Comparison

AR Runner vs The Birdcage 2

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

AR Runner

This augmented reality sports game challenges you to run through virtual checkpoints, set records, and compete globally. Play indoors or outdoors with various game modes and customizable field sizes. It offers an active and inventive way to engage with AR.

Highlights
  • Augmented reality checkpoint running
  • Global leaderboards
  • Four distinct game modes
  • Customizable field sizes and shapes
  • 60 handcrafted challenges
  • Photo mode for score sharing
Read full description

Run through checkpoints and set new records! Compete against other players worldwide! Play indoors or outside! AR Runner is a one-of-a-kind competitive augmented reality game. "Gets you moving, no matter where you are" - The Washington Post "It’s short, fast, active fun, and an inventive use of ARKit" - Macworld "Beat a world record without ever leaving your hometown" - CNET "A blast with friends" - Wareable –– 4 GAME MODES • Normal: Activate the spots in a certain order • 30 Sec Rush: Activate the most number of spots in 30 seconds • Enemies: Activate the most number of spots while avoiding enemies • Wall Punch: Activate the most number of circles by moving your device through them –– 4 FIELD SIZES, 6 FIELD SHAPES • Choose between different field sizes and shapes to match your environment and skills –– CHALLENGES • Put your skills to the test by completing 60 handcrafted challenges –– OTHER FEATURES • 36 LEADERBOARDS: See how you rank against other players • PHOTO MODE: Take a photo of your score using the in-game camera • Sync your progress using iCloud • Minimalist design • Universal app for iPhone and iPad • Immersive digital environments • No ads

About

The Birdcage 2

Embark on a magical journey as a young sorceress to free imprisoned creatures. Solve challenging puzzles using intuitive touch controls and creative reasoning. Uncover a mysterious story filled with secrets and revelations in a beautifully designed world.

Highlights
  • Face-tracking AR puzzles
  • Challenging mechanical puzzles
  • Mysterious sorceress story
  • Intuitive touch controls
  • Original soundtrack
  • Hidden story elements
Features
Read full description

Welcome to The Birdcage 2! The story revolves around young sorceress who has just graduated from the school of magic. She heard tales of the powerful wizard Alzar, so she embarked on a journey to find him, hoping he will teach her advanced magic. She faced many obstacles, dangers, and revelations that ultimately forced her to make difficult choices. Enter the magical land of Avem and learn what happens to our brave young sorceress. Intuitive touch controls, mechanical puzzles, and creative reasoning will enable you to free the innocent magical creatures imprisoned by dark magic. FACE-TRACKING AR Exclusive levels for iPhone X and new generation iPhones where you solve puzzles using your face. OUT OF THIS WORLD PUZZLES The puzzles will challenge your mind and push your reasoning skills to the next level. EASY TO START Once you start, you will not be able to quit until all birds and dragons are free. INTUITIVE TOUCH CONTROLS Slide through the screen and experience the real magic happening right before your eyes. MYSTERIOUS STORY Disclose the adventure of the young sorceress and magical creatures locked inside beautifully designed cages. ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK Immerse yourself to the atmosphere of the story with the wonderful original soundtrack and chilling sound design. SPECIAL FEATURES Cast spells with the wand, find missing scroll parts, collect hidden diamonds and more! DISCOVER HIDDEN STORY Explore every object you see in the game to details. Many secrets are hidden as it is in its nature. Your observational skills might lead you to some big twists and revelations in the story.

Screenshots

AR Runner4 screens
The Birdcage 24 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: The Birdcage 2 at 4.8 against AR Runner's 4.3. The Birdcage 2 also leads on ratings volume (12K vs 210). AR Runner's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 5 days vs every 12 months). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. AR Runner sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and The Birdcage 2 sells 7 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

The Birdcage 2 holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: The Birdcage 2 has 12K ratings behind it against 210, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 83% of AR Runner's written reviews are positive against 63% of The Birdcage 2's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

AR Runner ships an update every 5 days, The Birdcage 2 every 12 months. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
AR Runner versus The Birdcage 2: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAR RunnerThe Birdcage 2
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.3 (210 ratings)4.8 (12K ratings) — better
Positive reviews82.8% of reviews — better63.4% of reviews
Number of ratings21012K — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 days — betterEvery 12 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS11.011.0
Further details — not scored
Size66 MB239 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSemidome Inc.MOBIPLAY OU

Customer experience

AR Runner

All ratings210 ratings
Positive84.3%
Neutral3.8%
Negative11.9%
Written reviews93 reviews
Positive82.8%
Neutral5.4%
Negative11.8%

The Birdcage 2

All ratings12,077 ratings
Positive94.8%
Neutral3.4%
Negative1.9%
Written reviews454 reviews
Positive63.4%
Neutral15.6%
Negative20.9%

User reviews

AR Runner

From 210 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🎮 Innovative AR fitness game concept
  • 💪 Effective workout and exercise motivation
  • 😄 Fun and entertaining gameplay
  • 🆓 No ads in free version
  • ⭐ Great replay value and leaderboards

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Ground detection failures
  • 🐛 Targets drift and float out of view
  • 🐛 App crashes occasionally
  • 🐛 Camera permission issues
  • 📉 Broken on newer phones despite past functionality

The Birdcage 2

From 12K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Challenging and fun puzzles
  • 🎨 Beautiful graphics and visuals
  • 🧠 Engaging storyline and lore
  • 🕹️ Smooth and responsive controls
  • 🤖 Interesting magical/fantasy elements

Room to improve

  • 💰 Expensive for the amount of content
  • 🔋 Drains battery quickly
  • 🔁 Repetitive puzzle mechanics
  • 🤔 Unclear or confusing game mechanics
  • 🤷‍♂️ Lack of difficulty progression

Bugs and requests

AR Runner

Reported bugs

9 issues
  • Ground detection fails to initialize
  • Targets drift higher and become unreachable
  • App crashes on iPhone 13 Pro and newer devices
  • Camera permission not requested properly
  • Camera access issues on some devices
Show 4 more
  • Spelling errors in UI ("Appuyez pour commancer")
  • Inconsistent performance on larger play fields
  • Blocks and targets occasionally invisible
  • Compatibility issues with iOS 11 on some devices

Requested features

12 requests
  • VR/VR headset compatibility (Google Cardboard support)
  • Cross-device multiplayer (connect multiple phones)
  • Custom track creation
  • Additional game modes and levels
  • Video sharing for scores (not just screenshots)
Show 7 more
  • Apple Watch integration
  • Adjustable UI elements (disable timer option)
  • Tag/chase game mode
  • Virtual obstacles and challenges
  • Changeable enemy block colors
  • Football field-sized play areas
  • Racing mode for multiple players

The Birdcage 2

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Restore purchases not working
  • Face recognition issues with certain puzzles
  • Inconsistent performance on older devices

Requested features

5 requests
  • More free levels and content
  • Ability to reset/restart the game
  • Improved battery optimization
  • Increased puzzle complexity and challenge
  • Additional story and lore expansion

In-app purchases

1 purchases

AR Runner

One-time1
  • Premium$1.99
7 purchases

The Birdcage 2

One-time7
  • Remove Ads$1.99
  • Icegon Pack$1.99
  • Dragon Pack$1.99
Show 4 more
  • Phoenix Pack$1.99
  • All Gems$1.99
  • Griffin Pack$1.99
  • Creatures Pack$5.99

Questions

Is AR Runner free?
AR Runner is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is The Birdcage 2 free?
The Birdcage 2 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, AR Runner or The Birdcage 2?
The Birdcage 2 is rated higher. AR Runner averages 4.3 out of 5 from 210 ratings, while The Birdcage 2 averages 4.8 from 12K ratings.
Do AR Runner or The Birdcage 2 have ads?
The Birdcage 2 shows ads; AR Runner does not.
Which is updated more often, AR Runner or The Birdcage 2?
AR Runner ships an update every 5 days, and The Birdcage 2 every 12 months. Most recently, AR Runner was updated on October 13, 2026 and The Birdcage 2 on October 17, 2026.

Other comparisons