# Simple Machines by Tinybop vs PomoPals

The clearest difference is price: PomoPals at Free against Simple Machines by Tinybop's $2.99. PomoPals also leads on update cadence (daily vs every 4 months). Simple Machines by Tinybop's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 18.0). On ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

PomoPals 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.

Simple Machines by Tinybop ships an update every 4 months, PomoPals daily. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Simple Machines by Tinybop | PomoPals |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $2.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[3.7 (62 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-machines-by-tinybop/id936966570/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **62** | — |
| Positive reviews | 37.4% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Daily** |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Size | 112 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Tinybop Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/682046582) | [MATTHEW KA-WING LOW](https://appshunter.io/developer/1761572067) |

## What reviewers say

### Simple Machines by Tinybop

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-machines-by-tinybop/id936966570)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Beautiful graphics and design
- 🧠 Educational and informative
- 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Good for kids and learning
- 💡 Sparks curiosity and imagination
- 👍 Intuitive and easy to use

**What reviewers complain about**

- 😴 Boring and repetitive
- 💸 Expensive for limited content
- 🤷‍♂️ Lacks clear goals or objectives
- 🤏 Limited interaction and content
- 🚫 Not a game, more of a toy

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes immediately on launch
- Cannot install after purchase
- App crashes after loading screen
- No sound
- Does not work

**Requested features**

- Add a creative building mode
- More levels and modules
- Sandbox mode
- Ability to build own machines
- More interactive elements


### PomoPals

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pomopals/id6742433596)

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Simple Machines by Tinybop free?

Simple Machines by Tinybop costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is PomoPals free?

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

### Do Simple Machines by Tinybop or PomoPals have ads?

Neither Simple Machines by Tinybop nor PomoPals shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Simple Machines by Tinybop or PomoPals?

Simple Machines by Tinybop ships an update every 4 months, and PomoPals daily. Most recently, Simple Machines by Tinybop was updated on October 15, 2026 and PomoPals on October 8, 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.*