IRAKU vs LabOptique
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
IRAKU
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IRAKU is an educational app that lets you learn genetics, DNA and evolution through moving simulations. Every mode unfolds in 4 steps and ends with a real example from research or observation. Every part of each picture is labeled, so you can connect the formulas with what you see. Developer: Fuji Bit Inc. IRAKU is the genetics edition of the "-raku" series of educational apps. It turns genetics from high school biology to introductory university courses into moving pictures, not just formulas and terms. 11 simulations in 4 categories: - DNA and gene expression - DNA Double Helix: Watch nucleotides gather, form A=T (2 hydrogen bonds) and G≡C (3 hydrogen bonds) base pairs, and wind as two antiparallel strands into a right-handed helix in 3D. Spin the finished helix with your finger. Human DNA has about 3 billion base pairs; stretched out, the DNA in one cell is about 2 m long. - Central Dogma: Using the human insulin gene, follow transcription initiation, mRNA synthesis, splicing and export from the nucleus, and translation on the ribosome. - Codon Translation: Read mRNA three bases at a time from the start codon AUG to a stop codon, with tRNAs bringing amino acids and a codon table highlighting each codon. Switch to examples of a synonymous substitution and a nonsense mutation. - How inheritance works - Mendel's Crosses: Cross round and wrinkled peas through F1 and F2. Check the 3:1 ratio (9:3:3:1 with two genes) in a Punnett square and compare it with Mendel's own counts of 5474 : 1850. - Meiosis & Crossing Over (new): Follow DNA replication, pairing of homologous chromosomes and crossing over, then meiosis I and II until four gametes form. Tell parental and recombinant gametes apart, and turn crossing over on or off. - Karyotype: Stain 46 chromosomes with G-banding and arrange them by size and centromere position into pairs 1-22 and the sex chromosomes to complete the karyotype 46,XX or 46,XY. - Populations and evolution - Mutation & Evolution: Using industrial melanism in the peppered moth, see mutation, environmental change and natural selection spread the dark form generation by generation. - Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium: See allele frequencies p and q give genotypes p², 2pq and q², and stay the same generation after generation. Change p with a slider. - Phylogenetic Tree: Build a tree with the UPGMA method from DNA differences between humans, chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans and gibbons. - Biotechnology - PCR Amplification (new): Watch DNA double in three steps - denaturation (95 °C), annealing (about 58 °C) and extension (72 °C) - and grow about a billion-fold in 30 cycles, with a temperature graph. - CRISPR: See a guide RNA and Cas9 find a PAM sequence (NGG), cut both strands, and the break being repaired by NHEJ (deletions and insertions) or HDR (rewriting). Switch between the two repair pathways. Features: - Clean, modern design with dark and light themes - Home screen organized by category - Every mode advances in 4 steps and ends with a real example (step back and forth with ◀ ▶ and change the speed) - Labels on every part of each picture - An explanation sheet with formulas for every simulation - In landscape, the canvas and controls sit side by side - Supports larger text sizes - Available in 73 languages, including English and Japanese (follows your device language) - No sign-in; start exploring right away Price and purchases: - Price: Free - In-app purchases: None - Subscriptions: None - Ads: Banner ads by Pangle at the bottom of the screen The "-raku" series of educational apps (selection): - SUUGAKU - Mathematics - BUTURAKU - Mechanics - DENRAKU - Electromagnetism - HARAKU - Waves - CHIRAKU - Earth Science - IRAKU - Genetics
LabOptique
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Examine various aspects of geometric and wave optics: - Geometric optics: thin lenses, the concept of approximate stigmatism, depth of field, vision of the eye (accommodation, etc.). Possibility of combining multiple lenses, an eye... - Wave optics: from the concept of path difference (for senior year students) to the effects of a glass plate, the concept of coherence length..., in various situations: infinitely narrow or wide Young’s slits or holes, freely movable sources to recreate a Michelson interferometer, a diffraction grating, a Lloyd mirror, using either a monochromatic source or white light.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ads: LabOptique at none against IRAKU's shown. LabOptique also leads on update cadence (every 3 months vs every 5 months). On price, 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
IRAKU ships an update every 5 months, LabOptique every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | IRAKU | LabOptique |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | Every 3 months — better |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 30 MB | 7 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Fuji Bit Inc. | Thomas Roy |
In-app purchases
IRAKU
No in-app purchases
LabOptique
No in-app purchases








