# Sphero Play vs Max

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Sphero Play at 69% against Max's 25%. Sphero Play also leads on rating (4.8 vs 2.5) and ratings volume (37K vs 302). Max's advantage is iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Sphero Play holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sphero Play has 37K ratings behind it against 302, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 69% of Sphero Play's written reviews are positive against 25% of Max's.

Sphero Play ships an update every 2 months, Max every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sphero Play | Max |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (37K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sphero-play/id1280682522/reviews)** | [2.5 (302 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/max-see/id1387691074/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **37K** | 302 |
| Positive reviews | **69.2% of reviews** | 25.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 193 MB | 11 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **9.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Sphero, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/468699622) | [Shenzhen Joyhonest Technology Co., Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1472724044) |

## What reviewers say

### Sphero Play

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sphero-play/id1280682522)

Control and play with various Sphero robots using a single application. Explore multiple drive modes, engage in robot-controlled games, and learn basic programming through a block-based interface.

**Highlights:** Multiple drive modes (joystick, tilt, voice), Robot-controlled games, Block Drive programming, Sports-themed drive modes, Voice control

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fun and engaging app
- 👍 Great controls and customization
- 🎮 Enjoyable games and activities
- 💡 Compatibility with multiple Sphero products

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional connectivity issues
- 🔧 Limited features compared to older apps
- 🔋 Concerns about battery life and durability

**Reported bugs**

- Joystick controls not working as expected
- Alignment issues causing unexpected movement

**Requested features**

- More games and activities
- Support for additional Sphero products (e.g. Ollie, BB-8)
- Improved aiming and control precision
- Camera integration to see the Sphero's view


### Max

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/max-see/id1387691074)

Control hardware to capture photos and record videos wirelessly. Adjust resolution settings to optimize storage for your media.

**Highlights:** Wireless photo and video capture, Hardware control, Wi-Fi protocol integration, Resolution switching, Media storage optimization

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Works well
- 💡 Great for seeing things up close

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Connectivity issues
- 🐛 App crashes or freezes
- 🐛 Compatibility problems with newer devices
- 🔒 Security concerns with unsecured WiFi

**Reported bugs**

- App not recognizing connected microscope
- Constant prompts to connect to WiFi even when connected
- Distorted or stretched image quality

**Requested features**

- Add image/video saving and editing capabilities
- Improve instructions and onboarding
- Add support for Bluetooth connectivity


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sphero Play free?

Sphero Play is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Max free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Sphero Play or Max?

Sphero Play is rated higher. Sphero Play averages 4.8 out of 5 from 37K ratings, while Max averages 2.5 from 302 ratings.

### Do Sphero Play or Max have ads?

Neither Sphero Play nor Max shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Sphero Play or Max?

Sphero Play ships an update every 2 months, and Max every 5 weeks. Most recently, Sphero Play was updated on November 7, 2026 and Max on November 2, 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.*