# Dolphin Evolution vs Merge Zoo

Dolphin Evolution and Merge Zoo both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 93% of Dolphin Evolution's written reviews are positive against 55% of Merge Zoo's. Dolphin Evolution also leads on ratings volume (807 vs 70). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Dolphin Evolution sells 16 one-off in-app purchases and Merge Zoo sells 13 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Merge Zoo holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Dolphin Evolution has 807 ratings behind it against 70, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 93% of Dolphin Evolution's written reviews are positive against 55% of Merge Zoo's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Dolphin Evolution ships an update every 6 weeks, Merge Zoo every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Dolphin Evolution | Merge Zoo |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (807 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dolphin-evolution/id1262502663/reviews) | **[4.9 (70 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/merge-zoo/id1438461597/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **807** | 70 |
| Positive reviews | **93.2% of reviews** | 55.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 4 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 126 MB | 456 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [TPG TECNOLOGIA DA INFORMACAO LTDA](https://appshunter.io/developer/444343830) | [Game Circus Studios, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1693901843) |

## What reviewers say

### Dolphin Evolution

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dolphin-evolution/id1262502663)

Combine different dolphin species to create new mutations and achieve ocean domination. Tap to earn coins, unlock new creatures, and discover a mind-blowing story with multiple endings. This idle clicker game offers a unique evolutionary journey with doodle-like illustrations.

**Highlights:** Combine similar dolphins to create new species, Unlock new creatures and earn coins, Discover different stages and dolphin species, Experience a story with fishy twists, Multiple possible endings, Idle clicker gameplay

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (16)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| pack of rubies | $1.99 | one-time |
| Hard Currency Pack 1 | $1.99 | one-time |
| pack with diamonds | $1.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads | $1.99 | one-time |
| Shop Bundle | $2.99 | one-time |
| Promo Bundles Very High | $2.99 | one-time |
| Hard Currency Pack 2 | $4.99 | one-time |
| big pack of rubies | $5.99 | one-time |
| Shop Bundle | $5.99 | one-time |
| Trinket | $6.99 | one-time |
| starter bundle discount | $9.99 | one-time |
| Hard Currency Pack 3 | $9.99 | one-time |
| premium bundle discount | $9.99 | one-time |
| Hard Currency Pack 4 | $19.99 | one-time |
| veteran bundle discount | $19.99 | one-time |
| starter bundle | $24.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Fun and entertaining game
- 💙 Cute and adorable dolphins
- 🤩 Addictive and engaging gameplay
- 🌈 Customizable dolphin colors
- 🎨 Enjoyable evolution process

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and glitches
- 💤 Slow progression at times
- 📺 Excessive advertisements
- 🤔 Some dolphins look strange

**Reported bugs**

- Purchased items disappearing after game restart
- Invisible colors on certain dolphin levels
- Game freezing after reaching new evolution stages

**Requested features**

- More levels and evolution stages
- Additional customization options
- Improved performance and stability
- Reduced advertisements or ad-free version


### Merge Zoo

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/merge-zoo/id1438461597)

Hatch and collect a variety of cute and rare animals by merging collectible eggs. Match candies to feed and level up your creatures, and grow your zoo even while offline. Discover new animals and become a zoo tycoon in this engaging idle game.

**Highlights:** Hatch cute and rare collectible eggs, Match and merge candies to feed animals, Collect exotic fantasy and hybrid animals, Idle gameplay for offline earnings, Discover dozens of adorable animals, Become a zoo tycoon

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

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pile of Gems | $0.99 | one-time |
| Tundra Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Pouch of Gems | $4.99 | one-time |
| Jungle Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Savannah Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Wheel Token Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Forest Pack | $9.99 | one-time |
| Bonus Cash Pack | $9.99 | one-time |
| Satchel of Gems | $9.99 | one-time |
| Starter Pack | $9.99 | one-time |
| Stash of Gems | $19.99 | one-time |
| Super Spin Pack | $19.99 | one-time |
| Festival Pack | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🤩 Cute and fun game
- 👍 Relaxing and enjoyable
- 🎉 Addictive gameplay
- 🥰 Adorable animals

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Game crashes or freezes
- 💰 Expensive upgrades and in-app purchases
- ⏱️ Long wait times for hatching eggs or leveling up
- 🤖 Mandatory ads

**Reported bugs**

- Unable to load the game after recent update
- Merging issues and inability to progress past certain levels
- Rewards not being properly credited

**Requested features**

- Add more animal types and habitats
- Allow more than 3 pets to be displayed at once
- Improve the merging and leveling up system
- Provide an option to disable ads


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Dolphin Evolution free?

Dolphin Evolution is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Merge Zoo free?

Merge Zoo is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Dolphin Evolution or Merge Zoo?

Merge Zoo is rated higher. Dolphin Evolution averages 4.7 out of 5 from 807 ratings, while Merge Zoo averages 4.9 from 70 ratings.

### Do Dolphin Evolution or Merge Zoo have ads?

Both Dolphin Evolution and Merge Zoo show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Dolphin Evolution or Merge Zoo?

Dolphin Evolution ships an update every 6 weeks, and Merge Zoo every 4 weeks. Most recently, Dolphin Evolution was updated on October 18, 2026 and Merge Zoo on October 10, 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.*