# The Birdcage vs AR Runner

The clearest difference is ads: AR Runner at none against The Birdcage's shown. AR Runner also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 4 months) and review sentiment (83% vs 68%). The Birdcage's advantage is rating (4.7 vs 4.3) and ratings volume (46K vs 210). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. The Birdcage sells 6 one-off in-app purchases and AR Runner sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

The Birdcage holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: The Birdcage has 46K ratings behind it against 210, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 68% of The Birdcage's written reviews are positive against 83% of AR Runner's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

The Birdcage ships an update every 4 months, AR Runner every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Birdcage | AR Runner |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (46K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-birdcage/id1187858976/reviews)** | [4.3 (210 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ar-runner/id1275938861/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **46K** | 210 |
| Positive reviews | 67.9% of reviews | **82.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 207 MB | 66 MB |
| Requires iOS | 11.0 | 11.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [MOBIPLAY OU](https://appshunter.io/developer/563180181) | [Semidome Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/779855685) |

## What reviewers say

### The Birdcage

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-birdcage/id1187858976)

Unravel a mysterious story by releasing ocean-colored birds locked in golden cages. This puzzle game features intuitive touch controls, mechanical puzzles, and an AR mode for an immersive experience. Solve riddles and escape rooms to restore the wind to the kingdom.

**Highlights:** Intuitive touch controls, Mechanical puzzles, AR Mode, Room escape skills, Mysterious story, Atmospheric audio

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $1.99 | one-time |
| Winter Cardinal Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Eagle Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| All Gems | $1.99 | one-time |
| Dove Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| All Levels Pack (+ no Ads) | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🌟 Beautiful graphics
- 🧠 Engaging puzzles
- 🎮 Smooth gameplay
- 🕰️ Relaxing experience
- 👍 Good value for money

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Paid content required after free levels
- 🕹️ Puzzles too easy
- ⏱️ Game too short
- 🔍 Lack of difficulty progression

**Reported bugs**

- Occasional crashes
- Issues with ad-based hints

**Requested features**

- More free levels
- Increased puzzle difficulty
- Expanded storyline and content
- Ability to reset progress


### AR Runner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ar-runner/id1275938861)

This augmented reality sports game challenges you to run through virtual checkpoints, set records, and compete globally. Play indoors or outdoors with various game modes and customizable field sizes. It offers an active and inventive way to engage with AR.

**Highlights:** Augmented reality checkpoint running, Global leaderboards, Four distinct game modes, Customizable field sizes and shapes, 60 handcrafted challenges, Photo mode for score sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎮 Innovative AR fitness game concept
- 💪 Effective workout and exercise motivation
- 😄 Fun and entertaining gameplay
- 🆓 No ads in free version
- ⭐ Great replay value and leaderboards

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Ground detection failures
- 🐛 Targets drift and float out of view
- 🐛 App crashes occasionally
- 🐛 Camera permission issues
- 📉 Broken on newer phones despite past functionality

**Reported bugs**

- Ground detection fails to initialize
- Targets drift higher and become unreachable
- App crashes on iPhone 13 Pro and newer devices
- Camera permission not requested properly
- Camera access issues on some devices

**Requested features**

- VR/VR headset compatibility (Google Cardboard support)
- Cross-device multiplayer (connect multiple phones)
- Custom track creation
- Additional game modes and levels
- Video sharing for scores (not just screenshots)


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Birdcage free?

The Birdcage is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is AR Runner free?

AR Runner is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, The Birdcage or AR Runner?

The Birdcage is rated higher. The Birdcage averages 4.7 out of 5 from 46K ratings, while AR Runner averages 4.3 from 210 ratings.

### Do The Birdcage or AR Runner have ads?

The Birdcage shows ads; AR Runner does not.

### Which is updated more often, The Birdcage or AR Runner?

The Birdcage ships an update every 4 months, and AR Runner every 5 days. Most recently, The Birdcage was updated on October 21, 2026 and AR Runner on October 13, 2026.

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