# KATOA vs Zoo Life

The clearest difference is ads: KATOA at none against Zoo Life's shown. Zoo Life's advantage is rating (4.8 vs 4.4) and ratings volume (2.2K vs 115). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. KATOA sells 6 one-off in-app purchases and Zoo Life sells 18 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Zoo Life holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Zoo Life has 2.2K ratings behind it against 115, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 66% and 66% positive.

KATOA ships an update monthly, Zoo Life fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on July 17, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | KATOA | Zoo Life |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (115 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/katoa-oceans/id1618026462/reviews) | **[4.8 (2.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zoo-life-animal-park-game/id1636476166/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 115 | **2.2K** |
| Positive reviews | **66.3% of reviews** | 66.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 570 MB | 422 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Sankari Studios, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1564763138) | [Sparkling Society Games B.V.](https://appshunter.io/developer/726048972) |

## What reviewers say

### KATOA

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/katoa-oceans/id1618026462)

Defend the oceans by building vibrant underwater habitats and battling pollution. Play to earn real money that funds global environmental projects. Discover marine life, restore ecosystems, and become an ocean defender.

**Highlights:** Earn real money for environmental projects, Build underwater habitats, Discover and bond with sea creatures, Defeat pollution-based enemies, Explore ocean biomes, Design custom havens

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Handful of Stars | $0.99 | one-time |
| Bunch of Stars | $4.99 | one-time |
| Pile of Stars | $9.99 | one-time |
| Bag of Stars | $19.99 | one-time |
| Barrel of Stars | $39.99 | one-time |
| Chest of Stars | $79.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🌊 Beautiful ocean visuals
- 🐠 Cute and diverse aquatic fauna
- 🌱 Relaxing gameplay loop
- 🌍 Supports environmental causes
- 🎨 Gorgeous art style

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- ⏱️ Slow progression and unlock process
- 🔁 Repetitive daily quests
- 🤖 Unintuitive or unclear mechanics
- 💤 Lack of content and things to do

**Reported bugs**

- Quests and fauna getting stuck
- Inability to expand certain areas
- Graphical glitches and UI issues
- Login and loading problems
- Unresponsive or buggy controls

**Requested features**

- More unlockable areas and expansions
- Ability to rename or customize fauna
- Improved tutorial and in-game help
- Additional mini-games or activities
- Smoother combat and raid mechanics


### Zoo Life

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zoo-life-animal-park-game/id1636476166)

Build and manage your own zoo, collecting diverse animal species and breeding them. Design enclosures, attract visitors, and level up to unlock new features and decorations. Play offline and enjoy impressive graphics and animations.

**Highlights:** Build and manage a zoo, Collect and breed animals, Offline gameplay, Design zoo enclosures, Level up and unlock features, Impressive graphics and animations

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

**In-app purchases (18)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Nature Pack | $0.49 | one-time |
| 10 Gold | $0.99 | one-time |
| Exclusive White Swan | $1.99 | one-time |
| Extra Tool | $2.99 | one-time |
| 50 Gold | $4.99 | one-time |
| Special Currencies Deal #1 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Extra Helicopter | $4.99 | one-time |
| Pioneer Pack | $5.99 | one-time |
| Zoo Fair Gold Pass | $6.99 | one-time |
| Grand Safari Gold Pass | $6.99 | one-time |
| Sunken Treasures Gold Pass | $6.99 | one-time |
| Fossil Hunt Gold Pass | $6.99 | one-time |
| 105 Gold | $9.99 | one-time |
| 165 Gold | $14.99 | one-time |
| Beastly Bargain | $19.99 | one-time |
| 420 Gold | $34.99 | one-time |
| Wild Card Pack | $34.99 | one-time |
| 875 Gold | $69.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- ⭐ Awesome game
- 🎮 Fun and relaxing gameplay
- 🎨 Great graphics and visuals
- 📚 Informative animal facts
- 🎉 Peaceful and chill experience

**What reviewers complain about**

- ⏱️ Slow progression and long wait times
- 💰 Expensive land expansions and animal purchases
- 🔍 Difficult to earn in-game currency
- 🐛 Occasional crashes and glitches
- 🔍 Limited customization options

**Reported bugs**

- Ads freezing the game
- Incomplete or missing tutorial information
- Inconsistent task tracking and rewards
- Compatibility issues on older devices

**Requested features**

- Collect all button for cash and resources
- More ways to earn gold coins
- Ability to name animals
- Faster progression and less grinding
- More habitat and animal variety


## Frequently asked questions

### Is KATOA free?

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

### Is Zoo Life free?

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

### Which has better reviews, KATOA or Zoo Life?

Zoo Life is rated higher. KATOA averages 4.4 out of 5 from 115 ratings, while Zoo Life averages 4.8 from 2.2K ratings.

### Do KATOA or Zoo Life have ads?

Zoo Life shows ads; KATOA does not.

### Which is updated more often, KATOA or Zoo Life?

KATOA ships an update monthly, and Zoo Life fortnightly. Most recently, KATOA was updated on July 17, 2026 and Zoo Life on September 23, 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.*