# EcoBuilder vs Creature Crafter

The clearest difference is rating: Creature Crafter at 4.8 against EcoBuilder's 4.0. Creature Crafter also leads on ratings volume (11K vs 4) and update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks). EcoBuilder's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and ads (none vs shown). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Creature Crafter sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. EcoBuilder asks for nothing beyond the download.

Creature Crafter holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Creature Crafter has 11K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 100% of EcoBuilder's written reviews are positive against 72% of Creature Crafter's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

EcoBuilder ships an update every 3 weeks, Creature Crafter weekly. The most recent releases landed on June 4, 2026 and September 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | EcoBuilder | Creature Crafter |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ecobuilder/id1512806460/reviews) | **[4.8 (11K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/creature-crafter/id1564115819/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 4 | **11K** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 71.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 68 MB | 492 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Jonathan Zheng](https://appshunter.io/developer/1511225031) | [Daniel Lochner](https://appshunter.io/developer/1514574920) |

## What reviewers say

### EcoBuilder

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ecobuilder/id1512806460)

Build and manage your own virtual ecosystem, learning about ecological principles through realistic simulations. Your gameplay can contribute to real scientific research by helping scientists understand complex environmental systems.

**Highlights:** Build virtual ecosystems, Realistic ecological simulations, Learn ecological phenomena, Contribute to scientific research, High score tracking

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Creature Crafter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/creature-crafter/id1564115819)

Design unique creatures with extensive customization tools, then bring them to life to explore vibrant online worlds with friends. Collect new parts to enhance abilities, complete quests, battle foes, and engage in minigames or roleplaying.

**Highlights:** Creature building and customization, Online multiplayer exploration, Collect and upgrade creature parts, Quest completion and battles, Minigames and roleplaying, Procedural animation for environments

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pets | $2.99 | one-time |
| Premium | $5.99 | one-time |
| Supporter | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great game
- 👍 Soothing sounds
- 👍 Easy to play
- 👍 Accurate representation
- 👍 No ads

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Screen gets stuck in servers
- 🐛 Glitches with body parts and mouths
- 🐛 Difficulty with resizing and positioning body parts
- 🐛 Black screen issues
- 🐛 Camera control problems

**Reported bugs**

- Screen going black and freezing
- Inability to move the camera
- Creatures turning into recent creations when saved
- Difficulty with resizing and positioning body parts
- Issues with the creature workshop and unlocking parts

**Requested features**

- Add more body parts, accessories, and customization options
- Implement a map maker for mobile
- Add more maps and environments to explore
- Introduce a cell stage, tribal stage, and civilization stage
- Implement a spawn tool to summon created creatures


## Frequently asked questions

### Is EcoBuilder free?

EcoBuilder is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Creature Crafter free?

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

### Which has better reviews, EcoBuilder or Creature Crafter?

Creature Crafter is rated higher. EcoBuilder averages 4.0 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while Creature Crafter averages 4.8 from 11K ratings.

### Do EcoBuilder or Creature Crafter have ads?

Creature Crafter shows ads; EcoBuilder does not.

### Which is updated more often, EcoBuilder or Creature Crafter?

EcoBuilder ships an update every 3 weeks, and Creature Crafter weekly. Most recently, EcoBuilder was updated on June 4, 2026 and Creature Crafter on September 29, 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.*