# Melon vs Nextbots Online

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Melon at 140K against Nextbots Online's 759. Melon also leads on update cadence (weekly vs monthly) and rating (4.5 vs 4.2). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Melon sells 26 in-app purchases, starting at $3.49 per 7 days and Nextbots Online sells 14 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Melon holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Melon has 140K ratings behind it against 759, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 77% of Melon's written reviews are positive against 75% of Nextbots Online's.

Melon ships an update weekly, Nextbots Online monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Melon | Nextbots Online |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (140K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/melon-sandbox/id1610874732/reviews)** | [4.2 (759 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nextbots-online-sandbox/id1664901779/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **140K** | 759 |
| Positive reviews | **76.9% of reviews** | 74.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#15** | — |
| Size | 533 MB | 542 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Payge Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1653289615) | [MAKSIM NAZARENKO](https://appshunter.io/developer/1664901781) |

## What reviewers say

### Melon

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/melon-sandbox/id1610874732)

**Currently charting:** #15 Top Free · Simulation, #83 Top Grossing · Simulation, #110 Top Free · Games (US App Store)

Unleash your creativity in a chaotic sandbox game. Experiment with realistic ragdoll physics, a massive arsenal of weapons, and custom devices to create mayhem. Explore open worlds and build your own playground for destructive fun.

**Highlights:** Realistic ragdoll physics, Massive arsenal of weapons, Custom device creation, Open-world sandbox maps, Brutal experiments, Destructive fun

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

**In-app purchases (26)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Membership - 1 Week | $3.49 | per 7 days |
| Melon Premium 1 Month | $9.99 | per month |
| Pile of Mels | $0.59 | one-time |
| Heap of Mels | $0.99 | one-time |
| First Buy Offer | $0.99 | one-time |
| Bunch of Dices | $4.99 | one-time |
| Bucket of Mels | $4.99 | one-time |
| First Buy Offer | $4.99 | one-time |
| Small Box of SlimeCoins | $4.99 | one-time |
| Small Box of Stars | $4.99 | one-time |
| Small Box of Easter Eggs | $4.99 | one-time |
| Small Box of Clovers | $4.99 | one-time |
| Small Box of Valentines | $5.59 | one-time |
| Small Gifts Box | $5.59 | one-time |
| Barrel of Mels | $9.99 | one-time |
| First Buy Offer | $9.99 | one-time |
| Medium Box of Valentines | $13.99 | one-time |
| Medium Gifts Box | $13.99 | one-time |
| Medium Box of Stars | $14.99 | one-time |
| Medium Box of Easter Eggs | $14.99 | one-time |
| Medium Box of Clovers | $14.99 | one-time |
| Chest of Mels | $19.99 | one-time |
| Big Gifts Box | $24.99 | one-time |
| Cart of Mels | $49.99 | one-time |
| Lot of Mels | $99.99 | one-time |
| Huge Gifts Box | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great mobile alternative to People Playground
- 👍 Lots of creative possibilities
- 🎨 Customizable characters and scenarios
- 💡 Unique fruit/vegetable characters
- 👍 Addictive and fun gameplay

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs with save system and resizing
- 🔍 Limited camera controls
- 🔍 Lack of detailed instructions
- 🔋 Frequent ads interrupting gameplay
- 🔍 Limited character and clothing options

**Reported bugs**

- Saved creations glitching or disappearing
- Resizing issues causing damage to characters
- Ads with no close button, forcing app restart
- Inconsistent character behavior and animations

**Requested features**

- More character options (grapes, bananas, etc.)
- Additional weapons, vehicles, and items
- Ability to create custom maps
- Improved physics and gore effects
- Mod support and customization on iOS


### Nextbots Online

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nextbots-online-sandbox/id1664901779)

Experience a thrilling chase game where you're hunted by terrifying monsters. Explore diverse maps, play solo or with friends in multiplayer, and even create your own levels in a sandbox mode.

**Highlights:** Multiplayer chase game, Single player mode, Custom map editor, Voice and text chat, Diverse maps (Backrooms, Construct), Community-created maps

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

**In-app purchases (14)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1000 Gold | $0.99 | one-time |
| 100 Gems | $0.99 | one-time |
| VIP - 1 week | $1.99 | one-time |
| 5000 Gold | $3.99 | one-time |
| 500 Gems | $3.99 | one-time |
| VIP | $4.99 | one-time |
| VIP - 1 month | $4.99 | one-time |
| 10000 Gold | $7.99 | one-time |
| 1000 Gems | $7.99 | one-time |
| Golden skin | $9.99 | one-time |
| All items pack | $9.99 | one-time |
| 5000 Gems | $34.99 | one-time |
| 50000 Gold | $36.99 | one-time |
| 10000 Gems | $59.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Fun and entertaining game
- 🚀 Great multiplayer experience
- 💡 Ability to create custom Nextbots
- 👍 Good graphics and visuals

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs and glitches in the game
- 📢 Too many ads interrupting gameplay
- 🔧 Difficulty in uploading custom Nextbot audio
- 🚧 Limited map selection

**Reported bugs**

- Nextbots getting stuck in objects
- Inability to save custom Nextbot creations
- Multiplayer matchmaking issues and connection problems
- Game freezing or crashing during play

**Requested features**

- Add more Nextbot characters and skins
- Improve the map editor with more customization options
- Implement a way to share custom Nextbots with other players
- Add new game modes like survival or cooperative play
- Reduce the frequency of ads or allow players to disable them


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Melon free?

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

### Is Nextbots Online free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Melon or Nextbots Online?

Melon is rated higher. Melon averages 4.5 out of 5 from 140K ratings, while Nextbots Online averages 4.2 from 759 ratings.

### Do Melon or Nextbots Online have ads?

Both Melon and Nextbots Online show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Melon or Nextbots Online?

Melon ships an update weekly, and Nextbots Online monthly. Most recently, Melon was updated on September 27, 2026 and Nextbots Online 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.*