# Ultimate Sackboy vs Populus Run

The clearest difference is rating: Populus Run at 4.7 against Ultimate Sackboy's 3.5. Populus Run also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (70% vs 36%). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Ultimate Sackboy sells 4 one-off in-app purchases and Populus Run sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Populus Run holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 350 and 1.5K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 36% of Ultimate Sackboy's written reviews are positive against 70% of Populus Run's.

Ultimate Sackboy ships an update monthly, Populus Run every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Ultimate Sackboy | Populus Run |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.5 (350 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ultimate-sackboy/id1555728544/reviews) | **[4.7 (1.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/populus-run/id6470197867/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 350 | **1.5K** |
| Positive reviews | 35.5% of reviews | **69.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 4 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 258 MB | 523 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [SAD PUPPY](https://appshunter.io/developer/1209020632) | [FIFTYTWO](https://appshunter.io/developer/853087985) |

## What reviewers say

### Ultimate Sackboy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ultimate-sackboy/id1555728544)

Embark on an ultimate obstacle racing adventure as an iconic hero. Swipe, dodge, and jump through vibrant tracks, collecting prizes and outsmarting rivals. Customize your character with hundreds of clothing options to win in style.

**Highlights:** Obstacle course racing, Swipe to dodge and jump, Collect prizes and Bubbles, Unlock new tracks and Tiers, Daily Duels and tournaments, Hundreds of clothing items, Season Pass rewards

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Handful of Gems | $0.99 | one-time |
| Bag of Gems | $4.99 | one-time |
| Season Pass | $4.99 | one-time |
| Sack of Gems | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fun mobile game
- 👍 Nostalgic Sackboy experience
- 🎨 Cute and colorful graphics
- 🎶 Great music and sound design

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and glitches
- ⏱️ Short 45-second runs
- 🤑 Aggressive monetization and pay-to-win mechanics
- 🧠 Overly difficult progression

**Reported bugs**

- Stuck on tutorial screens
- Ads not working properly
- Rewards not being granted after watching ads
- Inconsistent scoring and ranking system

**Requested features**

- Endless mode option
- More game modes beyond time trials
- Improved rewards and progression system
- Ability to change character name
- Cloud/iCloud save support


### Populus Run

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/populus-run/id6470197867)

Control a crowd of people in this unique running game. Dodge obstacles, battle quirky bosses, and discover hidden characters. Enjoy the full experience with a one-time purchase.

**Highlights:** Control a crowd of people, Dodge giant fast food, Slide down pipes, Battle rapper bosses, Hardcore mode, Collect secret characters, Original soundtrack

**Features:** Game Controller support, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Game | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Amazing game
- 👍 Great developers
- 👍 Fantastic music
- 👍 Relaxing and fun
- 👍 Colorful and visually appealing

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Paywall after first few levels
- 🐛 Occasional performance issues
- 🐛 Compatibility problems on some devices

**Reported bugs**

- Freezing on login screen
- Graphical glitches on certain devices
- Saved data not restoring properly

**Requested features**

- Make the full game free to play
- Add more levels and worlds
- Improve level selection UI
- Allow customization of controls


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Ultimate Sackboy free?

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

### Is Populus Run free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Ultimate Sackboy or Populus Run?

Populus Run is rated higher. Ultimate Sackboy averages 3.5 out of 5 from 350 ratings, while Populus Run averages 4.7 from 1.5K ratings.

### Do Ultimate Sackboy or Populus Run have ads?

Ultimate Sackboy shows ads; Populus Run does not.

### Which is updated more often, Ultimate Sackboy or Populus Run?

Ultimate Sackboy ships an update monthly, and Populus Run every 4 weeks. Most recently, Ultimate Sackboy was updated on September 23, 2026 and Populus Run 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.*