Interplay Learning vs Labster

Interplay Learning provides online and virtual-reality training for skilled trades. Expert-led courses use 3D simulations and VR practice, with catalogs covering HVAC, plumbing, solar, electrical, multi-family maintenance and more. The mobile app page states that users can access more than 500 hours of training, in English and Spanish. Training supports preparation for EPA 608 and NATE certification exams and approved continuing-education hours. Learners can use the web, iPhone, iPad, Android phones and Android tablets. Administrators can automatically assign courses, learning paths and due dates, including dynamic due dates. Integrations include single sign-on, reporting API connections and content integration with Blackboard, Canvas, Moodle, D2L and Schoology. Interplay markets solutions for individuals, businesses, educators and workforce-development organizations. Interplay Solo costs $54 a month for individual access and the full course catalog. A free trial is available, but there is no free plan.

Labster provides interactive virtual lab assignments for teaching science concepts and practicing laboratory techniques. Its catalog includes more than 300 simulations across STEM subjects. Learners follow guided scenarios, repeat work at their own pace, and receive immediate feedback. Instructors can use automatic grading, customizable quizzes, and a modular assignment builder. A course mapping tool helps match simulations to a syllabus, and listed LMS integrations include Canvas, Google Classroom, Blackboard, Moodle, Schoology, and D2L Brightspace.

Simulations run in supported browsers on Windows and Mac computers. Some are available on iPads and Chromebooks through the Labster app; smartphones, including iPhones and Android phones, are not supported for playing them. Purchases are available to instructors, faculty, and administrators at educational institutions. A free trial is offered, but there is no free plan. Pricing is on request; institutional or department engagements typically begin at $5,000 a year, billed annually, with final pricing dependent on the solution and implementation requirements.