# Hamster Maze vs Hamster Runner

The clearest difference is rating: Hamster Maze at 4.7 against Hamster Runner's 3.7. Hamster Maze also leads on ratings volume (48K vs 3) and review sentiment (62% vs 50%). Hamster Runner's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 11) and update cadence (every 10 days vs every 2 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Hamster Maze sells 9 one-off in-app purchases. Hamster Runner asks for nothing beyond the download.

Hamster Maze holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hamster Maze has 48K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 62% of Hamster Maze's written reviews are positive against 50% of Hamster Runner's.

Hamster Maze ships an update every 2 months, Hamster Runner every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hamster Maze | Hamster Runner |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (48K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hamster-maze/id1541596500/reviews)** | [3.7 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hamster-runner-crowd-control/id6736997309/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **48K** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | **61.9% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 331 MB | 98 MB |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [ZPLAY (HK) TECHNOLOGY CO., LIMITED](https://appshunter.io/developer/1301067319) | [Maria Saleem](https://appshunter.io/developer/1764819388) |

## What reviewers say

### Hamster Maze

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hamster-maze/id1541596500)

Guide a cute hamster through challenging mazes filled with interactive obstacles. Customize your pet with various accessories and unlock new items as you progress. Experience thrilling new gameplay mechanics like gliding and bubble riding.

**Highlights:** Navigate mazes with obstacles, Climb stairs, swing, crawl, roll, Intuitive one-hand control, Hamster customization and rescue, Glider and bubble gameplay, Unlockable customizations

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

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Some Fruits | $0.99 | one-time |
| No Ads | $1.99 | one-time |
| A lot of fruits | $3.99 | one-time |
| Frog Skin Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Unicorn Skin Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Sheriff Skin Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Dress Up Pack | $7.99 | one-time |
| House Upgrade | $7.99 | one-time |
| Starter Pack | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🐹 Cute and realistic hamster animations
- 🎨 Fun and creative obstacle course elements
- 👍 Easy to control and play
- 💖 Addictive and entertaining gameplay

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🙄 Excessive advertisements
- 🐛 Frequent game freezes and crashes
- 🤯 Inability to progress past certain levels due to bugs
- 😤 In-app purchase issues (ads not removed)

**Reported bugs**

- Game freezes when trying to name new hamster
- Unable to progress past level 9 due to glitch
- Ads still present even after purchasing ad-free version
- Hamster getting stuck or unable to be saved

**Requested features**

- Ability to rename hamsters
- More customization options for hamster house
- Reduced ad frequency or ad-free mode
- Smoother progression and fewer game-breaking bugs


### Hamster Runner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hamster-runner-crowd-control/id6736997309)

Race a nimble hamster through an obstacle course, dodging traps and making strategic choices to boost your score. Swipe to navigate paths and power up your speed in this vibrant, action-packed runner game.

**Highlights:** Fast-paced obstacle course racing, Strategic number gate choices, Unlockable challenging levels, Vibrant and dynamic graphics, Swipe-based controls for navigation

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Hamster Maze free?

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

### Is Hamster Runner free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Hamster Maze or Hamster Runner?

Hamster Maze is rated higher. Hamster Maze averages 4.7 out of 5 from 48K ratings, while Hamster Runner averages 3.7 from 3 ratings.

### Do Hamster Maze or Hamster Runner have ads?

Neither Hamster Maze nor Hamster Runner shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Hamster Maze or Hamster Runner?

Hamster Maze ships an update every 2 months, and Hamster Runner every 10 days. Most recently, Hamster Maze was updated on September 25, 2026 and Hamster Runner 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.*