# marimo vs The Marimo

The clearest difference is ads: marimo at none against The Marimo's shown. marimo also leads on review sentiment (98% vs 80%) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

marimo ships an update every 4 months, The Marimo every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | marimo | The Marimo |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.4 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-marimo/id398361669/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **16** |
| Positive reviews | **98.0% of reviews** | 79.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Ad-supported |
| Size | 31 MB | 18 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [HANA-DA Hiromitsu](https://appshunter.io/developer/392896308) | [Kosuke Ogawa](https://appshunter.io/developer/379825481) |

## What reviewers say

### marimo

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/marimo/id392896305)

A virtual pet simulation where you nurture a Marimo, a unique aquatic plant from Hokkaido. The core gameplay involves changing its water to help it grow. You can then share your Marimo's progress with friends.

**Highlights:** Virtual Marimo pet, Water changing gameplay, Marimo growth simulation, Share progress on Twitter, Hokkaido souvenir theme

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### The Marimo

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-marimo/id398361669)

Care for a virtual green ball creature that grows over time. Keep its environment clean and provide light to ensure its survival. Customize its appearance and interact with it through various gestures.

**Highlights:** Virtual pet care, Growth simulation, Environment maintenance, Customization options, Interactive controls, Social sharing

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is marimo free?

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

### Is The Marimo free?

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

### Do marimo or The Marimo have ads?

The Marimo shows ads; marimo does not.

### Which is updated more often, marimo or The Marimo?

marimo ships an update every 4 months, and The Marimo every 3 months. Most recently, marimo was updated on October 5, 2026 and The Marimo on October 12, 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.*