# The Marimo vs Hamster Pet

The clearest difference is update cadence: The Marimo at every 3 months against Hamster Pet's every 34 months. Hamster Pet's advantage is ratings volume (134 vs 16) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.6). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

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

Hamster Pet holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hamster Pet has 134 ratings behind it against 16, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 80% of The Marimo's written reviews are positive against 82% of Hamster Pet's.

The Marimo ships an update every 3 months, Hamster Pet every 34 months. Both last shipped on October 26, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Marimo | Hamster Pet |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-marimo/id398361669/reviews) | **[4.6 (134 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hamster-pet/id1071732287/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 16 | **134** |
| Positive reviews | 79.6% of reviews | **81.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 34 months |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | Ad-supported |
| Size | 18 MB | 170 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Kosuke Ogawa](https://appshunter.io/developer/379825481) | [Hiroki Yamada](https://appshunter.io/developer/491381849) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### Hamster Pet

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hamster-pet/id1071732287)

Simulate raising a virtual hamster, watching it grow in real-time. Easy care routines involve feeding every four days and cleaning weekly. Enjoy the daily progress of your digital pet.

**Highlights:** Grow a virtual hamster, Real-time growth tracking, Easy care routines, Daily progress observation, Simple operation

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🐹 Cute and adorable hamster
- 😌 Relaxing and healing gameplay
- 👍 Easy to understand and play
- 💖 Good substitute for real hamsters
- 💡 Teaches patience and responsibility

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 Too many ads
- 😴 Boring and repetitive gameplay
- 🧸 Lack of toys and activities
- 🏠 Limited cage customization
- 🚫 Cannot pause the game

**Reported bugs**

- 🐛 Hamster died unexpectedly
- 🔄 Game reset after long playtime
- ❓ Unclear reason for hamster death
- 📱 Ads appearing too frequently, especially after cleaning

**Requested features**

- Add more hamster types/colors
- Add more toys and activities (wheel, climbing wall, chew toys)
- Add mini-games
- Allow for cage decoration/customization
- Add interaction options (petting, playing)


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Marimo free?

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

### Is Hamster Pet free?

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

### Which has better reviews, The Marimo or Hamster Pet?

Hamster Pet is rated higher. The Marimo averages 4.4 out of 5 from 16 ratings, while Hamster Pet averages 4.6 from 134 ratings.

### Do The Marimo or Hamster Pet have ads?

Both The Marimo and Hamster Pet show ads.

### Which is updated more often, The Marimo or Hamster Pet?

The Marimo ships an update every 3 months, and Hamster Pet every 34 months. Most recently, The Marimo was updated on October 26, 2026 and Hamster Pet on October 26, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*