# Stack Islands vs Forest Island

The clearest difference is rating: Forest Island at 4.8 against Stack Islands's 2.5. Forest Island also leads on update cadence (every 10 days vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (26K vs 2). Stack Islands's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Stack Islands sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Forest Island sells 43 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Forest Island holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Forest Island has 26K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Stack Islands ships an update every 2 months, Forest Island every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Stack Islands | Forest Island |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stack-islands/id1407146596/reviews) | **[4.8 (26K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/forest-island/id1581726035/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **26K** |
| Positive reviews | 80.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#171** |
| Size | 145 MB | 605 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Dean Longmore](https://appshunter.io/developer/984963696) | [Nanali Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/577348210) |

## What reviewers say

### Stack Islands

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stack-islands/id1407146596)

Build towering structures by stacking blocks to create unique islands. Enjoy a relaxing experience with charming visuals and challenge yourself with fun activities. Discover a hidden mystery while competing for the top global score.

**Highlights:** Stack blocks to create islands, Relaxing and charming design, Compete for global high scores, Engage in fun activities, Discover a hidden mystery, No personal data tracking

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Complete Game Unlock | $0.99 | one-time |


### Forest Island

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/forest-island/id1581726035)

**Currently charting:** #171 Top Free · Simulation (US App Store)

This idle simulation game allows players to restore a natural island by collecting diverse animals and birds. Players can clear pollution, grow habitats, and enjoy relaxing BGM and ASMR sounds. It's designed for stress relief and a peaceful gaming experience.

**Highlights:** Collect over 100 types of animals and birds, Restore island by clearing pollution, Grow diverse natural habitats, Relaxing BGM and ASMR sounds, Idle gameplay with continuous growth, Welcome gift for new users

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (43)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Arcade Coin Package 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Recovery of Snowflake Landmark | $0.99 | one-time |
| Season Coin(S) | $0.99 | one-time |
| Spring Pass Coin Package (S) | $0.99 | one-time |
| Frog in your Pocket! New Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Autumn Pass Coin Package (S) | $0.99 | one-time |
| 50 Ad skip coupons | $2.99 | one-time |
| Welcome Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Rare Animal Package | $2.99 | one-time |
| Baby Duck in your Pocket! | $3.99 | one-time |
| Swan Package - Coupon Edition | $3.99 | one-time |
| Aurora Weather Package | $3.99 | one-time |
| Fluffy Snow Weather Package | $3.99 | one-time |
| Crescent Weather Package | $3.99 | one-time |
| Rudolph Package | $4.99 | one-time |
| Baby Penguin Package | $4.99 | one-time |
| Axolotl in your Pocket! | $4.99 | one-time |
| Blue Snake Package | $4.99 | one-time |
| Baby Wolf Package | $4.99 | one-time |
| Baby Black Rabbit Package | $4.99 | one-time |
| Baby Deer Package | $4.99 | one-time |
| Baby Fox Package | $4.99 | one-time |
| Baby Turtle Package | $4.99 | one-time |
| Baby Orca package | $5.99 | one-time |
| Glasses Bear Package | $5.99 | one-time |
| Event Pass | $6.99 | one-time |
| Humpback Whale Package | $7.99 | one-time |
| Snowflake Limited Animals | $7.99 | one-time |
| Guinea Pig Package | $7.99 | one-time |
| Limited Animal Pack | $7.99 | one-time |
| Season Limited Animal Pack 3A | $7.99 | one-time |
| Capybara Package | $9.99 | one-time |
| Halloween Pass | $9.99 | one-time |
| Spring Pass | $9.99 | one-time |
| Foggy Isle Pass | $9.99 | one-time |
| Ad Removal Package 3 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Forest Island: Snowflake Pass | $9.99 | one-time |
| Autumn Pass | $9.99 | one-time |
| Larga Seal Package | $9.99 | one-time |
| Coconut Pass | $9.99 | one-time |
| Season Pass | $12.99 | one-time |
| Blackfooted Albatross Package | $12.99 | one-time |
| Red Paper Boat Upgrade | $12.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🌳 Relaxing and calming atmosphere
- 🐾 Cute and adorable animals
- 🎶 Soothing background music
- 🕰️ Peaceful gameplay without pressure
- 🎁 Generous rewards and progression

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive in-app purchases
- 📢 Excessive pop-ups and notifications
- 🐛 Frequent bugs and glitches
- 🔁 Repetitive tasks and limited gameplay
- 🕰️ Slow progress without watching ads

**Reported bugs**

- Game freezing or getting stuck on loading screens
- Disappearing progress and lost in-app purchases
- Inability to complete certain quests or tasks
- Inconsistent or malfunctioning game mechanics

**Requested features**

- Ability to name or interact with animals
- More diverse and unique animal habitats
- Reduced reliance on ads for progression
- Improved camera functionality for photos
- Offline mode or reduced battery consumption


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Stack Islands free?

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

### Is Forest Island free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Stack Islands or Forest Island?

Forest Island is rated higher. Stack Islands averages 2.5 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Forest Island averages 4.8 from 26K ratings.

### Do Stack Islands or Forest Island have ads?

Forest Island shows ads; Stack Islands does not.

### Which is updated more often, Stack Islands or Forest Island?

Stack Islands ships an update every 2 months, and Forest Island every 10 days. Most recently, Stack Islands was updated on October 5, 2026 and Forest Island on October 16, 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.*