# Dog vs Elf Studio®

The clearest difference is rating: Elf Studio® at 4.6 against Dog's 3.9. Elf Studio® also leads on ratings volume (3.8K vs 179). Dog's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10) and review sentiment (58% vs 45%). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Elf Studio® sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Dog asks for nothing beyond the download.

Elf Studio® holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Elf Studio® has 3.8K ratings behind it against 179, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 58% of Dog's written reviews are positive against 45% of Elf Studio®'s, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Dog ships an update every 5 days, Elf Studio® every 6 days. Both last shipped on November 7, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Dog | Elf Studio® |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.9 (179 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dog-e/id1673193342/reviews) | **[4.6 (3.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/elf-studio/id6443879616/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 179 | **3.8K** |
| Positive reviews | **58.1% of reviews** | 45.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Every 6 days |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 158 MB | 343 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [WowWee Group Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/417361068) | [North Pole Command Centre Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/976131058) |

## What reviewers say

### Dog

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dog-e/id1673193342)

Interact with a unique robot dog through a dedicated app. Care for, train, and play games with your digital companion. Customize its appearance and teach it tricks using simple programming.

**Highlights:** Care and status tracking, Virtual treat feeding, Play 6 fun games, Train tricks with sequential programming, Customize tail messages and drawings, Mint unique Dog-E profiles

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Fun to play with
- 🐶 Cute robot dog
- 💖 Interactive features
- 📱 App enhances experience
- 🤖 Dog-E is awesome

**What reviewers complain about**

- ❓ Unclear battery percentage
- 🤷‍♀️ App stuck on intro
- ❓ Don't know what to do
- 🤔 Confusing permissions
- 🚫 Items are locked

**Reported bugs**

- App stuck on intro screen
- App won't pair or open
- App freezes on screen
- Bluetooth connection issues
- App crashes

**Requested features**

- Update app for new features
- More interactive features
- More games
- More updates
- Fix tail color to look green


### Elf Studio®

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/elf-studio/id6443879616)

Create magical videos and photos of Santa and his elves visiting your home using augmented reality. Place characters in any environment, customize their appearance and animations, and record your own festive scenes.

**Highlights:** Add Santa Claus and elves, Unlimited elves and recording time, Create custom elves with Elf Workshop, Customize elf outfits and accessories, Elves with walking and dancing animations, Pre-plan or perform animations, Customize lighting, shadows, and camera filters

**Features:** Family Sharing, iMessage stickers

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock Elf Studio | $1.99 | per month |
| Elf Studio™ - Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| Unlock Elf Studio | $3.99 | per year |
| Elf Studio™ - Annual | $6.99 | per year |
| Elf Studio Pro - Annual | $9.99 | per year |
| 50+ Elf Dance Animations | $0.99 | one-time |
| 1 Elf Video Credit | $1.99 | one-time |
| 5 Elf Video Credits | $7.99 | one-time |
| Elf Studio - Lifetime Pass | $19.99 | one-time |
| 50 Credits - Pro Price | $34.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎅 Elf-themed game
- 👍 Fun for kids
- 💡 Ability to create elf scenes

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Many features locked behind paywall
- 🐛 Glitchy performance
- 🚫 Limited free functionality

**Reported bugs**

- Unable to scan surfaces for elf placement
- Crashes and freezes when trying to use app

**Requested features**

- More free customization options
- Ability to save and share created scenes
- Improved surface detection for elf placement


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Dog free?

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

### Is Elf Studio® free?

Elf Studio® is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Dog or Elf Studio®?

Elf Studio® is rated higher. Dog averages 3.9 out of 5 from 179 ratings, while Elf Studio® averages 4.6 from 3.8K ratings.

### Do Dog or Elf Studio® have ads?

Neither Dog nor Elf Studio® shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Dog or Elf Studio®?

Dog ships an update every 5 days, and Elf Studio® every 6 days. Most recently, Dog was updated on November 7, 2026 and Elf Studio® on November 7, 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.*