Comparison

Sembl vs Sand & Sky

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

Head to head
About

Sembl

Engage in a unique puzzle experience where you create designs through various artistic actions. Master over 190 levels at your own pace or test your speed in timed challenges. Enjoy minimalist graphics and serene music.

Highlights
  • Unique design puzzles
  • Paint, cut, punch, stencil, spin
  • 32 levels
  • Over 190 puzzles
  • Journey mode
  • Challenge mode
  • Minimalist graphics
  • Serene sound
Features
Read full description

"With pleasing music, a lovely design, a unique concept, and the right amount of challenge, Sembl is hard to put down." - AppAdvice Every design is a puzzle and every game is unique. Paint, cut, punch, stencil and spin your way to the perfect design. Master 32 levels and over 190 puzzles at your own pace in the Journey, or race the clock in Challenge mode. ◉ Deceptively simple gameplay ◉ Two ways to play – Journey or Challenge ◉ 32 levels and over 190 unique puzzles ◉ Minimalist graphics and beautiful, serene sound ◉ Stats and leaderboard

About

Sand & Sky

Experiment with physics and materials in a creative sandbox. Drop, mix, and ignite various elements to discover surprising interactions and build unique creations. Enjoy a zen-like experience with realistic simulations and a variety of tools.

Highlights
  • Realistic fluid simulation
  • Gravity manipulation
  • Wind tool
  • Adjustable brush and speed
  • Undo and clear functions
  • Material interaction guide
Features
Read full description

Sand & Sky is an endlessly satisfying particle physics sandbox — drop materials, watch them interact, and discover what happens when science meets creativity. Pour water and watch it fill every corner. Drop lava onto ice and forge obsidian. Ignite gunpowder and set off chain explosions. Build walls, draw mazes, and experiment unique materials that each behave according to their own rules. REACTIONS & COMBINATIONS Every material interacts with others in surprising ways. Water meets lava and creates stone. Lightning strikes sand and fuses it into glass. Acid dissolves almost everything. Discover all the reactions in the built-in Reactions guide. FEATURES · Realistic fluid simulation — liquids fill containers and accumulate naturally · Flip gravity in any direction — up, down, left, or right · Wind tool to push particles across the screen · Adjustable brush size and simulation speed · Undo button and sandbox clear · Unique sounds for every material Whether you're building elaborate contraptions, running experiments, or simply watching particles fall — Sand & Sky is the perfect zen sandbox to lose yourself in.

Screenshots

Sembl4 screens
Sand & Sky2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Sand & Sky at 5.0 against Sembl's 4.2. Sand & Sky also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and review sentiment (100% vs 74%). Sembl's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (21 vs 3). On price, update cadence and device support 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

Both are free to download. Sembl sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Sand & Sky asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Sand & Sky holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sembl has 21 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 74% of Sembl's written reviews are positive against 100% of Sand & Sky's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Sembl ships an update every 3 weeks, Sand & Sky every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Sembl versus Sand & Sky: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSemblSand & Sky
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.2 (21 ratings)5.0 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews73.9% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings21 — better3
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 5 weeks
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesAd-supported — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS9.0 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size52 MB55 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperArtgig StudioNicholas Bianchino

Customer experience

Sembl

All ratings21 ratings
Positive81.0%
Neutral9.5%
Negative9.5%
Written reviews23 reviews
Positive73.9%
Neutral13.0%
Negative13.0%

Sand & Sky

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Sembl

One-time1
  • Remove all ads$1.99
None

Sand & Sky

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Sembl free?
Sembl is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Sand & Sky free?
Sand & Sky is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Sembl or Sand & Sky?
Sand & Sky is rated higher. Sembl averages 4.2 out of 5 from 21 ratings, while Sand & Sky averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.
Do Sembl or Sand & Sky have ads?
Sand & Sky shows ads; Sembl does not.
Which is updated more often, Sembl or Sand & Sky?
Sembl ships an update every 3 weeks, and Sand & Sky every 5 weeks. Most recently, Sembl was updated on October 20, 2026 and Sand & Sky on October 24, 2026.

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