Comparison

Simple Machines by Tinybop vs ToriFish AR Plus

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

Head to head
About

Simple Machines by Tinybop

Explore the playful side of physics and learn about simple machines through interactive experiments. Kids can discover how levers, pulleys, and other mechanisms work by building and testing them in a digital sandbox environment. This app is designed to spark curiosity and understanding of scientific principles.

Highlights
  • Explore 6 simple machines
  • Experiment with real-world physics
  • Investigate physics at work
  • Learn about force and motion
  • Kid-friendly design
  • Interactive labels in 40+ languages
Features
Read full description

Explore the playful side of physics! “I just love how apps like these get kids genuinely excited about science." — COOL MOM TECH Experiment with levers, pulleys, inclined planes, inclined planes, wedges, wheel and axles, and screws. Discover how they work and investigate the invisible forces behind them in this sandbox app. Destroy a castle, make music, send satellites into orbit & more! *** App Store Editor's Choice *** *** Parents’ Choice Gold Award winner *** Simple Machines integrates with STEM curriculum: kids can alter and test each machine to learn about force and motion, actions and reactions, inputs and outputs, conservation of energy, mechanical advantages, and tradeoffs. Get free activity sheets at tinybop.com. Simple Machines is No. 4 in Tinybop’s Explorer’s Library series, designed for curious kids ages 4+ to dive deep into big ideas. The apps in this series have won Best of the App Store, App Store Editors’ Choice, Parents’ Choice, and Children's Technology Review Editor’s Choice awards. Features: * Explore 6 simple machines: levers, pulleys, inclined planes, wedges, wheel and axles, and screws. * Experiment with real world physics, actions and reactions, inputs and outputs. Learn about force and motion. * Investigate the physics at work behind each machine. * Sophisticated sound design rewards experimentation. * Original artwork by James Gilleard. * Smart features use your device’s camera to bring your kids’ world into the app. * Learn new vocabulary in 40+ languages with interactive labels. * Intuitive, safe, and kid-friendly design. * Entertaining for kids and adults alike. FREE handbook Our expert-reviewed handbook is full of facts, interaction hints, and discussion questions to support learning in this app, in the classroom or at home. Download in your app or at: http://tinybop.com/handbooks. Privacy Policy We take your and your child’s privacy very seriously. We do not collect or share personal information about your child, nor do we allow any third-party advertising. When the camera, microphone, and other services are used within an app, your information is neither collected nor distributed outside of the app. Read our complete privacy policy at tinybop.com. Tinybop, Inc. is a Brooklyn-based studio of designers, engineers, and artists. We make toys for tomorrow. We’re all over the internet. Visit us: www.tinybop.com Follow us: twitter.com/tinybop Like us: facebook.com/tinybop Peek behind the scenes: instagram.com/tinybop We love hearing your stories! If you have ideas, or something isn’t working as you expect it to, please contact us: hi@tinybop.com. Compatible with iPhone 5, 5s, 5c, 6, 6 Plus, iPod touch (5th generation), iPad 2, 3, mini, and Air. **This app is optimized for iPad 2 and iPhone 5 or higher. Requires iOS 7.0 or later. psst! It's not Tiny Bop, or Tiny Bob, or Tiny Pop. It's Tinybop.

About

ToriFish AR Plus

Features
Read full description

ToriFish AR Plus App為國家實驗研究院台灣海洋科技研究中心推出的擴增實境魚類科普AR App。國家實驗研究院台灣海洋科技研究中心(Taiwan Ocean Research Institute, TORI)所發展的魚類科普教案,台灣四面環海,以海洋建國,生活與海息息相關,可是,您可曾留意過身邊出現的海洋生物?讓我們透過TORIFish AR plus,細細觀察海洋生物的可愛樣貌! 海洋中心曾透過水下無人載具(Remotely Operated Vehicle, ROV)拍攝過深海魚類,為達成教育推廣的目的,本中心製作出四個虛擬魚類,阿部單棘躄魚(Chaunax abei),古氏土魟(Neotrygon kuhlii),臺灣鋸鱗魚(Amblyeleotris bleekeri),布氏鈍塘鱧(Myripristis formosa),透過海洋中心所提供的tag或是卡片,在手機上顯示魚的三維模型,認識台灣海域的稀有及特有魚種。

Screenshots

Simple Machines by Tinybop4 screens
ToriFish AR Plus4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: ToriFish AR Plus at Free against Simple Machines by Tinybop's $2.99. Simple Machines by Tinybop's advantage is update cadence (every 4 months vs every 40 months) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 18.6). On ads, in-app purchases and device support 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

ToriFish AR Plus is free to download; Simple Machines by Tinybop costs $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Simple Machines by Tinybop ships an update every 4 months, ToriFish AR Plus every 40 months. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Simple Machines by Tinybop versus ToriFish AR Plus: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSimple Machines by TinybopToriFish AR Plus
Price$2.99Free — better
Rating3.7 (62 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews37.4% of reviews—
Number of ratings62 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 4 months — betterEvery 40 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaid—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS12.0 — better18.6
Further details — not scored
Size112 MB231 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTinybop Inc.MinChai Hsieh

Bugs and requests

Simple Machines by Tinybop

Reported bugs

8 issues
  • Crashes immediately on launch
  • Cannot install after purchase
  • App crashes after loading screen
  • No sound
  • Does not work
Show 3 more
  • Download issues
  • Does not open
  • Chinese language not displayed

Requested features

8 requests
  • Add a creative building mode
  • More levels and modules
  • Sandbox mode
  • Ability to build own machines
  • More interactive elements
Show 3 more
  • Add more complex mechanisms
  • Improve wheel and axle interaction
  • Allow bringing up planets in pulley game

ToriFish AR Plus

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Simple Machines by Tinybop

No in-app purchases

None

ToriFish AR Plus

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Simple Machines by Tinybop free?
Simple Machines by Tinybop costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is ToriFish AR Plus free?
ToriFish AR Plus is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Simple Machines by Tinybop or ToriFish AR Plus have ads?
Neither Simple Machines by Tinybop nor ToriFish AR Plus shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Simple Machines by Tinybop or ToriFish AR Plus?
Simple Machines by Tinybop ships an update every 4 months, and ToriFish AR Plus every 40 months. Most recently, Simple Machines by Tinybop was updated on October 19, 2026 and ToriFish AR Plus on October 10, 2026.

Other comparisons