Eterna vs Strange Horticulture
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Eterna
Engage in a citizen science game to design RNA molecules for medical research. Solve puzzles to unlock lab access and contribute to inventing new medicines through challenges.
- Design RNA molecules
- Solve scientific puzzles
- Participate in medical research
- Invent new medicines
- Unlock lab access
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Eterna is a citizen science game where players learn to design RNA molecules for medical research by solving puzzles. Complete introductory puzzles to unlock lab access and participate in challenges where you can invent medicine!
Strange Horticulture
Manage an occult plant store in a mysterious town. Discover and identify strange plants, using their unique properties to influence an unfolding narrative. Explore the surrounding lands to find new flora and unravel ancient secrets.
- Manage an occult plant store
- Discover and identify strange plants
- Use plant effects to influence story
- Explore surrounding lands
- Unravel dark mysteries
- Pet your cat
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Strange Horticulture is an occult puzzle game in which you play as the proprietor of a local plant store. Find and identify new plants, pet your cat, speak to a coven, or join a cult. Use your collection of powerful plants to influence the story and unravel Undermere’s dark mysteries. WELCOME TO UNDERMERE Welcome to Undermere, a quaint town surrounded by hag-infested forests and rugged mountains. You are the Horticulturist, owner of local plant store Strange Horticulture. As a cast of colorful customers come by your shop, you are quickly thrust into an occult mystery stretching back hundreds of years. EXPLORE THE LANDS BEYOND Explore the lands beyond your store to find new plants, but be careful! The dark woods and lakes are not always friendly to a simple herbalist. You might discover powers beyond your wildest dreams - or lose your mind completely. Use context clues to determine which places to visit, and which to avoid! AN EVER-GROWING COLLECTION Using your trusty encyclopedia and clues found on your explorations, you learn more about the strange plants you come across. By identifying each plant, you will be able to use their effects to influence the story -- from hypnotic hallucinogens to powerful poisons.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Eterna at Free against Strange Horticulture's $5.99. Eterna also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.6). Strange Horticulture's advantage is rating (4.9 vs 3.7) and review sentiment (75% vs 33%). On 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
Eterna is free to download; Strange Horticulture costs $5.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Strange Horticulture holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Strange Horticulture has 1.5K ratings behind it against 15, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 33% of Eterna's written reviews are positive against 75% of Strange Horticulture's.
Eterna ships an update every 3 weeks, Strange Horticulture weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Eterna | Strange Horticulture |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $5.99 |
| Rating | 3.7 (15 ratings) | 4.9 (1.5K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 33.3% of reviews | 75.3% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 15 | 1.5K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free — better | Ad-supported |
| Best chart rank | — | #57 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 15.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 188 MB | 522 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Vital Mind Media | Plug In Digital |
Customer experience
Eterna
Strange Horticulture
Bugs and requests
Eterna
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Strange Horticulture
Reported bugs
3 issues- Viewing device bug preventing progress
- Plants getting stuck and unable to be moved
- Crashes and freezes on certain devices
Requested features
3 requests- More content and expanded gameplay
- Shelf/storage option for plants
- Improved mobile optimization (larger text, better controls)
In-app purchases
Eterna
No in-app purchases
Strange Horticulture
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Eterna free?
Is Strange Horticulture free?
Which has better reviews, Eterna or Strange Horticulture?
Do Eterna or Strange Horticulture have ads?
Which is updated more often, Eterna or Strange Horticulture?
Other comparisons
