# xArm vs Sphero Play

The clearest difference is rating: Sphero Play at 4.8 against xArm's 3.0. Sphero Play also leads on ratings volume (37K vs 3) and review sentiment (69% vs 50%). xArm's advantage is iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

Sphero Play holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sphero Play has 37K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of xArm's written reviews are positive against 69% of Sphero Play's.

xArm ships an update every 5 months, Sphero Play every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | xArm | Sphero Play |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xarm/id1257390363/reviews) | **[4.8 (37K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sphero-play/id1280682522/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 3 | **37K** |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | **69.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 4 MB | 193 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Shenzhen Hiwonder Technology Co.,Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1090806812) | [Sphero, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/468699622) |

## What reviewers say

### xArm

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xarm/id1257390363)

Control and program a robotic arm using your mobile device via Bluetooth. Save, download, and play custom actions to bring your robotic creations to life. This app offers an engaging way to interact with and explore the capabilities of the robotic arm.

**Highlights:** Bluetooth connectivity, Robotic arm control, Custom programming, Action group management, Action download and playback

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Sphero Play

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sphero-play/id1280682522)

Control and play with various Sphero robots using a single application. Explore multiple drive modes, engage in robot-controlled games, and learn basic programming through a block-based interface.

**Highlights:** Multiple drive modes (joystick, tilt, voice), Robot-controlled games, Block Drive programming, Sports-themed drive modes, Voice control

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fun and engaging app
- 👍 Great controls and customization
- 🎮 Enjoyable games and activities
- 💡 Compatibility with multiple Sphero products

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional connectivity issues
- 🔧 Limited features compared to older apps
- 🔋 Concerns about battery life and durability

**Reported bugs**

- Joystick controls not working as expected
- Alignment issues causing unexpected movement

**Requested features**

- More games and activities
- Support for additional Sphero products (e.g. Ollie, BB-8)
- Improved aiming and control precision
- Camera integration to see the Sphero's view


## Frequently asked questions

### Is xArm free?

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

### Is Sphero Play free?

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

### Which has better reviews, xArm or Sphero Play?

Sphero Play is rated higher. xArm averages 3.0 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while Sphero Play averages 4.8 from 37K ratings.

### Do xArm or Sphero Play have ads?

Neither xArm nor Sphero Play shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, xArm or Sphero Play?

xArm ships an update every 5 months, and Sphero Play every 2 months. Most recently, xArm was updated on October 24, 2026 and Sphero Play on November 3, 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.*