# AR vs Playground AR

The clearest difference is rating: Playground AR at 3.9 against AR's 3.2. Playground AR also leads on review sentiment (66% vs 44%). AR's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 13.0). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Playground AR sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. AR asks for nothing beyond the download.

Playground AR holds the better App Store score, 3.9 against 3.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 17 and 16 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 44% of AR's written reviews are positive against 66% of Playground AR's.

AR ships an update fortnightly, Playground AR every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | AR | Playground AR |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.2 (17 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ar-game/id1217369024/reviews) | **[3.9 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/playground-ar-physics-sandbox/id1305282341/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **17** | 16 |
| Positive reviews | 44.4% of reviews | **65.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 654 MB | 133 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Fino Soft Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/487494069) | [Marc Sureda](https://appshunter.io/developer/657241759) |

## What reviewers say

### AR

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ar-game/id1217369024)

Experience immersive virtual reality gaming by using your phone's camera to interact with real-world environments. This collection offers a unique augmented reality adventure.

**Highlights:** Augmented reality gameplay, Uses phone camera, Simulates real scenes, Virtual reality experience, Game collection

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Playground AR

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/playground-ar-physics-sandbox/id1305282341)

Transform your space into an augmented reality physics sandbox. Build intricate structures, design functional machines, and unleash epic destruction with realistic physics. Play with friends in real-time and capture your creations.

**Highlights:** Augmented reality physics sandbox, Infinite construction with diverse blocks, Design functional machines with joints and wheels, Realistic physics simulations, Control RC vehicles, Multiplayer and social sharing, In-game screenshot tool

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Blocks | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Amazing AR experience
- 🎮 Fun sandbox gameplay
- 🔥 Great physics engine
- 💫 Impressive AR detection
- 👍 Intuitive controls

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional glitches and bugs
- 🔍 Difficulty in surface detection
- 🤖 Limited NPC/character options
- 🔒 Locked content behind ads
- 🔀 Multiplayer functionality not working

**Reported bugs**

- Devices unable to detect surfaces properly
- Saved creations not persisting across sessions
- Controls for vehicles/devices not intuitive
- Occasional freezing and crashing of the app
- Incompatibility issues with certain device models

**Requested features**

- Add human/character models to interact with
- Implement liquids and more environmental elements
- Introduce terraforming and customizable terrain
- Provide more building/creation tools and options
- Enable seamless multiplayer and sharing of creations


## Frequently asked questions

### Is AR free?

AR is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Playground AR free?

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

### Which has better reviews, AR or Playground AR?

Playground AR is rated higher. AR averages 3.2 out of 5 from 17 ratings, while Playground AR averages 3.9 from 16 ratings.

### Do AR or Playground AR have ads?

Neither AR nor Playground AR shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, AR or Playground AR?

AR ships an update fortnightly, and Playground AR every 3 weeks. Most recently, AR was updated on October 24, 2026 and Playground AR on October 21, 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.*