# Backdrops vs Wallaroo

The clearest difference is monetization model: Backdrops at free with in-app purchases against Wallaroo's subscription. Backdrops also leads on ratings volume (1.6K vs 213). Wallaroo's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Backdrops sells 13 one-off in-app purchases and Wallaroo sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Backdrops against 4.8 for Wallaroo. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Backdrops has 1.6K ratings behind it against 213, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 60% of Backdrops's written reviews are positive against 58% of Wallaroo's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Backdrops | Wallaroo |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (1.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backdrops-wallpapers/id1500143735/reviews) | **[4.8 (213 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wallaroo/id1630565980/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.6K** | 213 |
| Positive reviews | **59.7% of reviews** | 57.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Size | 62 MB | 53 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 16.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Christopher Morales](https://appshunter.io/developer/1500143734) | [The Iconfactory](https://appshunter.io/developer/281795483) |

## What reviewers say

### Backdrops

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backdrops-wallpapers/id1500143735)

Discover and download unique, original wallpapers designed in-house or contributed by the community. Explore daily new designs, save your favorites, and sync them across devices. Unlock premium collections and an ad-free experience with a Pro upgrade.

**Highlights:** Original hand-crafted wallpapers, Community submissions, Daily featured wallpapers, Variety of styles and themes, Premium and Pro collections, Ad-free experience (Pro), Favorites and sync across devices

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

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Acid Pop Collection | $1.99 | one-time |
| 10 Coins - Starter Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Animal Riot Collection | $2.99 | one-time |
| Optic Odysseys Collection | $2.99 | one-time |
| Synth Wavez Collection | $2.99 | one-time |
| Lost in the Void Collection | $2.99 | one-time |
| Shades of Saturn Collection | $2.99 | one-time |
| Dunes Day Collection | $2.99 | one-time |
| 25 Coins - Deluxe Pack | $3.99 | one-time |
| Backdrops Pro | $4.99 | one-time |
| Backdrops Pro + Big Tip | $6.99 | one-time |
| Backdrops Pro + Huge Tip | $8.99 | one-time |
| 100 Coins - Ultimate Pack | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 High quality wallpapers
- 🚀 Simple and intuitive interface
- 💰 Free with optional paid pro version
- 🎨 Variety of wallpaper styles and themes

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Forced to watch ads to download wallpapers
- 🔒 Pro version has limited additional content
- 🐛 Occasional app crashes and loading issues
- 🔋 High battery consumption

**Reported bugs**

- Sign in with Apple not working
- Paid pro version not recognized
- Unable to return to main menu after viewing wallpaper

**Requested features**

- Full-screen wallpaper preview
- Landscape support for iPad
- More frequent updates to pro wallpapers
- Dark mode icon


### Wallaroo

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wallaroo/id1630565980)

Discover and set exciting new wallpapers weekly for your iOS device. Easily customize your lock and home screens with exclusive content, from pop culture to nature. Interactive widgets let you display your favorites directly on your home screen.

**Highlights:** New wallpapers weekly, Easy lock/home screen setup, Interactive home screen widgets, Exclusive content, No ads or data collection, Diverse categories

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Wallaroo Monthly Subscription | $1.99 | per month |
| Wallaroo Yearly Subscription | $19.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Gorgeous, high-quality wallpapers
- ✨ Creative and unique art
- 👍 Easy to use interface
- 📱 Optimized for various screen sizes
- 🖼️ Home/Lock Screen variants available

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 High subscription cost/expensive
- 🔒 Paywall for most wallpapers
- ❓ Unclear pricing/hidden costs
- 👎 Limited free content
- 💧 Watermark on free wallpapers

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when sharing
- Wallpaper not changing after install
- Shortcut installation loop
- Share button crashes app
- App crashes on Mac Studio when sharing

**Requested features**

- More frequent wallpaper additions
- Higher resolution downloads (5k)
- More free wallpapers available
- No watermarks on free wallpapers


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Backdrops free?

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

### Is Wallaroo free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Backdrops or Wallaroo?

Wallaroo is rated higher. Backdrops averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.6K ratings, while Wallaroo averages 4.8 from 213 ratings.

### Do Backdrops or Wallaroo have ads?

Backdrops shows ads; Wallaroo does not.

### Which is updated more often, Backdrops or Wallaroo?

Backdrops ships an update every 2 months, and Wallaroo every 2 months. Most recently, Backdrops was updated on September 29, 2026 and Wallaroo on September 22, 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.*