Light Up the Cave vs Smithsonian
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Light Up the Cave
Explore different light sources within a simulated dark cave environment. This educational tool is designed to align with grade 1 physical science curriculum, focusing on how we can illuminate our surroundings.
- Cave light source simulation
- Grade 1 physical science alignment
- Interactive learning tool
- Exploration of illumination methods
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This simulation allows users to test various light sources in a dark cave. This resource is aligned with the Smithsonian Science for the Classroom grade 1 physical science module, "How Can We Light Our Way in the Dark?"
Smithsonian
Explore a prehistoric world by digging for fossils and uncovering facts about dinosaurs. Earn coins to unlock new tools and learn about over 15 dinosaur species through interactive scenes and quizzes. Develop literacy and critical thinking skills with engaging educational content.
- Dig for fossils with virtual tools
- Learn facts about 15+ dinosaur species
- Unlock dinosaur cards with information
- Interactive prehistoric world exploration
- Earn coins for better digging tools
- Prehistoric quiz to test knowledge
- Phonetic spelling for vocabulary building
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Welcome to Digging for Dinosaurs – a gorgeous interactive app brought to you by The ©Smithsonian and PlayDate Digital! This is a must-have app for dino explorers of any age, where you can dig up fossils and open up a prehistoric world filled with facts, pterosaurs, giant sea reptiles and every kind of prehistoric dinosaur! EXPLORE every layer of a vibrant and prehistoric world with virtual fossil hunter tools! LEARN fun and surprising facts about Dinosaurs! DISCOVER the reptiles that flew, swam and stalked the Earth! Explore the different time periods when Dinosaurs dominated the land, air, and sea, through guided play, puzzles and digging up fossils and facts. The more you dig, the more you will discover! Earning coins let’s you select new more powerful tools to dig up our prehistoric past. Each new dig is an opportunity for budding paleontologists to crack rocks, brush away dirt, assemble fossils and uncover new dinosaurs and new dinosaur facts! Each dinosaur discovery is rewarded with interactive scenes packed with learning moments and interesting information. Collect all the creature cards and then come back for more! Think you know your dinosaurs facts? Test your knowledge with a Prehistoric Quiz, earn more dino coins, and keep digging with even better fossil hunting tools! We’ll see you at the dig site! Features: • Learn about more than 15 dinosaur species including Tyrannosaurus rex, Triceratops, and the Velociraptor! • Unlock dinosaur cards, packed with interesting info about each prehistoric creature you dig up! • Explore a prehistoric and interactive world that fills with more dinosaurs as you discover them! • Dig up fossils, test your dino knowledge, and collect creature cards! • Earn dino coins to unlock better digging tools—without spending any additional ‘real’ money! • Phonetic spelling helps you sound out and learn exciting new words • Engaging educational content and beautiful illustrations based on the original Dinosaurs book! • Learn about all the different Dinosaur ages! There is something for kids at every level in Digging For Dinosaurs - from cracking rocks and digging up fossils to brushing up on the latest Dino knowledge! Learning goals: • Dinosaur knowledge: Learn the names of dinosaurs, what they ate and how they lived. • Literacy Skills: practiced through reading and creative play about dinosaurs! • Vocabulary: Learn new words with phonetic spelling and pronunciation. • Critical thinking: learn what life was like for all the different types of dinosaurs in all their different environments and ages! ABOUT THE SMITHSONIAN The ©Smithsonian is the world’s largest museum and research complex, dedicated to public education, national service, and scholarship in the arts, ©Smithsonian sciences, and history. The name of the ©Smithsonian Institution and the sunburst logo are registered trademarks of the ©Smithsonian Institution. For more information, please visit www.si.edu ABOUT PLAYDATE DIGITAL PlayDate Digital Inc. is a publisher of high-quality, interactive, mobile educational software for children. PlayDate Digital's products nurture children's emerging literacy and creativity skills by turning digital screens into engaging experiences. PlayDate Digital content is built in partnership with some of the world's most trusted global brands for kids. Visit us: playdatedigital.com Like us: facebook.com/playdatedigital Follow us: @playdatedigital Watch all our app trailers: youtube.com/PlayDateDigital1 HAVE QUESTIONS? We'd love to hear from you! Your questions suggestions and comments are always welcome. Contact us 24/7 at info@playdatedigital.com
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Light Up the Cave at Free against Smithsonian's $3.99. Smithsonian's advantage is update cadence (every 6 months vs every 35 months) and ratings volume (6 vs 1). On rating, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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
Light Up the Cave is free to download; Smithsonian costs $3.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Light Up the Cave against 5.0 for Smithsonian. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Smithsonian has 6 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.
Light Up the Cave ships an update every 35 months, Smithsonian every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Light Up the Cave | Smithsonian |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $3.99 |
| Rating | 5.0 (1 ratings) | 5.0 (6 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 6 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 35 months | Every 6 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free — better | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 — better | 13.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 42 MB | 440 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Smithsonian Institution | PlayDate Digital Inc. |
Customer experience
Light Up the Cave
Smithsonian
In-app purchases
Light Up the Cave
No in-app purchases
Smithsonian
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Light Up the Cave free?
Is Smithsonian free?
Which has better reviews, Light Up the Cave or Smithsonian?
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Which is updated more often, Light Up the Cave or Smithsonian?
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