# Sonar Islands vs SoundEcho

The clearest difference is rating: SoundEcho at 4.3 against Sonar Islands's 3.5. SoundEcho also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 60%) and monetization model (free vs subscription). Sonar Islands's advantage is ratings volume (83 vs 3) and iOS requirement (12.5 vs 17.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Sonar Islands sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and SoundEcho sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

SoundEcho holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sonar Islands has 83 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 60% of Sonar Islands's written reviews are positive against 100% of SoundEcho's.

Sonar Islands ships an update every 2 months, SoundEcho every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sonar Islands | SoundEcho |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.5 (83 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sonar-islands/id1554817644/reviews) | **[4.3 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/soundecho/id1639116371/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **83** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 60.1% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free** |
| Size | 288 MB | 7 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.5** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Hansjoerg Mikesch](https://appshunter.io/developer/1422421759) | [Kristof Nijs](https://appshunter.io/developer/1608072573) |

## What reviewers say

### Sonar Islands

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sonar-islands/id1554817644)

Embark on an audio-driven multiplayer adventure across 14 unique islands. Build your empire, explore diverse environments from ancient temples to volcanic landscapes, and engage in various challenges. Full game access requires a subscription.

**Highlights:** Multiplayer online gameplay, Audio-driven events, Empire building, Island exploration and development, Diverse island themes, Tutorial and story modes

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Access - monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| Full Access - yearly | $29.49 | per year |
| 100 Diamonds | $0.99 | one-time |
| 500 Diamonds | $3.99 | one-time |
| 1000 Diamonds | $5.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Immersive audio experience
- 👍 Accessible for blind users
- 🎨 Fantastic sound design
- ⭐ Engaging gameplay
- 🕹️ Intuitive controls

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Subscription model required to access full game
- 🔇 Repetitive voice acting
- 🕰️ Slow progression without paying
- 🤖 Unresponsive controls at times
- 🔍 Lack of clear in-game instructions

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes and freezes on certain devices
- Compass and navigation issues with iOS 16
- Incorrect Morse code in tutorial
- Inconsistent audio cues

**Requested features**

- Additional free islands to explore
- Option to purchase game outright instead of subscription
- More varied event types and challenges
- Ability to customize islands
- Support for multiple languages


### SoundEcho

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/soundecho/id1639116371)

A fun and accessible memory game using sound cues. Players match pairs of buttons that produce the same sound to clear the board. Supports multiple sound themes and player counts, with Game Center integration.

**Highlights:** Sound-based memory matching, VoiceOver accessibility, Animal and computer sound themes, Multiple difficulty levels (10, 15, 20 sounds), 2-4 player real-time multiplayer, Game Center integration

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Purchasing the app | $4.49 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sonar Islands free?

Sonar Islands is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is SoundEcho free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Sonar Islands or SoundEcho?

SoundEcho is rated higher. Sonar Islands averages 3.5 out of 5 from 83 ratings, while SoundEcho averages 4.3 from 3 ratings.

### Do Sonar Islands or SoundEcho have ads?

Neither Sonar Islands nor SoundEcho shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Sonar Islands or SoundEcho?

Sonar Islands ships an update every 2 months, and SoundEcho every 5 weeks. Most recently, Sonar Islands was updated on October 22, 2026 and SoundEcho on September 25, 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.*