# The Botanist vs Atomus

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Atomus at none against The Botanist's 3. Atomus also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 11 months) and ratings volume (525 vs 4). The Botanist's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, monetization model, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. The Botanist sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Atomus asks for nothing beyond the download.

Atomus holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Atomus has 525 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 80% of The Botanist's written reviews are positive against 89% of Atomus's.

The Botanist ships an update every 11 months, Atomus every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Botanist | Atomus |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-botanist/id1536991175/reviews) | **[4.8 (525 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/atomus/id1605327908/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 4 | **525** |
| Positive reviews | 80.0% of reviews | **89.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 11 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 24 MB | 92 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Beige Elephant](https://appshunter.io/developer/569414558) | [SungLab Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1691666995) |

## What reviewers say

### The Botanist

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-botanist/id1536991175)

Create beautiful botanical mandalas and arrangements using digital leaves and petals. Save and share your unique floral designs with friends. A relaxing and creative experience inspired by nature's beauty.

**Highlights:** Create botanical mandalas, Arrange digital leaves and petals, Save creations to device, Share designs with friends, Relaxing and creative experience

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Theme #1 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Theme #2 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Theme #3 | $1.99 | one-time |


### Atomus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/atomus/id1605327908)

This app is an interactive visualizer that creates beautiful, dynamic art inspired by natural phenomena and abstract concepts. It offers customizable particle effects, multi-touch interaction, and music integration, designed to inspire creativity or provide a relaxing visual experience.

**Highlights:** 10-Finger Multi-touch Display, 5 Music Choices, Fastest Speed (60 FPS), 12,000 Particles, Customizable Particle Length, Number, & Size, 3-Color Modes

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Relaxing and calming experience
- 🚀 Smooth and responsive
- 💡 Customizable particle effects
- 🔒 No ads or in-app purchases

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes or performance issues
- 💡 Limited color and customization options
- 🔋 Drains battery life quickly

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when using more than 10 fingers
- Inconsistent ad frequency

**Requested features**

- More color and particle effect options
- Ability to turn off sound/music
- Haptic feedback support


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Botanist free?

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

### Is Atomus free?

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

### Which has better reviews, The Botanist or Atomus?

Atomus is rated higher. The Botanist averages 4.5 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while Atomus averages 4.8 from 525 ratings.

### Do The Botanist or Atomus have ads?

Atomus shows ads; The Botanist does not.

### Which is updated more often, The Botanist or Atomus?

The Botanist ships an update every 11 months, and Atomus every 2 months. Most recently, The Botanist was updated on October 11, 2026 and Atomus on October 16, 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.*