# DESERTOPIA vs Weird Aquarium

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Weird Aquarium at none against DESERTOPIA's 15. Weird Aquarium also leads on review sentiment (78% vs 45%) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). On price, ads, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. DESERTOPIA sells 15 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per month. Weird Aquarium asks for nothing beyond the download.

Weird Aquarium holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Weird Aquarium has 2.5K ratings behind it against 287, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 45% of DESERTOPIA's written reviews are positive against 78% of Weird Aquarium's.

DESERTOPIA ships an update every 2 months, Weird Aquarium fortnightly. Both last shipped on October 19, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | DESERTOPIA | Weird Aquarium |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (287 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/desertopia/id1265572046/reviews) | **[4.8 (2.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/weird-aquarium/id1434664247/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 287 | **2.5K** |
| Positive reviews | 45.3% of reviews | **78.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 218 MB | 115 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **10.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Gamtropy Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1265572045) | [Ryota Kikuchi](https://appshunter.io/developer/871799640) |

## What reviewers say

### DESERTOPIA

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/desertopia/id1265572046)

Transform a barren desert island into a thriving habitat at your own pace. Care for the island, restore wildlife, and make choices that influence its development. Enjoy a therapeutic idle simulator with beautiful art and evolving music.

**Highlights:** Storybook-style art, 100+ animals and 25+ terrain types, Weather and water evaporation mechanics, Multi-layered, evolving music, Interactive events influencing island development, Collect trash to clean the environment

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (15)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Ad-Free Pass (30 Days) | $19.99 | per month |
| Gem Pack I | $0.99 | one-time |
| Ad Ticket Pack 1 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Gem Pack II | $4.99 | one-time |
| NewbiePack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Coral reef | $4.99 | one-time |
| Ad Ticket Pack 2 | $4.99 | one-time |
| DNAPack001 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Gem Pack III | $9.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Ancient Island | $9.99 | one-time |
| Cat Pack 1 | $9.99 | one-time |
| (Limited) New Year Pass | $9.99 | one-time |
| (Limited) New Year Pack 3 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Gem Pack IV | $19.99 | one-time |
| (Limited) New Year Pack 4 | $29.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🌳 Beautiful art style and relaxing atmosphere
- 🌱 Environmentally-conscious themes
- 👍 No ads or in-app purchases required to progress

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🕰️ Slow progression and long wait times
- 🐛 Bugs and crashes preventing gameplay
- 🤔 Unclear game mechanics and lack of instructions

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to exit tutorial or instructions screen
- Disappearing wetlands and other lost progress
- Compatibility issues on certain devices

**Requested features**

- More in-depth tutorial and gameplay explanations
- Ability to reset or restart progress
- Faster ways to earn resources and unlock new areas


### Weird Aquarium

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/weird-aquarium/id1434664247)

Build and manage a unique 3D aquarium filled with bizarre creatures. Collect and raise unusual animals and monsters, and decorate your tank to attract even more visitors. Enjoy a relaxing and simple gameplay experience where you can earn energy from your creatures to purchase new items.

**Highlights:** Collect bizarre creatures, Raise unusual animals and monsters, 3D creature models with actions, Decorate your aquarium, Attract new creatures, Earn energy from creatures

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Addictive and fun
- 🤩 Unique and creative concept
- 😊 Relaxing and entertaining
- 💕 Charming and adorable creatures

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and bugs
- ⏱️ Slow progression and limited content
- 🙄 Repetitive and lacking in variety
- 💰 Ads and in-app purchases

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes on launch or during gameplay
- Tutorial issues and inability to progress
- Ads not working or causing crashes
- Syncing and save data problems

**Requested features**

- More creature and decoration options
- Ability to interact with creatures and objects
- Multiplayer or social features
- Improved performance and stability


## Frequently asked questions

### Is DESERTOPIA free?

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

### Is Weird Aquarium free?

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

### Which has better reviews, DESERTOPIA or Weird Aquarium?

Weird Aquarium is rated higher. DESERTOPIA averages 4.5 out of 5 from 287 ratings, while Weird Aquarium averages 4.8 from 2.5K ratings.

### Do DESERTOPIA or Weird Aquarium have ads?

Both DESERTOPIA and Weird Aquarium show ads.

### Which is updated more often, DESERTOPIA or Weird Aquarium?

DESERTOPIA ships an update every 2 months, and Weird Aquarium fortnightly. Most recently, DESERTOPIA was updated on October 19, 2026 and Weird Aquarium on October 19, 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.*