Playgrounds vs HDLSim

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Physics Playgrounds at none against HDLSim's 2. HDLSim's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 3 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. HDLSim sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.00 per month. Physics Playgrounds asks for nothing beyond the download.

Physics Playgrounds ships an update every 3 months, HDLSim every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on November 9, 2026 and November 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Physics Playgrounds | HDLSim |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 4 days** |
| Size | 37 MB | 15 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [KheniTech](https://appshunter.io/developer/1580419338) | [Julio Francisco Reyes Gonzalez](https://appshunter.io/developer/6824013496) |

## What reviewers say

### Physics Playgrounds

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/physics-playgrounds/id6761057955)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### HDLSim

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hdlsim/id6824013494)

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| HDLSim Pro Monthly | $2.00 | per month |
| HDLSim Pro Annual | $20.00 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Physics Playgrounds free?

Physics Playgrounds is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is HDLSim free?

HDLSim is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do Physics Playgrounds or HDLSim have ads?

Neither Physics Playgrounds nor HDLSim shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Physics Playgrounds or HDLSim?

Physics Playgrounds ships an update every 3 months, and HDLSim every 4 days. Most recently, Physics Playgrounds was updated on November 9, 2026 and HDLSim on November 13, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*