PhET Interactive Simulations vs Science Mom
PhET Interactive Simulations
phet.colorado.eduScience Mom
science.momSide by side
| Figure | PhET Interactive Simulations | Science Mom |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | $5/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| Android | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 1 | 7 |
| Spec score · Science Learning Software | 7.9 (#12) | 7.0 (#21) |
| Audience | PhET simulations are designed primarily for K-12 and university students and are intended for students in preschool, K-12, or college. | The maker says most students are in upper elementary through middle school, while curious learners of any age are welcome. |
| Founded | 2002 | 2013 |
| Headquarters | Boulder, Colorado, United States | Southeast Alaska |
| Integrations | Educators can create PhET accounts using Clever, which is a supported federated login provider. | Enrolled students who are logged in can message Science Mom through Teachable. |
| Privacy | PhET states that no personally identifiable information is collected when users run simulations on the website, in the apps, embedded elsewhere, or from downloads. | The school says it does not sell, trade, or rent students’ personal identification information. |
Plans
Science Mom
- Patreon membership$5 a month
- Patreon membership with clubs$10 a month
- Individual science course$150, paid once
- Biology Bundle$270, paid once
- Earth and Space Science Bundle$270, paid once
- Physics Bundle$270, paid once
- Middle School Science Bundle$720, paid once
In their own words
PhET Interactive Simulations
PhET Interactive Simulations provides interactive science and mathematics simulations for students from preschool through university. Its design emphasizes scientific inquiry, visual mental models, multiple representations, real-world connections, and flexible classroom use; the simulations include virtual experiments and guided lessons. PhET says simulations are evaluated for educational effectiveness through student interviews and classroom observation. All are open source, and they are written in HTML5, with some legacy simulations in Java or Flash. They can run online or be downloaded. Android and iOS apps include HTML5 simulations and translations for offline use and automatically download new HTML5 simulations. A desktop app provides HTML5 and Java simulations and translations for offline use on Windows and macOS. The service is available on the web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and select Chromebooks. Android browser-based HTML5 simulations and Linux are not officially supported. The free simulations plan is available to students and teachers. Commercial use requires a license from the University of Colorado Boulder.
Science Mom
Science Mom has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.