# Pixel Cave 2018 vs Sandbox

The clearest difference is rating: Pixel Cave 2018 at 5.0 against Sandbox's 4.4. Pixel Cave 2018 also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). Sandbox's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 27 months) and ratings volume (8.7K vs 6). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Sandbox sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Pixel Cave 2018 asks for nothing beyond the download.

Pixel Cave 2018 holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sandbox has 8.7K ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 75% of Pixel Cave 2018's written reviews are positive against 47% of Sandbox's.

Pixel Cave 2018 ships an update every 27 months, Sandbox monthly. The most recent releases landed on August 12, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pixel Cave 2018 | Sandbox |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixel-cave-2018/id1327692439/reviews)** | [4.4 (8.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sandbox-physics-simulator/id1563185441/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 6 | **8.7K** |
| Positive reviews | **75.0% of reviews** | 47.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 27 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 5 MB | 204 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Alexander Zolotov](https://appshunter.io/developer/324462547) | [Tran Dinh Hung](https://appshunter.io/developer/1475879763) |

## What reviewers say

### Pixel Cave 2018

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixel-cave-2018/id1327692439)

Experience a retro-style flight simulator through a pixelated cave. Enjoy real-time synthesized music and simple one-touch controls for an immersive retro gaming experience.

**Highlights:** Retro pixel graphics and effects, Real-time synthesized music, One-touch control, Flight simulation gameplay

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### 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 Pixel Cave 2018 free?

Pixel Cave 2018 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Sandbox free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Pixel Cave 2018 or Sandbox?

Pixel Cave 2018 is rated higher. Pixel Cave 2018 averages 5.0 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while Sandbox averages 4.4 from 8.7K ratings.

### Do Pixel Cave 2018 or Sandbox have ads?

Sandbox shows ads; Pixel Cave 2018 does not.

### Which is updated more often, Pixel Cave 2018 or Sandbox?

Pixel Cave 2018 ships an update every 27 months, and Sandbox monthly. Most recently, Pixel Cave 2018 was updated on August 12, 2026 and Sandbox on September 28, 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.*