# Grindstone vs Zookeeper World

The clearest difference is monetization model: Zookeeper World at free against Grindstone's paid. On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Grindstone against 4.7 for Zookeeper World. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6.7K and 4.8K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 78% of Grindstone's written reviews are positive against 74% of Zookeeper World's.

Grindstone ships an update every 6 weeks, Zookeeper World every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on September 26, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Grindstone | Zookeeper World |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (6.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/grindstone/id1357426636/reviews) | [4.7 (4.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zookeeper-world/id1370858242/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **6.7K** | 4.8K |
| Positive reviews | **78.1% of reviews** | 74.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Size | 988 MB | 1.1 GB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Capybara Games Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/424912058) | [KITERETSU INC.](https://appshunter.io/developer/400412887) |

## What reviewers say

### Grindstone

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/grindstone/id1357426636)

Engage in a challenging puzzle-battle game where you slash your way up a treacherous mountain. Cleave through swarms of enemies, battle bosses, and discover blueprints for powerful gear. Over 200 levels of intense puzzle-battling await.

**Highlights:** Sword-slashing puzzle battles, Over 200 levels, Battle bosses, Loot resources, Discover gear blueprints, Cleave deadly foes

**Features:** With Apple Arcade, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Addictive gameplay
- 👍 Unique and charming art style
- 🎨 Excellent soundtrack and sound effects
- 💡 Satisfying chain combos
- 🕹️ Intuitive and challenging mechanics

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- ⏱️ Unskippable animations
- 🔄 Progress loss when switching apps
- 🤔 Difficulty spike in later levels

**Reported bugs**

- Freezing on black screen after intro
- Inability to complete certain levels due to glitches
- Disappearing save data after updates

**Requested features**

- More levels and content updates
- Ability to save progress mid-level
- Option to disable animations
- Landscape mode support on iPad
- In-game enemy encyclopedia


### Zookeeper World

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zookeeper-world/id1370858242)

Solve match-3 puzzles to build and customize your unique zoo. Collect coins to acquire animals and decorations, increasing your zoo's appeal. Upgrade animals into unique cosplay versions and defend your zoo from MECHA BOSS attacks to earn gems. Regular updates add new content and events.

**Highlights:** Match-3 puzzle gameplay, Zoo building and customization, Animal collection and upgrades, Cosplay animal transformations, MECHA BOSS challenges, Visitor requests and zoo ranking, Weekend multiplayer events

**Features:** With Apple Arcade, Game Controller support, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Relaxing and enjoyable gameplay
- 🚀 Unlimited retries without time limits
- 💎 No in-app purchases or ads
- 🎨 Cute and charming animal designs
- 🏆 Variety of challenges and events

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy path editor and camera controls
- ⏱️ Frustratingly long loading times
- 🔋 High battery drain
- 🤔 Difficulty spikes and luck-based puzzles
- 🤖 Intrusive and distracting hint system

**Reported bugs**

- Levels with impossible objectives
- Inconsistent star rewards and scoring
- Freezing and crashes on certain devices

**Requested features**

- Ability to customize zoo layout more freely
- Option to turn off notifications and hints
- Increased inventory and item limit for zoo
- Faster animal upgrade and costume unlocking
- More levels and content updates


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Grindstone free?

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

### Is Zookeeper World free?

Zookeeper World is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Grindstone or Zookeeper World?

Grindstone and Zookeeper World are both rated 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store, from 6.7K and 4.8K ratings respectively.

### Do Grindstone or Zookeeper World have ads?

Neither Grindstone nor Zookeeper World shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Grindstone or Zookeeper World?

Grindstone ships an update every 6 weeks, and Zookeeper World every 3 weeks. Most recently, Grindstone was updated on September 26, 2026 and Zookeeper World on September 26, 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.*