# Extra Lives vs Sandbox City

The clearest difference is rating: Sandbox City at 4.6 against Extra Lives's 4.1. Sandbox City also leads on ratings volume (9.2K vs 1.6K) and device support (4 vs 2). Extra Lives's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 8 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, review sentiment, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Extra Lives sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Sandbox City sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Sandbox City holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sandbox City has 9.2K ratings behind it against 1.6K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 72% of Extra Lives's written reviews are positive against 71% of Sandbox City's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Extra Lives ships an update every 8 days, Sandbox City every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 9, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Extra Lives | Sandbox City |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.1 (1.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/extra-lives/id1298487584/reviews) | **[4.6 (9.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sandbox-city/id1512598054/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1.6K | **9.2K** |
| Positive reviews | **71.8% of reviews** | 70.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 8 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 87 MB | 208 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | +17 | 12+ |
| Developer | [MDickie Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/498978165) | [Yilmaz Kiymaz](https://appshunter.io/developer/408019215) |

## What reviewers say

### Extra Lives

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/extra-lives/id1298487584)

Survive a zombie-infested world by developing relationships with characters and exploring diverse locations. Engage in satisfying combat and customize your experience with various gameplay options. Upgrade for enhanced features and enjoy a unique survival simulation.

**Highlights:** Zombie survival gameplay, Relationship development with 200 characters, Explore 50+ locations, Interactive objects, Above-average combat system, Character customization, Adjustable zombie population

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Infinite Lives | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great game
- 👍 Fun to play
- 💡 Unique concept
- 👍 Lots of customization
- 👍 Realistic gore and dismemberment

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Clunky controls
- 🐛 Aggressive and unreasonable NPCs
- 🐛 Unfair combat mechanics
- 🐛 Slow character recovery time
- 🐛 Repetitive dialogue and quests

**Reported bugs**

- Game crashing after ads
- Disappearing character limbs
- Inability to restore purchases
- Automatic movement/actions
- Inconsistent NPC reactions

**Requested features**

- 3D version of the game
- More weapon and character variety
- Improved AI and NPC behavior
- Ability to skip dialogue
- Online/multiplayer mode


### Sandbox City

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sandbox-city/id1512598054)

Explore an open-world city filled with pedestrians, zombies, and traffic. Engage in combat with various weapons, drive numerous AI vehicles, and earn money to upgrade your gear. Customize graphics and settings to your preference to prevent a zombie apocalypse.

**Highlights:** Open-world city exploration, Combat with various weapons, Drive multiple AI vehicles, Earn in-game currency, Customize game settings, Zombie survival

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Man (Hoodie) Character Skin | $0.99 | one-time |
| Man (Jacket) Character Skin | $0.99 | one-time |
| Man (Police) Character Skin | $0.99 | one-time |
| Sedan | $0.99 | one-time |
| Police Car | $0.99 | one-time |
| SUV | $0.99 | one-time |
| Van | $0.99 | one-time |
| Small Money Pile | $0.99 | one-time |
| Large Money Pile | $3.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Fun gameplay
- 🚀 Realistic physics
- 💡 Unique concept

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes
- 💰 Excessive in-app purchases
- 🔍 Lack of content variety

**Reported bugs**

- Glitches when using guns
- Pedestrians getting stuck in objects
- Inconsistent vehicle physics

**Requested features**

- More weapons and combat options
- Ability to enter buildings
- Larger map and more locations
- Multiplayer mode
- Customizable player characters


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Extra Lives free?

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

### Is Sandbox City free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Extra Lives or Sandbox City?

Sandbox City is rated higher. Extra Lives averages 4.1 out of 5 from 1.6K ratings, while Sandbox City averages 4.6 from 9.2K ratings.

### Do Extra Lives or Sandbox City have ads?

Sandbox City shows ads; Extra Lives does not.

### Which is updated more often, Extra Lives or Sandbox City?

Extra Lives ships an update every 8 days, and Sandbox City every 3 weeks. Most recently, Extra Lives was updated on November 9, 2026 and Sandbox City on November 10, 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.*