# Is it dark outside? vs Puppet Time

The clearest difference is ads: Is it dark outside? at none against Puppet Time's shown. Is it dark outside? also leads on ratings volume (415 vs 115) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 15.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Is it dark outside? sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and Puppet Time sells 15 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.4 for Is it dark outside? against 4.4 for Puppet Time. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 415 and 115 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 83% of Is it dark outside?'s written reviews are positive against 86% of Puppet Time's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on August 29, 2026 and September 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Is it dark outside? | Puppet Time |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (415 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/is-it-dark-outside/id336536208/reviews) | [4.4 (115 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/puppet-time/id1512645088/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **415** | 115 |
| Positive reviews | 83.0% of reviews | **85.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 2 MB | 273 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Dirk Malorny](https://appshunter.io/developer/301250988) | [Jimmy Nguyen](https://appshunter.io/developer/1496101886) |

## What reviewers say

### Is it dark outside?

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/is-it-dark-outside/id336536208)

This app tells you if it's dark outside based on your location and time zone. It also displays current position, date, time, and sunrise/sunset times. Designed for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad, it offers VoiceOver support for blind users.

**Highlights:** Checks if it's dark outside, Displays current location, Shows date and time, Provides sunrise and sunset times, VoiceOver support for accessibility

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove ads | $0.99 | one-time |
| Small Tip - Cookie | $0.99 | one-time |
| Big Tip - Beer | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Efficient and accurate
- 👍 Useful for specific situations
- 😊 Amusing and entertaining
- 🤖 Helpful for those with limited mobility or vision

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤷‍♂️ Redundant for most users
- 🤔 Questionable usefulness
- 🙄 Overly simplistic

**Reported bugs**

- Inconsistent results when manually changing time
- Location-based detection issues

**Requested features**

- Notification when it gets dark
- Integration with virtual assistant
- Expanded functionality (e.g. sunrise/sunset times)


### Puppet Time

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/puppet-time/id1512645088)

Unleash your creativity with a digital puppetry app. Design unique puppets with extensive customization options, create vibrant backgrounds, and record your own puppet shows with voiceovers and sound effects. Bring your imagination to life through fun and engaging animation.

**Highlights:** Customizable puppet creator, Detailed puppet editing (limbs, body parts), Paint puppets and use photos as stickers, Customizable backgrounds, Record videos with puppets, Record voice and sounds, Create digital puppet shows

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (15)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove watermark from video | $0.99 | one-time |
| Wacky Arm Man | $0.99 | one-time |
| Block Puppets | $0.99 | one-time |
| Theater Stage | $0.99 | one-time |
| Bushes | $0.99 | one-time |
| Fruit Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Blobs Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Robot Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Pets Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Lounge Room and Kitchen | $1.49 | one-time |
| Silly Animals | $1.49 | one-time |
| Halloween Pack | $1.49 | one-time |
| Remove Ads and Record Limit | $1.99 | one-time |
| School Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Christmas Pack | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Fun and enjoyable app
- 💡 Creative tool for videos
- 👍 Easy to use
- 👍 Good customization options
- 👍 Can create own puppets

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Paying for puppets/maps
- ⏳ Limited recording time
- 😠 Ads for time
- 🎤 Microphone issues
- 🎨 Drawing precision issues

**Reported bugs**

- Cannot use microphone after uninstall/reinstall
- Microphone option missing in settings
- App crashes when buying from store
- Store requires internet connection when already connected
- App glitches and won't open (microphone permission issue)

**Requested features**

- Add more puppet slots (2, 6, 8, 10)
- Multiplayer mode
- Custom map editor with interactive things
- Ability to draw/create own items
- Add hair to puppets


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Is it dark outside? free?

Is it dark outside? is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Puppet Time free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Is it dark outside? or Puppet Time?

Is it dark outside? and Puppet Time are both rated 4.4 out of 5 on the App Store, from 415 and 115 ratings respectively.

### Do Is it dark outside? or Puppet Time have ads?

Puppet Time shows ads; Is it dark outside? does not.

### Which is updated more often, Is it dark outside? or Puppet Time?

Is it dark outside? ships an update every 3 months, and Puppet Time every 3 months. Most recently, Is it dark outside? was updated on August 29, 2026 and Puppet Time on September 14, 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.*