# The Marimo vs Cats and Sharks

The clearest difference is update cadence: Cats and Sharks at every 6 days against The Marimo's every 3 months. Cats and Sharks also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.4) and ratings volume (473 vs 16). The Marimo's advantage is monetization model (ad-supported vs free with in-app purchases) and review sentiment (79% vs 69%). On price, ads, 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.

Cats and Sharks holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Cats and Sharks has 473 ratings behind it against 16, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 79% of The Marimo's written reviews are positive against 69% of Cats and Sharks's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

The Marimo ships an update every 3 months, Cats and Sharks every 6 days. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Marimo | Cats and Sharks |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-marimo/id398361669/reviews) | **[4.8 (473 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cats-and-sharks/id1348682413/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 16 | **473** |
| Positive reviews | **78.9% of reviews** | 68.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 6 days** |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 18 MB | 75 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **8.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Kosuke Ogawa](https://appshunter.io/developer/379825481) | [Ryota Kikuchi](https://appshunter.io/developer/871799640) |

## 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


### Cats and Sharks

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cats-and-sharks/id1348682413)

Cultivate a delightful 3D garden to draw in numerous feline companions. Observe over 40 distinct cat breeds and their herbivorous shark friends engage in adorable animations. Simply provide food to foster friendships and discover what other creatures might visit.

**Highlights:** Create a charming 3D garden, Attract over 40 types of cats, Befriend herbivorous sharks, Observe cute animal actions, Easy to play simulation

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 😻 Adorable and cute cat designs
- 😌 Relaxing and healing gameplay
- ⏱️ Quick play sessions (5 minutes)
- 🎮 Simple and easy to understand
- 🐱 Unique cat and shark combination

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent freezing after watching ads
- 🐛 Rewards not received after ads
- 📹 Ads fail to load or play
- 🎥 OK button unresponsive after videos
- 📱 Limited camera rotation (fixed viewpoint)

**Reported bugs**

- Freezing after watching advertisement videos
- OK button becomes unresponsive after ads
- Rewards not credited despite watching ads
- Advertisement videos fail to load
- Camera rotation stuck or limited

**Requested features**

- 360-degree camera rotation capability
- Slower day/night cycle transitions
- Expand island/map size
- New cat species and varieties
- More shark types and interactions


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Marimo free?

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

### Is Cats and Sharks free?

Cats and Sharks is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, The Marimo or Cats and Sharks?

Cats and Sharks is rated higher. The Marimo averages 4.4 out of 5 from 16 ratings, while Cats and Sharks averages 4.8 from 473 ratings.

### Do The Marimo or Cats and Sharks have ads?

Both The Marimo and Cats and Sharks show ads.

### Which is updated more often, The Marimo or Cats and Sharks?

The Marimo ships an update every 3 months, and Cats and Sharks every 6 days. Most recently, The Marimo was updated on November 6, 2026 and Cats and Sharks on November 6, 2026.

---

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