Playground AR vs Sandbox 3D
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Playground AR
Transform your space into an augmented reality physics sandbox. Build intricate structures, design functional machines, and unleash epic destruction with realistic physics. Play with friends in real-time and capture your creations.
- Augmented reality physics sandbox
- Infinite construction with diverse blocks
- Design functional machines with joints and wheels
- Realistic physics simulations
- Control RC vehicles
- Multiplayer and social sharing
- In-game screenshot tool
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Playground AR: The Ultimate Physics Sandbox in Augmented Reality Turn your room into a digital laboratory! Playground AR is the next generation of physics sandboxes, giving you an infinite supply of blocks, toys, and gadgets to create and destroy in your real-world environment using Augmented Reality. Build, Imagine, and Experiment With intuitive AR controls, placing and moving objects feels natural: Infinite Construction: Use a massive variety of blocks and materials to build anything from tall skyscrapers to complex domino runs. Advanced Engineering: Design your own functional machines using joints, wheels, and thrusters. Realistic Physics: Pick up objects and throw them, freeze them in mid-air, or connect them to see realistic physical reactions. RC Vehicles and Action It’s not just about building—it’s about the thrill of play: RC Toys: Take command of RC helicopters, drones, and cars with responsive controls. Epic Destruction: Test the strength of your castles. Use bombs and explosives to watch your structures collapse with satisfying, realistic physics. Interactive Challenges: Try to land your helicopter on a moving platform or build the most complex chain reaction. Multiplayer and Social Sharing Play with Friends: Join others to see who can build the highest tower or the longest domino course in real-time. Capture the Moment: View your creations from any angle. Use the in-game screenshot tool to take high-quality photos and share them instantly. Have you ever dreamed of having a room full of infinite toys? The only limit is your imagination. Download Playground AR now and start creating!
Sandbox 3D
Explore an open-world physics sandbox with friends. Manipulate objects, experiment with physics, and build creations in diverse locations. Enjoy multiplayer freedom with customizable server rules for object creation and deletion.
- Multiplayer gameplay
- Open-world exploration
- Physics experimentation
- Building system
- Multiple locations
- Inventory with numerous items
- Vehicles (land and air)
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Sandbox 3D is an open-world physical sandbox where you can manipulate various objects and experiment with physics with your friends. Features: - Multiplayer - Free world - 5+ locations - 10+ characters - 10+ vehicles (land and air) - 150+ items in inventory - Building system ● In public mode, everyone can create and delete not only their objects, but also others. In this case, the creator of the server can block access to create or delete objects on the server. ● In private mode, everyone can create objects, but only their owners can delete them. When you exit the server, all objects created by the player are deleted. The server owner cannot block access to creating and deleting objects, nor can he delete them himself.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ratings volume: Sandbox 3D at 853 against Playground AR's 16. Sandbox 3D also leads on update cadence (every 6 days vs every 3 weeks). Playground AR's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads 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
Both are free to download. Playground AR sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Sandbox 3D sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Sandbox 3D holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sandbox 3D has 853 ratings behind it against 16, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 66% of Playground AR's written reviews are positive against 71% of Sandbox 3D's.
Playground AR ships an update every 3 weeks, Sandbox 3D every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Playground AR | Sandbox 3D |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.9 (16 ratings) | 4.1 (853 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 65.8% of reviews | 70.5% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 16 | 853 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 6 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 133 MB | 305 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Marc Sureda | Wladyslaw Jewloszewicz |
Customer experience
Playground AR
Sandbox 3D
User reviews
Playground AR
From 16 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Amazing AR experience
- 🎮 Fun sandbox gameplay
- 🔥 Great physics engine
- 💫 Impressive AR detection
- 👍 Intuitive controls
Room to improve
- 🐛 Occasional glitches and bugs
- 🔍 Difficulty in surface detection
- 🤖 Limited NPC/character options
- 🔒 Locked content behind ads
- 🔀 Multiplayer functionality not working
Sandbox 3D
From 853 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Fun and creative sandbox game
- 🚀 Great for building and customizing
- 💡 Potential for more content and features
Room to improve
- 🐛 Glitches and bugs, including getting stuck in vehicles
- 🔒 Lack of moderation and security, allowing hackers to take over servers
- 🤬 Inappropriate content and toxic players
- 🔋 Performance issues and crashes
Bugs and requests
Playground AR
Reported bugs
5 issues- Devices unable to detect surfaces properly
- Saved creations not persisting across sessions
- Controls for vehicles/devices not intuitive
- Occasional freezing and crashing of the app
- Incompatibility issues with certain device models
Requested features
5 requests- Add human/character models to interact with
- Implement liquids and more environmental elements
- Introduce terraforming and customizable terrain
- Provide more building/creation tools and options
- Enable seamless multiplayer and sharing of creations
Sandbox 3D
Reported bugs
4 issues- Getting stuck in vehicles
- Servers being taken over by hackers
- Crashes and performance issues
- Inability to exit the game from within a server
Requested features
7 requests- More guns, weapons, and vehicles
- Ability to sit in chairs and interact with furniture
- Larger build limits and more building materials
- Improved server management and anti-cheat features
- Ability to create and join friend groups/clans
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- More maps, environments, and NPCs
- Better monetization model and ways to earn in-game currency
In-app purchases
Playground AR
- Premium Blocks$3.99
Sandbox 3D
- Initial Pack - 3 gems$2.99
- Medium Pack - 7 gems$5.99
- Large Pack - 18 gems$11.99
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- Ultra Pack - 40 gems$23.99
- Hyper Pack - 100 gems$47.99
Questions
Is Playground AR free?
Is Sandbox 3D free?
Which has better reviews, Playground AR or Sandbox 3D?
Do Playground AR or Sandbox 3D have ads?
Which is updated more often, Playground AR or Sandbox 3D?
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