Physics apps let students run simulations, collect real data with a phone's sensors and build experiments in a virtual lab. Some are simple browser tools, some turn a phone into lab equipment and some are full sandboxes for forces and gravity. Ten options follow, in no particular order, with ideas for using them.
Your phone is already packed with physics equipment. It has an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a magnetometer and a microphone, and the right app turns them into instruments you'd otherwise only find in a school lab.
The apps below are listed alphabetically and in no particular order, and each description comes from the provider's own website or app store listing, read this week. If you're also using AI to revise, my set of ChatGPT prompts for students includes prompts for explaining tricky concepts in plain English.
Physics apps side by side
I checked the free plan column on each provider's own website or app store listing, as of Oct 2026. Yes means the page names the app, an account, a plan or a version of it as free. Trial only means a time-limited trial. Not stated means the page I read named neither, even where there's a button inviting you to start or a store download button, so check the provider's own page before you sign up.
| Tool | Type | Good for | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Algodoo | 2D physics sandbox | Building and testing your own scenes | Yes |
| myPhysicsLab | Open source physics simulations | Springs, pendulums and chaos | Yes |
| oPhysics | Interactive physics simulations | Kinematics and wave practice | Not stated |
| PhET | Free online science simulations | Classroom simulations backed by research | Yes |
| phyphox | Phone sensor experiments | Turning a phone into a lab | Yes |
| Physics Classroom | Physics tutorials and interactives | Concept checks and teacher resources | Not stated |
| Physics Lab | Virtual physics lab app with AR | Circuits and experiments on a tablet | Not stated |
| Physics Toolbox Sensor Suite | Sensor data app | Graphing data from every sensor | Yes |
| Pivot Interactives | Video-based science activities | Measuring real experiments on video | Trial only |
| Universe Sandbox | Space and gravity simulator | Gravity on a cosmic scale | Not stated |
Ten physics apps to explore
Algodoo
Best for: Pupils who learn by playing, drawing ramps, springs and gears and watching forces act on them in a free 2D sandbox.
myPhysicsLab
Best for: Tinkerers who want to drag objects and change gravity in real-time simulations of springs, pendulums and other classic systems.
oPhysics
Best for: GCSE and A level learners who want interactive simulations of motion graphs, vectors, standing waves and resonance, built with GeoGebra and free to use.
PhET
Best for: Teachers and pupils who want free interactive physics simulations from the University of Colorado alongside chemistry and maths ones.
phyphox
Best for: Hands-on learners who want to use their phone's own sensors for real experiments, from acceleration to sound, then export the data.
Physics Classroom
Best for: Teachers and homeschoolers who want tutorials, interactives and concept builders for school physics, with plans for classrooms and homes.
Physics Lab
Best for: Learners who want to build experiments in a virtual lab on a phone or tablet, including augmented reality views.
Physics Toolbox Sensor Suite
Best for: Practical science teachers and pupils who want to collect, graph and export data from every sensor built into a phone, on Android or iOS.
Pivot Interactives
Best for: Science teachers who want students to take measurements from real recorded experiments, a good fit when lab time is limited.
Universe Sandbox
Best for: Space fans who want to create and destroy planets and stars to see gravity at work, on Windows, Mac or Linux.
Pick by how you like to learn
- Real experiments with your phone: phyphox.
- Building your own contraptions: Algodoo.
- Measuring from recorded experiments: Pivot Interactives.
- Concept practice for school physics: Physics Classroom.
- Gravity on the scale of planets: Universe Sandbox.
What NASA Glenn Research Center says about force
NASA Glenn Research Center explains Newton's second law simply: the acceleration of an object depends on the mass of the object and the amount of force applied. It's one sentence, yet it underpins a huge share of school mechanics questions.
Sensor apps let students test it themselves. Push a phone on a smooth surface with a small and then a larger push, record the acceleration both times and compare. Seeing the numbers change in your own hand tends to stick far better than reading the rule.
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Simulations, sensor apps and sandboxes
Simulations show idealised versions of experiments, such as a pendulum with no air resistance or a wave on a string you can slow down. They're quick to set up and brilliant for seeing what happens when you change one variable at a time.
Sensor apps collect real, messy data, which is exactly what practical skills marks reward. Sandboxes sit in between: students build their own scenes and the app applies the physics, which is great for curiosity and less useful for exam precision.
Physics problems lean on algebra, and apps that show every step are compared in a roundup of step-by-step math apps.
Five experiments to try with a phone
- Measure acceleration in a lift or on a playground swing.
- Record the period of a pendulum made from string and a phone case.
- Check how sound level falls as you walk away from a speaker.
- Find magnetic north using the magnetometer.
- Time a dropped object using the microphone.
Studying the sister subject as well? Apps for it are compared in a roundup of chemistry apps.
Keeping practical work safe
- Protect the phone. Use a case and soft landing spots for drops and swings.
- Stay away from traffic and water. Choose a safe space for moving experiments.
- Ask before using lifts or rides. Others may not want to be part of it.
- Write a method first. It makes the data meaningful afterwards.
Do you make physics apps, simulations or science tools? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My plain advice on physics apps
Install one sensor app and bookmark one simulation site, and you've got most of a home physics lab for nothing more than the phone in your pocket. Add a sandbox for younger students who learn by building.
For older students choosing online courses alongside apps, it's worth checking providers carefully first. My review of whether Study.com is legit shows the kind of questions to ask before you sign up to anything.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best app for physics students?
It depends on the need: simulations for concepts, sensor apps for practicals and tutorial sites for structured revision.
Can my phone be used for physics experiments?
Yes, sensor apps read the accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer and microphone so you can record real data.
Are there free physics simulation apps?
Several apps on this list name free or open source access on their own page, so check the free plan column.
Do physics apps help with GCSE and A level?
They help most with understanding and practical skills, alongside past paper practice.
Is there a physics app for teachers?
Video-based activities and classroom simulations here are aimed at teachers running lessons.
Can I learn physics just from apps?
Apps build understanding, but you'll still need practice questions and written explanations to master it.
