# Ubongo vs Ark Nova

The clearest difference is price: Ubongo at $3.99 against Ark Nova's $10.99. Ubongo also leads on iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.0). Ark Nova's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 7 months) and rating (4.9 vs 4.6). On review sentiment, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Ubongo costs $3.99 and Ark Nova $10.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Ark Nova holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Ark Nova has 1.3K ratings behind it against 126, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 69% of Ubongo's written reviews are positive against 73% of Ark Nova's.

Ubongo ships an update every 7 months, Ark Nova every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Ubongo | Ark Nova |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$3.99** | $10.99 |
| Rating | [4.6 (126 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ubongo-puzzle-challenge/id1031545098/reviews) | **[4.9 (1.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ark-nova/id6449233549/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 126 | **1.3K** |
| Positive reviews | 68.7% of reviews | **73.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | **#30** |
| Size | 90 MB | 682 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [United Soft Media Verlag GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/330111789) | [Dire Wolf Digital](https://appshunter.io/developer/815343758) |

## What reviewers say

### Ubongo

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ubongo-puzzle-challenge/id1031545098)

Engage your brain with this fast-paced puzzle game. Solve interlocking shape puzzles quickly to earn jewels and improve visual thinking. Compete against others online or enjoy various single-player modes with increasing difficulty.

**Highlights:** Fast-paced puzzle solving, Jewel rewards for speed, Visual thinking improvement, Single-player modes (Levels, Free, Time-Attack), Cross-platform multiplayer, Original and new shapes

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Ark Nova

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ark-nova/id6449233549)

**Currently charting:** #30 Top Paid · Board, #94 Top Paid · Strategy (US App Store)

Design and manage a modern zoo to support global conservation efforts. Build enclosures, house animals, and utilize unique cards for special abilities. Compete to create the most successful zoological establishment.

**Highlights:** Plan and design a modern zoo, Build enclosures and accommodate animals, Support global conservation projects, Utilize 255 unique cards (animals, specialists, projects), Upgrade action cards for gameplay, Increase zoo appeal and scientific reputation

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great implementation overall
- 👍 Lots of fun
- 👍 Good animations
- 👍 Choice of modes
- 👍 Clean, modern and enjoyable design

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Tile placement/rotation issues on iPad
- 🐛 Building placement UI issues
- 👎 Difficult to read board state on mobile
- 👎 Lack of simultaneous view for key game info
- 👎 Cumbersome to create games with friends

**Reported bugs**

- iPad Flash exit issue
- Rewards screen being blocked by other UI elements

**Requested features**

- Option to enable larger UI buttons for modal panels
- Full screen mode
- Option to reverse zoom direction
- Improved card readability/zoom


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Ubongo free?

Ubongo costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Ark Nova free?

Ark Nova costs $10.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Ubongo or Ark Nova?

Ark Nova is rated higher. Ubongo averages 4.6 out of 5 from 126 ratings, while Ark Nova averages 4.9 from 1.3K ratings.

### Do Ubongo or Ark Nova have ads?

Neither Ubongo nor Ark Nova shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Ubongo or Ark Nova?

Ubongo ships an update every 7 months, and Ark Nova every 3 weeks. Most recently, Ubongo was updated on October 26, 2026 and Ark Nova on October 25, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*