# Sandbox AR vs 3D

The clearest difference is update cadence: Sandbox AR at every 2 months against 3D's every 5 months. Sandbox AR also leads on iOS requirement (14.0 vs 17.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

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

3D holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 11 and 9 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

Sandbox AR ships an update every 2 months, 3D every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on July 28, 2026 and August 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sandbox AR | 3D |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sandbox-ar/id1582806816/reviews) | **[4.9 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/3d-scanner/id6449950944/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **11** | 9 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 1.6 GB | 594 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Discovery Education Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1557216359) | [Merge Apps](https://appshunter.io/developer/1253049593) |

## What reviewers say

### Sandbox AR

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sandbox-ar/id1582806816)

Create, build, and explore immersive virtual worlds using augmented reality. This app allows users to scale creations to life-size and share them with others. It's designed to bring interactive technology into educational settings.

**Highlights:** Create, build, and explore in AR, Life-size scale exploration, Share creations via QR code, Capture snapshots and videos, Teacher audio descriptions (DE:X subscribers), Link to curated resources (DE:X subscribers)

**In-app purchases:** none


### 3D

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/3d-scanner/id6449950944)

Transform real-world objects into virtual 3D models for educational purposes. Capture artwork, artifacts, and everyday items to view in augmented reality or share digitally with others.

**Highlights:** Scan real-world objects into 3D models, Create virtual replicas, View scans in augmented reality, Share 3D creations, Integrates with Merge EDU, Add labels and descriptions

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sandbox AR free?

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

### Is 3D free?

3D is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Sandbox AR or 3D?

3D is rated higher. Sandbox AR averages 4.7 out of 5 from 11 ratings, while 3D averages 4.9 from 9 ratings.

### Do Sandbox AR or 3D have ads?

Neither Sandbox AR nor 3D shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Sandbox AR or 3D?

Sandbox AR ships an update every 2 months, and 3D every 5 months. Most recently, Sandbox AR was updated on July 28, 2026 and 3D on August 21, 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.*