# The Marimo vs Medaka Breeder

The clearest difference is ads: Medaka Breeder at none against The Marimo's shown. Medaka Breeder also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 3 months) and rating (4.6 vs 4.4). The Marimo's advantage is monetization model (ad-supported vs free with in-app purchases) and review sentiment (79% vs 67%). On price, ratings volume, 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.

Medaka Breeder holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 16 and 17 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 79% of The Marimo's written reviews are positive against 67% of Medaka Breeder'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, Medaka Breeder every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Marimo | Medaka Breeder |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-marimo/id398361669/reviews) | **[4.6 (17 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/medaka-breeder/id6453882680/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 16 | **17** |
| Positive reviews | **78.9% of reviews** | 66.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 18 MB | 91 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) | [Taiho Yanase](https://appshunter.io/developer/1699588464) |

## 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


### Medaka Breeder

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/medaka-breeder/id6453882680)

Experience realistic fish keeping by feeding and cleaning your virtual fish. Watch them grow, breed, and inherit traits from their parents. Customize aquariums and collect various fish species.

**Highlights:** Realistic killifish keeping simulation, Breed fish and inherit traits, Customize aquariums with decorations, Collect over 46 types of killifish, Missions and rewards system, Observation and shooting modes

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Marimo free?

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

### Is Medaka Breeder free?

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

### Which has better reviews, The Marimo or Medaka Breeder?

Medaka Breeder is rated higher. The Marimo averages 4.4 out of 5 from 16 ratings, while Medaka Breeder averages 4.6 from 17 ratings.

### Do The Marimo or Medaka Breeder have ads?

The Marimo shows ads; Medaka Breeder does not.

### Which is updated more often, The Marimo or Medaka Breeder?

The Marimo ships an update every 3 months, and Medaka Breeder every 5 days. Most recently, The Marimo was updated on November 6, 2026 and Medaka Breeder on November 3, 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.*