Comparison

Deflection Lite vs PAD Footing

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

Head to head
About

Deflection Lite

This app provides interactive and precise structural beam analysis. Easily visualize beam bending by dragging loads and supports, and calculate key engineering results like reactions, shear force, and bending moment.

Highlights
  • Interactive beam bending visualization
  • Calculate reactions, shear force, and bending moment
  • Built-in cross-section databases
  • Unlimited loads and supports
  • Export design to shareable permalink
  • Metric and standard units
Features
Read full description

Deflection Lite is the most interactive, fast, and precise app available for structural beam analysis. Simply drag loads and supports on the beam, and see how it bends. RESULTS Calculate reactions, shear force, bending moment, and beam deflection quickly and easily. CROSS SECTION DATABASES Specify elastic modulus and moment of inertia values directly, or find common shapes and materials using the built-in databases, which include most international steel sections, as well as some aluminum and wood shapes. UNLIMITED LOADS AND SUPPORTS Simply drag any load or support on the beam. • Concentrated point loads • Distributed loads • Moment loads • Simple supports • Fixed supports • Fixed hinges • Floating Gerber hinges OTHER FEATURES • Export your design to a permalink that you can share. • Automatic detection of local maxima and minima in diagrams • Metric and standard measurement units CONTACT We like to hear from you! Please email contact@ketchep.com if you have any issues, questions, or comments.

About

PAD Footing

This structural design tool analyzes single-column footings for vertical loads and bending moments. It's based on a long-standing program, offering reliable engineering calculations for structural analysis.

Highlights
  • Analyzes single-column footings
  • Resists vertical loads (Y-direction)
  • Handles bending moments (X & Z directions)
  • Based on established engineering software
  • Structural analysis calculations
Features
Read full description

PAD Footing is a structural design tool used to analyze simple, single-column footings to resist vertical loads in the Y-direction and bending moments in the X & Z directions. PAD-98 was originally written in 1998 and subsequently included in the Foot2000 program release which is still in publication today.

Screenshots

Deflection Lite4 screens
PAD Footing4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Deflection Lite at Free against PAD Footing's $1.99. Deflection Lite also leads on rating (4.5 vs 3.5) and ratings volume (47 vs 2). PAD Footing's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 3 months). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Deflection Lite is free to download; PAD Footing costs $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Deflection Lite holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Deflection Lite has 47 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Deflection Lite ships an update every 3 months, PAD Footing fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Deflection Lite versus PAD Footing: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDeflection LitePAD Footing
PriceFree — better$1.99
Rating4.5 (47 ratings) — better3.5 (2 ratings)
Positive reviews44.4% of reviews—
Number of ratings47 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size108 MB86 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBlue KetchepCharles Roberts

Customer experience

Deflection Lite

All ratings46 ratings
Positive82.6%
Neutral10.9%
Negative6.5%
Written reviews9 reviews
Positive44.4%
Neutral0.0%
Negative55.6%

PAD Footing

All ratings2 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

In-app purchases

None

Deflection Lite

No in-app purchases

None

PAD Footing

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Deflection Lite free?
Deflection Lite is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is PAD Footing free?
PAD Footing costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Deflection Lite or PAD Footing?
Deflection Lite is rated higher. Deflection Lite averages 4.5 out of 5 from 47 ratings, while PAD Footing averages 3.5 from 2 ratings.
Do Deflection Lite or PAD Footing have ads?
Neither Deflection Lite nor PAD Footing shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Deflection Lite or PAD Footing?
Deflection Lite ships an update every 3 months, and PAD Footing fortnightly. Most recently, Deflection Lite was updated on November 1, 2026 and PAD Footing on October 30, 2026.

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