# Mobile Run vs Alchemy DIY

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Alchemy DIY at none against Mobile Run's 2. Alchemy DIY also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 2 months) and rating (4.9 vs 4.5). On price, review sentiment, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Mobile Run sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Alchemy DIY asks for nothing beyond the download.

Alchemy DIY holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Alchemy DIY has 8.9K ratings behind it against 835, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 75% of Mobile Run's written reviews are positive against 67% of Alchemy DIY's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Mobile Run ships an update every 2 months, Alchemy DIY every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Mobile Run | Alchemy DIY |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (835 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mobile-run/id1638752899/reviews) | **[4.9 (8.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alchemy-diy-magic-lab/id6451245111/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 835 | **8.9K** |
| Positive reviews | **75.0% of reviews** | 67.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 212 MB | 175 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Yso Corp](https://appshunter.io/developer/659815325) | [9UP COMPANY LIMITED](https://appshunter.io/developer/1846108017) |

## What reviewers say

### Mobile Run

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mobile-run/id1638752899)

Collect virtual apps and harness their unique powers to overcome challenges. Strategize your app collection to unlock new abilities and progress through the game.

**Highlights:** Collect virtual apps, Utilize app powers, Strategic gameplay, Unlock new abilities, Progress through challenges

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Skin pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎮 Fun and interesting gameplay
- 💎 Variety of apps/abilities
- 🎨 Visually appealing
- 🤩 Addictive and engaging

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 Too many ads
- 🐛 Occasional glitches and crashes
- 🔁 Repetitive levels
- 🕹️ Controls can be challenging

**Reported bugs**

- Ghost feature staying active
- Ability to bypass levels
- Crashes and freezes
- Compatibility issues on some devices

**Requested features**

- Add more levels and content
- Improve app selection and balancing
- Reduce ads or offer ad-free option
- Fix reported bugs and glitches


### Alchemy DIY

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alchemy-diy-magic-lab/id6451245111)

Combine various emoticons and icons to create unique new ones. Swipe, swap, and match to discover intriguing combinations across categories like smileys, animals, and cuisine. Save and share your creations with friends and family.

**Highlights:** Combine and match icons, Create new unique icons, Save and share creations, Over 1,000 different icons, No time limit

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🤩 Fun and entertaining
- 👍 Engaging and creative gameplay
- 💎 Unique emoji mixing mechanics
- 🎨 Wide variety of emojis to create

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤬 Too many ads interrupting gameplay
- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 🤔 Lack of clear instructions or tutorials

**Reported bugs**

- Progress not saving properly
- Glitches when trying to mix certain emojis
- Ads sometimes prevent returning to the game

**Requested features**

- Add option to disable ads
- Improve saving and progress tracking
- Expand emoji library with more options
- Provide more customization and personalization


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Mobile Run free?

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

### Is Alchemy DIY free?

Alchemy DIY is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Mobile Run or Alchemy DIY?

Alchemy DIY is rated higher. Mobile Run averages 4.5 out of 5 from 835 ratings, while Alchemy DIY averages 4.9 from 8.9K ratings.

### Do Mobile Run or Alchemy DIY have ads?

Both Mobile Run and Alchemy DIY show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Mobile Run or Alchemy DIY?

Mobile Run ships an update every 2 months, and Alchemy DIY every 4 days. Most recently, Mobile Run was updated on September 20, 2026 and Alchemy DIY on September 24, 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.*