Comparison

LightUp Learning vs DIY Sun Science

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

Head to head
About

LightUp Learning

Build and learn about electronic circuits using magnetic blocks. Visualize electricity flow and program projects with drag-and-drop coding. Requires a physical LightUp kit.

Highlights
  • Magnetic circuit block assembly
  • Visualize electricity flow
  • Drag-and-drop coding interface
  • Project building guides
  • X-ray vision for circuits
Read full description

This is a companion app for the LightUp Edison and Tesla Kit. Build and learn about electronic circuits with LightUp kits and the LightUp Learning app. Magnetically snap together circuit blocks to build cool projects without needing to use wires, breadboards, or soldering irons. Take a photo and the LightUp Learning app will help out when you need a hand. It even gives you x-ray vision, letting you see the electricity flowing around your circuit! Ready to code? Simply drag and drop code blocks on your iPad to make a Music Box, Alarm and more! Purchase your very own LightUp kit at www.lightup.io.

About

DIY Sun Science

Explore the Sun through hands-on activities and real-time data. This app offers 15 engaging experiments, live solar images from NASA, and educational videos to foster understanding of solar science for families and educators.

Highlights
  • 15 hands-on solar activities
  • Step-by-step instructions
  • Live Sun images from NASA SDO
  • NASA Earth and space observatory images
  • NASA solar videos
  • Learn about solar activity
Features
Read full description

DIY Sun Science is designed to make it easy for families and educators to learn about the Sun anywhere, anytime! The app is developed by UC Berkeley’s The Lawrence Hall of Science, the Children's Creativity Museum, and Sciencenter; funded by NASA. HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES DIY Sun Science includes 15 easy-to-use hands-on activities to learn about the Sun and its important relationship with Earth. Learn how to cook in a solar oven, measure the size of the Sun, or explore shadows in model Moon craters! Each activity includes step-by-step instructions that have been tested by educators, kids, and families. Activity materials are easily available and inexpensive—you may already have many of them in your home! SUN OBSERVATORY Want to see the Sun right now in different wavelengths? Use DIY Sun Science to view live images of the Sun from NASA’s SDO satellite in the Sun Observatory. Afterwards, you can learn more about the solar activity you observed and test your new knowledge. IMAGES AND VIDEOS See awe-inspiring images of the Sun from NASA’s Earth and space observatories! Learn about the different features of the Sun and how scientists are studying it. You can even watch NASA videos of the Sun from the past 48 hours. Praise & Reviews: —Featured by Apple in "Best New Apps" and "Education" —Common Sense Media: “DIY Sun Science is a great way to spark interest in astronomy and inspire learning. The activities are fun and engaging, and they tie in nicely with important astronomy concepts.” —Gizmodo: “A must for budding astronomy enthusiasts.”

Screenshots

LightUp Learning4 screens
DIY Sun Science4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: DIY Sun Science at 92% against LightUp Learning's 32%. DIY Sun Science also leads on rating (4.4 vs 3.0). LightUp Learning's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 6 months) and iOS requirement (8.1 vs 12.0). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

DIY Sun Science holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 10 and 21 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 32% of LightUp Learning's written reviews are positive against 92% of DIY Sun Science's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

LightUp Learning ships an update every 2 months, DIY Sun Science every 6 months. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
LightUp Learning versus DIY Sun Science: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLightUp LearningDIY Sun Science
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.0 (10 ratings)4.4 (21 ratings) — better
Positive reviews31.6% of reviews91.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1021 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 months — betterEvery 6 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS8.1 — better12.0
Further details — not scored
Size143 MB134 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperLightUpThe Lawrence Hall of Science

Customer experience

LightUp Learning

All ratings10 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%
Written reviews19 reviews
Positive31.6%
Neutral0.0%
Negative68.4%

DIY Sun Science

All ratings21 ratings
Positive85.7%
Neutral4.8%
Negative9.5%
Written reviews24 reviews
Positive91.7%
Neutral4.2%
Negative4.2%

In-app purchases

None

LightUp Learning

No in-app purchases

None

DIY Sun Science

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is LightUp Learning free?
LightUp Learning is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is DIY Sun Science free?
DIY Sun Science is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, LightUp Learning or DIY Sun Science?
DIY Sun Science is rated higher. LightUp Learning averages 3.0 out of 5 from 10 ratings, while DIY Sun Science averages 4.4 from 21 ratings.
Do LightUp Learning or DIY Sun Science have ads?
Neither LightUp Learning nor DIY Sun Science shows ads.
Which is updated more often, LightUp Learning or DIY Sun Science?
LightUp Learning ships an update every 2 months, and DIY Sun Science every 6 months. Most recently, LightUp Learning was updated on November 6, 2026 and DIY Sun Science on November 6, 2026.

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