# DESERTOPIA vs Sheep Simulator AR

The clearest difference is ads: Sheep Simulator AR at none against DESERTOPIA's shown. Sheep Simulator AR also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months) and review sentiment (59% vs 45%). On price, rating, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. DESERTOPIA sells 15 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per month and Sheep Simulator AR sells 8 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for DESERTOPIA against 4.6 for Sheep Simulator AR. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 287 and 1.3K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 45% of DESERTOPIA's written reviews are positive against 59% of Sheep Simulator AR's.

DESERTOPIA ships an update every 2 months, Sheep Simulator AR fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | DESERTOPIA | Sheep Simulator AR |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (287 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/desertopia/id1265572046/reviews) | **[4.6 (1.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sheep-simulator-ar/id1462768328/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 287 | **1.3K** |
| Positive reviews | 45.3% of reviews | **59.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 218 MB | 309 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Gamtropy Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1265572045) | [Supafine Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/290712111) |

## 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


### Sheep Simulator AR

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sheep-simulator-ar/id1462768328)

Care for a virtual sheep in augmented reality or 3D. Feed, play with, and dress up your pet, and send it on adventures to find gifts and friends. Enjoy a realistic and cute simulation experience.

**Highlights:** Augmented Reality (AR) mode, 3D mode, Virtual pet care (feeding, rest, amusement), Sheep customization (outfits, costumes), Interactive playsets (ferris wheel, swimming pool), Balloon journeys for gifts and friends

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

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 200 Coins | $2.99 | one-time |
| 50 Hearts | $2.99 | one-time |
| 600 Coins | $9.99 | one-time |
| 150 Hearts | $9.99 | one-time |
| 1300 Coins | $19.99 | one-time |
| 360 Hearts | $19.99 | one-time |
| 1000 Hearts | $49.99 | one-time |
| 7000 Coins | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💕 Cute sheep
- 🐑 Fun to take care of sheep
- 👍 No ads
- 🎨 Great graphics
- 🕰️ Relaxing game

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Glitches and bugs
- 🤖 Unresponsive controls
- 💰 Expensive in-app purchases
- 🕰️ Slow progress and leveling up
- 🐑 Sheep multiplying/disappearing

**Reported bugs**

- Sheep duplicating
- Sheep disappearing after trips
- Inability to sell wool for coins
- Ads not working properly
- Progress resetting after updates

**Requested features**

- Add more ways to earn coins
- Allow decorating the sheep's pen
- Improve camera controls
- Add more gameplay features
- Fix issues with sheep disappearing


## Frequently asked questions

### Is DESERTOPIA free?

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

### Is Sheep Simulator AR free?

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

### Which has better reviews, DESERTOPIA or Sheep Simulator AR?

Sheep Simulator AR is rated higher. DESERTOPIA averages 4.5 out of 5 from 287 ratings, while Sheep Simulator AR averages 4.6 from 1.3K ratings.

### Do DESERTOPIA or Sheep Simulator AR have ads?

DESERTOPIA shows ads; Sheep Simulator AR does not.

### Which is updated more often, DESERTOPIA or Sheep Simulator AR?

DESERTOPIA ships an update every 2 months, and Sheep Simulator AR fortnightly. Most recently, DESERTOPIA was updated on October 19, 2026 and Sheep Simulator AR on October 20, 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.*