# High School Simulator 2018 vs Violin Real

The clearest difference is rating: Violin Real at 4.3 against High School Simulator 2018's 3.8. Violin Real also leads on chart position (#124 vs unranked) and review sentiment (67% vs 59%). High School Simulator 2018's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 8 months) and ratings volume (24K vs 735). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Violin Real holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: High School Simulator 2018 has 24K ratings behind it against 735, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 59% of High School Simulator 2018's written reviews are positive against 67% of Violin Real's.

High School Simulator 2018 ships an update every 2 weeks, Violin Real every 8 months. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | High School Simulator 2018 | Violin Real |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.8 (24K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/high-school-simulator-2018/id1244484684/reviews) | **[4.3 (735 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/violin-real/id1458880612/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **24K** | 735 |
| Positive reviews | 58.8% of reviews | **67.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 8 months |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#124** |
| Size | 262 MB | 69 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [tomoya sugikami](https://appshunter.io/developer/887311331) | [Son Truong Ngoc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1447240720) |

## What reviewers say

### High School Simulator 2018

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/high-school-simulator-2018/id1244484684)

Experience virtual Japanese high school life with extensive character customization options. This simulation game offers an enhanced school and student experience.

**Highlights:** Japanese high school simulation, Character customization, Enhanced school environment, Enhanced student quality, 2018 version improvements

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 😊 Fun game
- 🤩 Customizable character
- 👍 No cost to play
- 🤗 Entertaining to play with friends

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤖 Robotic NPC behavior
- 🤔 Limited interactions with students
- 🙄 Lack of activities and progression
- 😒 Repetitive gameplay

**Reported bugs**

- Disappearance of weapons in recent updates
- Inconsistent behavior of police and teachers
- Graphical glitches and performance issues

**Requested features**

- Add more weapons and ways to kill
- Implement rival characters and storyline
- Expand the town and add more interactive locations
- Improve character animations and behaviors
- Introduce dating/romance mechanics


### Violin Real

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/violin-real/id1458880612)

**Currently charting:** #124 Top Free · Music (US App Store)

This app simulates a violin, allowing users to play by drawing a bow (Arco) or plucking strings (Pizzicato). It offers multiple playing modes, practice songs with adjustable speed, and features for creating music sheets and recording performances.

**Highlights:** Arco (bowing) simulation, Pizzicato (plucking) simulation, Multiple playing modes (Simple, Professional, No Bow), Practice songs with speed control, Music sheet creation and export, Recording and playback functionality

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🎵 No ads or interruptions during use
- 📚 Educational value for beginners
- 🎨 Beautifully designed interface
- 🎯 Multiple difficulty modes available
- 🎹 Sheet music feature included

**What reviewers complain about**

- 😤 Significantly harder to play than real violin
- 🎻 Unrealistic violin mechanics and controls
- 🐛 Sound cuts out unexpectedly
- ❌ Limited note range (doesn't go up to A7)
- 🔧 Inaccurate tuning on certain strings (D string)

**Reported bugs**

- Sound cuts out when trying to sustain notes
- App switches to wrong string or tone unexpectedly
- Unwanted note repetition or no sound at times
- D string is out of tune
- G#3 note is an octave lower than expected (G#2)

**Requested features**

- Expand note range to include higher octaves (up to A7)
- Add more violin positions for extended range
- Improve bow control mechanics
- Fix string positioning to match real violin layout
- Add more songs with complete note sets


## Frequently asked questions

### Is High School Simulator 2018 free?

High School Simulator 2018 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Violin Real free?

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

### Which has better reviews, High School Simulator 2018 or Violin Real?

Violin Real is rated higher. High School Simulator 2018 averages 3.8 out of 5 from 24K ratings, while Violin Real averages 4.3 from 735 ratings.

### Do High School Simulator 2018 or Violin Real have ads?

Both High School Simulator 2018 and Violin Real show ads.

### Which is updated more often, High School Simulator 2018 or Violin Real?

High School Simulator 2018 ships an update every 2 weeks, and Violin Real every 8 months. Most recently, High School Simulator 2018 was updated on November 7, 2026 and Violin Real on November 6, 2026.

---

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