# Stack Islands vs Ship Simulator

The clearest difference is rating: Ship Simulator at 4.7 against Stack Islands's 2.5. Ship Simulator also leads on ratings volume (12K vs 2) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). Stack Islands's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (80% vs 49%). 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 Ship Simulator sells 14 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Ship Simulator holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Ship Simulator has 12K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 80% of Stack Islands's written reviews are positive against 49% of Ship Simulator's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Stack Islands ships an update every 2 months, Ship Simulator every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Stack Islands | Ship Simulator |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stack-islands/id1407146596/reviews) | **[4.7 (12K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ship-simulator-boat-game/id6451137140/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **12K** |
| Positive reviews | **80.0% of reviews** | 48.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 145 MB | 513 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Dean Longmore](https://appshunter.io/developer/984963696) | [Azur Interactive Games Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1296347323) |

## 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 |


### Ship Simulator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ship-simulator-boat-game/id6451137140)

Pilot various ships to transport resources and build a nuclear power plant in a challenging environment. Upgrade your fleet, manage industries, and overcome obstacles like difficult routes and dynamic weather.

**Highlights:** Cargo delivery tasks, Ship fleet management, Industry upgrades, Ship modification, Dynamic weather system, Diverse routes and locations

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

**In-app purchases (14)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Small starter set | $0.99 | one-time |
| 5000 coins | $2.99 | one-time |
| No ADS | $2.99 | one-time |
| Supply containers | $3.99 | one-time |
| No ADS offer | $3.99 | one-time |
| Big starter set | $3.99 | one-time |
| Free barges forever | $4.99 | one-time |
| 10000 coins | $4.99 | one-time |
| Automatic loading forever | $4.99 | one-time |
| 20000 coins | $7.99 | one-time |
| 10000 experience | $8.99 | one-time |
| 40000 coins | $14.99 | one-time |
| 60000 coins | $19.99 | one-time |
| 90000 coins | $24.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fun and addictive gameplay
- 👍 Intuitive and easy to use controls
- 🎨 Great graphics and visuals
- 🎵 Enjoyable music and sound design

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Lack of content after completing main missions
- 💰 High cost of in-app purchases for ships and upgrades
- 🔋 Energy system that limits playtime
- 📺 Excessive and unskippable advertisements

**Reported bugs**

- Winch breaking issues and ship damage when boosting
- Cargo loading and delivery not registering properly
- Energy system not regenerating as expected
- Crashes and black screens on certain devices

**Requested features**

- More levels, missions, and locations to explore
- Ability to replay completed missions
- Free roam mode or sandbox environment
- Option to remove ads through a one-time purchase


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Stack Islands free?

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

### Is Ship Simulator free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Stack Islands or Ship Simulator?

Ship Simulator is rated higher. Stack Islands averages 2.5 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Ship Simulator averages 4.7 from 12K ratings.

### Do Stack Islands or Ship Simulator have ads?

Ship Simulator shows ads; Stack Islands does not.

### Which is updated more often, Stack Islands or Ship Simulator?

Stack Islands ships an update every 2 months, and Ship Simulator every 2 weeks. Most recently, Stack Islands was updated on October 5, 2026 and Ship Simulator on October 15, 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.*