# The Marimo vs Gecko Pet

The clearest difference is update cadence: The Marimo at every 3 months against Gecko Pet's every 32 months. The Marimo also leads on monetization model (ad-supported vs free with in-app purchases). Gecko Pet's advantage is rating (4.7 vs 4.4) and ratings volume (131 vs 16). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

Gecko Pet holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Gecko Pet has 131 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 Gecko Pet's.

The Marimo ships an update every 3 months, Gecko Pet every 32 months. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Marimo | Gecko Pet |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-marimo/id398361669/reviews) | **[4.7 (131 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gecko-pet/id1476664621/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 16 | **131** |
| Positive reviews | 79.6% of reviews | **81.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 32 months |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 18 MB | 46 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Kosuke Ogawa](https://appshunter.io/developer/379825481) | [sio honda](https://appshunter.io/developer/1467585268) |

## 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


### Gecko Pet

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gecko-pet/id1476664621)

Raise a virtual gecko on your phone with simple care tasks like feeding and cleaning. Enjoy its smooth animations and relaxing music as it grows daily. This game is ideal for busy individuals or those new to gaming.

**Highlights:** Raise a virtual gecko, Simple feeding and cleaning mechanics, Real-time growth updates, Customizable pet name, Relaxing music and animations, Notifications for care tasks

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Marimo free?

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

### Is Gecko Pet free?

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

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

Gecko Pet is rated higher. The Marimo averages 4.4 out of 5 from 16 ratings, while Gecko Pet averages 4.7 from 131 ratings.

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

Both The Marimo and Gecko Pet show ads.

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

The Marimo ships an update every 3 months, and Gecko Pet every 32 months. Most recently, The Marimo was updated on October 12, 2026 and Gecko Pet on October 9, 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.*