# Playground AR vs Sandbox

The clearest difference is rating: Sandbox at 4.4 against Playground AR's 3.0. Sandbox also leads on ratings volume (8.4K vs 2). Playground AR's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (66% vs 48%). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Playground AR sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Sandbox sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Sandbox holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sandbox has 8.4K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 66% of Playground AR's written reviews are positive against 48% of Sandbox's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Playground AR ships an update every 3 weeks, Sandbox monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Playground AR | Sandbox |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/playground-ar-physics-sandbox/id1305282341/reviews) | **[4.4 (8.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sandbox-physics-simulator/id1563185441/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **8.4K** |
| Positive reviews | **65.8% of reviews** | 47.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 133 MB | 208 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Marc Sureda](https://appshunter.io/developer/657241759) | [Tran Dinh Hung](https://appshunter.io/developer/1475879763) |

## What reviewers say

### Playground AR

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/playground-ar-physics-sandbox/id1305282341)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Blocks | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Amazing AR experience
- 🎮 Fun sandbox gameplay
- 🔥 Great physics engine
- 💫 Impressive AR detection
- 👍 Intuitive controls

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional glitches and bugs
- 🔍 Difficulty in surface detection
- 🤖 Limited NPC/character options
- 🔒 Locked content behind ads
- 🔀 Multiplayer functionality not working

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

- 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

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sandbox-physics-simulator/id1563185441)

Explore a creative sandbox world where you can mix elements to discover their reactions and create dynamic environments. Experiment with physics, build structures, and witness exciting events like explosions and growth. New modes allow for planet destruction and life cycle simulation.

**Highlights:** Element mixing and reaction discovery, World building with plants and weather, Physics experiments (fire, explosions), Planet destruction mode, Life cycle simulation mode

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Unique and creative concept
- 🔬 Interesting physics and chemistry experiments
- 🕹️ Fun and addictive gameplay

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤯 Excessive and intrusive ads
- 🤖 Lack of customization and control options
- 🔍 Difficulty finding certain elements

**Reported bugs**

- Certain elements not functioning as expected
- Saved files becoming corrupted
- Inconsistent performance and stability issues

**Requested features**

- Add more elements and materials to experiment with
- Implement a pause/speed up time feature
- Introduce a sandbox mode without any ads
- Allow users to save and load custom creations


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Playground AR free?

Playground AR is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Sandbox free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Playground AR or Sandbox?

Sandbox is rated higher. Playground AR averages 3.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Sandbox averages 4.4 from 8.4K ratings.

### Do Playground AR or Sandbox have ads?

Sandbox shows ads; Playground AR does not.

### Which is updated more often, Playground AR or Sandbox?

Playground AR ships an update every 3 weeks, and Sandbox monthly. Most recently, Playground AR was updated on September 20, 2026 and Sandbox on September 24, 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.*