# Super Mario Run vs Sam's Level Maker

The clearest difference is rating: Sam's Level Maker at 4.5 against Super Mario Run's 3.8. Sam's Level Maker also leads on review sentiment (71% vs 45%) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). Super Mario Run's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (79K vs 467). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Super Mario Run sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Sam's Level Maker sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Sam's Level Maker holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Super Mario Run has 79K ratings behind it against 467, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 45% of Super Mario Run's written reviews are positive against 71% of Sam's Level Maker's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Super Mario Run | Sam's Level Maker |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.8 (79K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/super-mario-run/id1145275343/reviews) | **[4.5 (467 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sams-level-maker/id1213829805/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **79K** | 467 |
| Positive reviews | 45.3% of reviews | **70.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#87** | — |
| Size | 607 MB | 77 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nintendo Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1062496488) | [Mustafa Rasheed](https://appshunter.io/developer/1102888323) |

## What reviewers say

### Super Mario Run

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/super-mario-run/id1145275343)

**Currently charting:** #87 Top Free · Action (US App Store)

A new kind of platformer where you control a character by tapping to make them run and jump. Master stylish moves to collect coins, rescue a princess, and build your own kingdom. Try out different modes before purchasing the full game.

**Highlights:** One-handed tap controls, Stylish jumps and moves, World Tour levels, Remix 10 challenges, Toad Rally competitions, Kingdom Builder customization

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| All 6 Worlds | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- ⭐ Great game
- 🎨 Awesome graphics
- 🕹️ Smooth gameplay
- 🕹️ Challenging levels
- 🕹️ Variety of game modes

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Paywall for full game
- 🔒 Requires internet connection
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🕹️ Lack of character/level variety
- 🕹️ Repetitive gameplay

**Reported bugs**

- Constant connection errors
- Levels not loading properly
- Saved progress not syncing across devices
- Toad rally issues (losing tickets, unfair matchmaking)

**Requested features**

- Offline mode
- More playable characters
- More level variety
- Ability to choose characters in Remix 10
- Better toad rally balancing


### Sam's Level Maker

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sams-level-maker/id1213829805)

Design and build your own custom game levels with a wide variety of tiles, objects, and enemies. Bring your creative ideas to life with an easy-to-use interface and share your creations with others. Offers endless possibilities for platforming gameplay.

**Highlights:** Easy-to-use drag-and-drop interface, Wide range of tiles and objects, Variety of enemies and power-ups, Share created levels with others, Super Sams World-style gameplay, Endless replay value

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Get one extra Life | $0.99 | one-time |
| Get 10 more level slots | $1.99 | one-time |
| Remove all Ads in the game | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Fun level creation
- 🚀 Simple and intuitive
- 💡 Reminds of Mario Maker
- 🎨 Good art style

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Glitches and bugs
- 💰 Too many ads
- 🔒 In-app purchases not working
- 🔍 Difficulty finding good levels

**Reported bugs**

- Levels being deleted on water placement
- Enemies not moving or interacting properly
- Crashing when placing certain objects

**Requested features**

- Add more enemies and tiles
- Implement boss fights
- Allow more customization options
- Improve level search functionality
- Fix music reset issue on death


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Super Mario Run free?

Super Mario Run is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Sam's Level Maker free?

Sam's Level Maker is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Super Mario Run or Sam's Level Maker?

Sam's Level Maker is rated higher. Super Mario Run averages 3.8 out of 5 from 79K ratings, while Sam's Level Maker averages 4.5 from 467 ratings.

### Do Super Mario Run or Sam's Level Maker have ads?

Sam's Level Maker shows ads; Super Mario Run does not.

### Which is updated more often, Super Mario Run or Sam's Level Maker?

Super Mario Run ships an update every 3 months, and Sam's Level Maker every 3 months. Most recently, Super Mario Run was updated on November 4, 2026 and Sam's Level Maker on November 2, 2026.

---

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