# The Marimo vs MarimoSimulator

The clearest difference is rating: MarimoSimulator at 5.0 against The Marimo's 4.4. MarimoSimulator also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months). The Marimo's advantage is ratings volume (16 vs 1). 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.

MarimoSimulator holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: The Marimo has 16 ratings behind it against 1, 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 83% of MarimoSimulator's.

The Marimo ships an update every 3 months, MarimoSimulator every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Marimo | MarimoSimulator |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-marimo/id398361669/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/marimosimulator/id6503089573/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **16** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 79.6% of reviews | **83.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | Ad-supported |
| Size | 18 MB | 289 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Kosuke Ogawa](https://appshunter.io/developer/379825481) | [Takuma Takahashi](https://appshunter.io/developer/1704744113) |

## 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


### MarimoSimulator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/marimosimulator/id6503089573)

Experience daily relaxation by raising fluffy, cute marimo. Enjoy visual effects by switching lights and soothing music. This simple idle game is perfect for killing time and finding peace.

**Highlights:** Idle marimo breeding, Relaxing gameplay, Visual light effects, Soothing music, Simple controls, Tank cleaning mechanic

**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 MarimoSimulator free?

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

### Which has better reviews, The Marimo or MarimoSimulator?

MarimoSimulator is rated higher. The Marimo averages 4.4 out of 5 from 16 ratings, while MarimoSimulator averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do The Marimo or MarimoSimulator have ads?

Both The Marimo and MarimoSimulator show ads.

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

The Marimo ships an update every 3 months, and MarimoSimulator every 3 weeks. Most recently, The Marimo was updated on September 22, 2026 and MarimoSimulator on September 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.*