# DESERTOPIA vs Animal Express

The clearest difference is rating: Animal Express at 4.9 against DESERTOPIA's 4.5. Animal Express also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. DESERTOPIA sells 15 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per month and Animal Express sells 23 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Animal Express holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 287 and 791 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 45% of DESERTOPIA's written reviews are positive against 42% of Animal Express's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

DESERTOPIA ships an update every 2 months, Animal Express every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | DESERTOPIA | Animal Express |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (287 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/desertopia/id1265572046/reviews) | **[4.9 (791 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/animal-express-train-game/id6473816393/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 287 | **791** |
| Positive reviews | **45.3% of reviews** | 42.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 218 MB | 208 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.1 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Gamtropy Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1265572045) | [Finifugu Games Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1506266486) |

## 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


### Animal Express

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/animal-express-train-game/id6473816393)

Manage a charming railway empire filled with animal passengers. Sell tickets, attract diverse animals, and expand your train network through scenic landscapes. Enjoy relaxing idle tycoon gameplay and engaging simulation elements.

**Highlights:** Idle tycoon gameplay, Animal passenger management, Railway empire expansion, Train and station upgrades, Scenic ride simulation, Passenger entertainment

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

**In-app purchases (23)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| A Few Gems | $0.99 | one-time |
| Sakura Area Pass | $0.99 | one-time |
| Piggy Bank Half Full | $1.99 | one-time |
| Farm Area Pass | $1.99 | one-time |
| A Handful of Gems | $1.99 | one-time |
| Starter Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| A Few Ad Tickets | $1.99 | one-time |
| Superior Pass | $1.99 | one-time |
| City Exploration Pass | $3.99 | one-time |
| Full Piggy Bank | $3.99 | one-time |
| A Lot of Gems | $3.99 | one-time |
| City Area Pass | $3.99 | one-time |
| Gems Subscription | $4.99 | one-time |
| Premium Starter Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| A Lot of Ad Tickets | $4.99 | one-time |
| Water Area Pass | $7.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime 2x Revenue | $7.99 | one-time |
| Ad Ticket Member | $9.99 | one-time |
| Ads Ticket Pack | $9.99 | one-time |
| Premium Pass | $9.99 | one-time |
| A Ton of Ad Tickets | $14.99 | one-time |
| A Mountain of Gems | $59.99 | one-time |
| Dream Team Pack | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🐱 Cute and adorable game
- 🎨 Beautiful graphics and design
- 🕹️ Fun and satisfying gameplay
- 💎 Refundable gem upgrades

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 Excessive and intrusive ads
- 🤑 Predatory monetization model
- 🔁 Repetitive and lacking variety
- 🤯 Confusing offline earnings

**Reported bugs**

- Ad system issues (ads playing on repeat)
- Unused restaurant car upgrades

**Requested features**

- Ability to revisit previous train routes
- More animal species and passenger variety
- Day/night cycle and weather effects
- Manager automation or idle features


## Frequently asked questions

### Is DESERTOPIA free?

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

### Is Animal Express free?

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

### Which has better reviews, DESERTOPIA or Animal Express?

Animal Express is rated higher. DESERTOPIA averages 4.5 out of 5 from 287 ratings, while Animal Express averages 4.9 from 791 ratings.

### Do DESERTOPIA or Animal Express have ads?

Both DESERTOPIA and Animal Express show ads.

### Which is updated more often, DESERTOPIA or Animal Express?

DESERTOPIA ships an update every 2 months, and Animal Express every 3 weeks. Most recently, DESERTOPIA was updated on October 26, 2026 and Animal Express on October 25, 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.*