Comparison

Merge Explorer vs Halo AR

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Merge Explorer

Explore over 100 interactive science simulations using a smartphone and a Merge Cube. Investigate volcanoes, sharks, the solar system, and more with hands-on activities and quizzes. Ideal for K-8 students learning science at school or home.

Highlights
  • Over 100 science simulations
  • Interactive Merge Cube experiences
  • Hands-on learning activities
  • Built-in quizzes
  • NGSS-aligned K-8 curriculum
  • Physical, Life, and Earth/Space Science topics
Features
Read full description

PLEASE NOTE: This app requires a Merge Cube and a smartphone or a tablet to experience. Find out how to get a Merge Cube and learn more at: https://www.MergeCube.com. Students can learn science effectively with over 100 science simulations they can touch, hold and interact with! Merge Explorer (along with a Merge Cube) allows students to investigate a smoking volcano in the palm of their hand, examine a great white shark up close, hold and explore the solar system, dissect a frog (humanely!), and so much more. With easy-to-follow activities and built-in quizzes, students gain key knowledge while immersed in learning, both in the classroom or while remote learning at home. Merge Explorer includes NGSS-aligned topics for K-8th grade, like Physical Science, Life Science, and Earth & Space Science. If you have any questions or suggestions, we want to hear from you! Contact us at any time at support@mergeedu.com. Privacy Policy: https://MergeEdu.com/privacy-policy Terms of Use: https://MergeEdu.com/terms-of-use

About

Halo AR

Easily create and share interactive 3D augmented reality experiences without coding. Bring your ideas to life by scanning objects, uploading content, and attaching AR to real-world locations or images. Ideal for educators, artists, and businesses.

Highlights
  • Instant AR creation
  • No coding required
  • 3D object and image recognition
  • Attach AR to real-world objects/locations
  • Easy sharing and collaboration
  • Immersive AR lessons
Read full description

Create & Share Augmented Reality in Seconds! Halo AR makes it easy to bring the world to life with interactive 3D experiences. Whether you're an educator, artist, content creator, or business professional, our powerful yet intuitive tools let you design, scan, and share augmented reality with just a few taps. Why Choose Halo AR? * Instant AR Creation – No coding required! Simply scan, upload, and bring your ideas to life. * 3D Object & Image Recognition – Attach AR content to real-world objects, images, or locations. * Education & Learning – Engage students with immersive AR lessons, museum exhibits, and interactive books. * Creative & Business Applications – Enhance storytelling, marketing, and design with dynamic AR experiences. * Easy Sharing & Collaboration – Publish and share your AR projects with anyone, anywhere. Join thousands of creators using Halo AR to make learning, storytelling, and exploration more engaging than ever! Download now and start creating.

Screenshots

Merge Explorer4 screens
Halo AR4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Halo AR at 4.6 against Merge Explorer's 4.1. Halo AR also leads on review sentiment (70% vs 46%). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Merge Explorer sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and Halo AR sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Halo AR holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 279 and 369 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 46% of Merge Explorer's written reviews are positive against 70% of Halo AR's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Merge Explorer ships an update monthly, Halo AR fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Merge Explorer versus Halo AR: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMerge ExplorerHalo AR
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.1 (279 ratings)4.6 (369 ratings) — better
Positive reviews46.2% of reviews70.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings279369 — better
Update frequencyMonthlyFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.014.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size1.3 GB272 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMerge AppsLightUp

Customer experience

Merge Explorer

All ratings279 ratings
Positive76.3%
Neutral7.2%
Negative16.5%
Written reviews65 reviews
Positive46.2%
Neutral10.8%
Negative43.1%

Halo AR

All ratings364 ratings
Positive90.4%
Neutral4.4%
Negative5.2%
Written reviews30 reviews
Positive70.0%
Neutral3.3%
Negative26.7%

User reviews

Merge Explorer

From 279 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Easy for young students
  • 💡 Flexible for lesson needs
  • 🔬 Used for research and experiments
  • 💡 Introduces new content exploratorily
  • 🤩 Engaging and versatile for learning

Room to improve

  • 💰 Expensive purchase
  • 💰 Forced subscription for software
  • 💰 Cannot view software before paying
  • 💰 Money trap
  • 💰 Only for rich people

Halo AR

From 369 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Easy to create AR experiences
  • 👍 Simple for others to view
  • 💡 Great for educational purposes
  • 👍 Free version has good features
  • 💡 Innovative mixed reality features coming

Room to improve

  • 🐛 App won't open after update
  • 🐛 App won't open
  • 🐛 Download takes 6 hours
  • 🐛 Useless download
  • 🐛 Cannot rescan anything

Bugs and requests

Merge Explorer

Reported bugs

13 issues
  • App crashes on iPad
  • App crashes when pressing play
  • Camera not working in app
  • Black screen when using cube or camera
  • VR function broken
Show 8 more
  • VR doesn't work with iPhone XS Max
  • App crashes or loads forever
  • Problems with galactic explore
  • App has trouble recognizing the cube
  • Screen recording only records cube, not overlay
  • Words appear sideways in horizontal mode
  • Content appears incorrectly
  • App crashes

Requested features

9 requests
  • Make the app free to play
  • Add more fun things, not just learning
  • Bring back the fun apps (time bomb, block courses)
  • Allow users to create their own games for the merge cube
  • Add a way to reset quizzes for class sets of devices
Show 4 more
  • Improve functionality for remote teaching, including screen recording
  • Add more content in the future
  • Add dark mode option
  • Add advanced analytics dashboard

Halo AR

Reported bugs

10 issues
  • App won't open
  • App won't open after update
  • Cannot rescan anything
  • Overheats phone
  • Requires following users to see results
Show 5 more
  • Results only work in some cases
  • Crashes on Apple iPhone 7
  • Crashes on launch
  • Doesn't work appropriately
  • Blocked at school, no developer response

Requested features

5 requests
  • Evolving the app further
  • Clearer instructions for educational use
  • Ability to download own images from Google
  • Ability to create own images
  • Integrating Sketchfab models more easily

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Merge Explorer

Subscriptions4
  • Merge EDU Individual14 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Explorer Premium Monthly14 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Merge EDU Individual14 Days trial$99.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Explorer Premium Annual14 Days trial$99.991 Year
2 purchases

Halo AR

Subscriptions2
  • Creator Pro Monthly7 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Creator Pro (Annual)7 Days trial$99.991 Year

Questions

Is Merge Explorer free?
Merge Explorer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Halo AR free?
Halo AR is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Merge Explorer or Halo AR?
Halo AR is rated higher. Merge Explorer averages 4.1 out of 5 from 279 ratings, while Halo AR averages 4.6 from 369 ratings.
Do Merge Explorer or Halo AR have ads?
Neither Merge Explorer nor Halo AR shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Merge Explorer or Halo AR?
Merge Explorer ships an update monthly, and Halo AR fortnightly. Most recently, Merge Explorer was updated on November 2, 2026 and Halo AR on November 7, 2026.

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