# Sphero Play vs Red Thunder Remote

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Sphero Play at none against Red Thunder Remote's 1. Sphero Play also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.4) and ratings volume (37K vs 10). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Red Thunder Remote sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Sphero Play asks for nothing beyond the download.

Sphero Play holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sphero Play has 37K ratings behind it against 10, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 69% of Sphero Play's written reviews are positive against 75% of Red Thunder Remote's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Sphero Play ships an update every 2 months, Red Thunder Remote every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on November 12, 2026 and November 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sphero Play | Red Thunder Remote |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (37K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sphero-play/id1280682522/reviews)** | [4.4 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/red-thunder-remote/id6762099380/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **37K** | 10 |
| Positive reviews | 69.2% of reviews | **75.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 193 MB | 84 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Sphero, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/468699622) | [Caleb Jones](https://appshunter.io/developer/395136687) |

## 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


### Red Thunder Remote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/red-thunder-remote/id6762099380)

This app provides a Bluetooth controller for a specific RC car toy, offering intuitive driving and interactive 'smart reactions'. It allows users to control lights, monitor battery, and customize animations with a Pro upgrade.

**Highlights:** Intuitive touch controls, Smart car reactions to events, Light and battery control, MFi and Bluetooth controller support, Customizable animations, Animation database export/import

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Red Thunder Pro | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sphero Play free?

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

### Is Red Thunder Remote free?

Red Thunder Remote is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Sphero Play or Red Thunder Remote?

Sphero Play is rated higher. Sphero Play averages 4.8 out of 5 from 37K ratings, while Red Thunder Remote averages 4.4 from 10 ratings.

### Do Sphero Play or Red Thunder Remote have ads?

Neither Sphero Play nor Red Thunder Remote shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Sphero Play or Red Thunder Remote?

Sphero Play ships an update every 2 months, and Red Thunder Remote every 3 months. Most recently, Sphero Play was updated on November 12, 2026 and Red Thunder Remote on November 9, 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.*