Comparison

SandBox vs Sand Trace

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

SandBox

Engage in a dynamic particle physics playground with full rotation. Discover how various elements interact to produce captivating outcomes, offering both creative freedom and educational opportunities.

Highlights
  • Particle physics simulation
  • Element interaction and combination
  • Full 3D rotation
  • Thermal vision mode
  • Creative sandbox experience
  • Educational element reactions
Features
Read full description

Immerse yourself in the complete particle sandbox experience with full rotation capabilities. Explore a wide range of different elements and watch as they interact with each other to create fascinating results. Features: • Specialists understand that the sandbox is the perfect place to unleash your creativity. • Teachers recognize that the sandbox is an ideal tool for teaching about item reactions and how to create new elements. • Play sand with thermal vision, reminiscent of the popular game Garry's Mod (gmod). • This innovative and awesome concept is loads of fun with the sandbox, and I can't wait to upgrade! • The particles in the sandbox are very realistic, satisfying, and relaxing. Combine elements to create new reactions and even blow up floating sandbox or ragdoll sandbox 2 for even more excitement!

About

Sand Trace

Features
Read full description

Drop sand, pour water, ignite fire, and watch real physics come to life. Sand Trace is a pixel-art physics simulator where you paint with 16 different materials and watch them interact in surprising ways. WHAT YOU CAN CREATE - Drop sand, stone, and glass to build structures - Pour water, oil, and acid to watch fluids flow - Ignite wood, oil, and plants to set off massive fires - Spawn lava to melt ice and turn water to stone - Launch missiles and detonate explosives for chain reactions - Electrify water with lightning bolts - Grow forests by placing plants near water - Heat sand into glass for permanent structures 16 MATERIALS, 40+ INTERACTIONS Every material has unique physics. Sand falls and piles up. Water flows and extinguishes fire. Lava melts ice and hardens into stone. Acid corrodes nearly everything. Lightning electrifies water in a spreading chain. Oil floats on water and burns with thick smoke. Plants grow toward water and catch fire easily. Discover every interaction through experimentation. PIXEL-ART WORLD Watch your creations come alive in a crisp, retro-style pixel grid. Every grain of sand, every drop of water, and every spark of fire is simulated individually for a satisfying, tactile experience. PRESET SCENES Jump right in with 5 handcrafted scenes: - Volcano: Watch lava flow and interact with water - Rain: Peaceful rainfall on a landscape - Acid Rain: Destructive downpour that corrodes everything - Forest Fire: A blazing wildfire spreading through trees - Aquarium: A tranquil underwater scene SAVE, RECORD, SHARE - Save and load your creations anytime - Record MP4 videos of your simulations - Take screenshots to share your pixel-art worlds - Works on both iPhone and iPad with responsive layout Download Sand Trace today and start experimenting with physics.

Screenshots

SandBox4 screens
Sand Trace4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Sand Trace at fortnightly against SandBox's every 3 months. SandBox's advantage is iOS requirement (11.0 vs 13.0). On price, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SandBox ships an update every 3 months, Sand Trace fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 19, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
SandBox versus Sand Trace: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSandBoxSand Trace
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (46K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews36.5% of reviews—
Number of ratings46K — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationAd-supported—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS11.0 — better13.0
Further details — not scored
Size150 MB22 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTINYSOFTHSIANG-YU HUANG

Bugs and requests

SandBox

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Level 50 is impossible to complete
  • Certain materials like rock have glitches
  • App crashes and freezes

Requested features

4 requests
  • More materials and elements
  • Ability to save and load creations
  • Larger sandbox area
  • More realistic physics and behaviors

Sand Trace

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

SandBox

No in-app purchases

None

Sand Trace

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is SandBox free?
SandBox is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Sand Trace free?
Sand Trace is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do SandBox or Sand Trace have ads?
Both SandBox and Sand Trace show ads.
Which is updated more often, SandBox or Sand Trace?
SandBox ships an update every 3 months, and Sand Trace fortnightly. Most recently, SandBox was updated on October 23, 2026 and Sand Trace on October 19, 2026.

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