# Cartographers vs Creature Journal

The clearest difference is price: Creature Journal at Free against Cartographers's $3.99. Creature Journal also leads on review sentiment (75% vs 36%) and in-app purchases (none vs 1). Cartographers's advantage is chart position (#63 vs unranked). On ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Creature Journal is free to download; Cartographers costs $3.99 up front. Cartographers sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Creature Journal asks for nothing beyond the download.

Cartographers ships an update every 3 months, Creature Journal every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Cartographers | Creature Journal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $3.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[3.4 (119 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cartographers/id1515991485/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **119** | — |
| Positive reviews | 36.2% of reviews | **75.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#63** | — |
| Size | 47 MB | 26 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Brettspielwelt GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1063292497) | [TOBIAS ZINKE](https://appshunter.io/developer/1852039999) |

## What reviewers say

### Cartographers

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cartographers/id1515991485)

**Currently charting:** #63 Top Paid · Card, #78 Top Paid · Board (US App Store)

Become a royal cartographer tasked with mapping newly reclaimed lands for the Kingdom of Nalos. Fulfill royal edicts, strategically draw your territory, and outmaneuver rival outposts to gain the most reputation. Experience this tactical flip & write game digitally with multiple modes and global leaderboards.

**Highlights:** Map reclaimed northern lands, Fulfill royal edicts, Outmaneuver rival outposts, Tactical flip & write gameplay, Multiple game modes, Global weekly highscorelists, Collect achievements

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Cartographers Heroes | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Faithful adaptation of the board game
- 🚀 Great solo experience
- 💡 Helpful visual cues for gameplay

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and unstable app
- 🔒 Login and account issues
- 🔋 Performance and battery drain problems
- 👎 Lacking key features like multiplayer

**Reported bugs**

- Game freezes and crashes
- Incorrect tile placement and scoring
- Inconsistent save/resume functionality
- Registration and login problems

**Requested features**

- Add online/local multiplayer modes
- Implement undo/rollback functionality
- Improve tutorial and in-game help
- Add support for expansions and new maps


### Creature Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/creature-journal/id6755117439)

Scan NFC cards to collect unique creatures, uncover their lore, and reveal hidden secrets. This app is designed for all ages and is perfect for events.

**Highlights:** Scan NFC cards, Collect unique creatures, Discover creature lore, Unlock hidden secrets, Event-specific content

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Cartographers free?

Cartographers costs $3.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is Creature Journal free?

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

### Do Cartographers or Creature Journal have ads?

Neither Cartographers nor Creature Journal shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Cartographers or Creature Journal?

Cartographers ships an update every 3 months, and Creature Journal every 4 days. Most recently, Cartographers was updated on October 24, 2026 and Creature Journal on October 12, 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.*