# RayLab vs Epicycles

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Epicycles at none against RayLab's 10. Epicycles also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 5 days vs every 6 weeks). RayLab's advantage is ratings volume (63 vs 2) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.0). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. RayLab sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Epicycles asks for nothing beyond the download.

Epicycles holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: RayLab has 63 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

RayLab ships an update every 6 weeks, Epicycles every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | RayLab | Epicycles |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (63 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/raylab/id710190065/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/epicycles/id6450433959/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **63** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 75.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 39 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Kamyar Ghandi](https://appshunter.io/developer/710190068) | [Limit Point Software](https://appshunter.io/developer/377981570) |

## What reviewers say

### RayLab

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/raylab/id710190065)

Design and simulate optical systems with this powerful tool. Explore 2D and 3D models, perform advanced ray tracing, and analyze optical performance. Ideal for learning or professional design.

**Highlights:** 2D/3D optical modeling, Geometric ray tracing, Sequential and non-sequential analysis, Advanced optical elements, Polarization ray tracing, Design optimization, Glass catalogs

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| RayLab Pro Subscription | $3.99 | per month |
| RayLab Pro Upgrade | Free | one-time |
| Schott Glass Catalog | $0.99 | one-time |
| Custom Glass Editor | $0.99 | one-time |
| Advanced Optical Elements | $1.99 | one-time |
| Source and Lens Arrays | $1.99 | one-time |
| Solver/Optimizer Module | $3.99 | one-time |
| 3D Modeling | $4.99 | one-time |
| RayLab Pro 2 | $19.99 | one-time |
| RayLab Pro Bundle | $19.99 | one-time |


### Epicycles

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/epicycles/id6450433959)

Explore the visualization of complex Fourier series through interactive epicycles. Create and analyze approximations of parametric curves and complex functions. Save animations and export custom terms for later use.

**Highlights:** Visualize Fourier series of 2D functions, Create epicycles from drawn curves, Save custom terms to documents, Export animations as GIFs, Adjust time and number of terms, Interactive graphic elements

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is RayLab free?

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

### Is Epicycles free?

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

### Which has better reviews, RayLab or Epicycles?

Epicycles is rated higher. RayLab averages 4.6 out of 5 from 63 ratings, while Epicycles averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do RayLab or Epicycles have ads?

RayLab shows ads; Epicycles does not.

### Which is updated more often, RayLab or Epicycles?

RayLab ships an update every 6 weeks, and Epicycles every 5 days. Most recently, RayLab was updated on October 3, 2026 and Epicycles on September 21, 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.*