# The Marimo vs Pass the Pen

The clearest difference is rating: Pass the Pen at 5.0 against The Marimo's 4.4. Pass the Pen also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 2 days vs every 3 months). The Marimo's advantage is ratings volume (16 vs 2) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.5). On price, 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.

Pass the Pen 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 2, 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 100% of Pass the Pen's.

The Marimo ships an update every 3 months, Pass the Pen every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Marimo | Pass the Pen |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-marimo/id398361669/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pass-the-pen/id6741333673/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **16** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 79.6% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | **Free** |
| Size | 18 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 17.5 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Kosuke Ogawa](https://appshunter.io/developer/379825481) | [Charles Von Kleeck](https://appshunter.io/developer/1793831398) |

## 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


### Pass the Pen

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pass-the-pen/id6741333673)

A collaborative storytelling game where friends take turns adding sentences to a story based on the previous player's input. Choose a theme and turn count to create unpredictable and hilarious tales perfect for parties and gatherings.

**Highlights:** Collaborative storytelling, Theme selection, Turn-based gameplay, Unpredictable story outcomes, Party and gathering game, Creative fun

**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 Pass the Pen free?

Pass the Pen is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, The Marimo or Pass the Pen?

Pass the Pen is rated higher. The Marimo averages 4.4 out of 5 from 16 ratings, while Pass the Pen averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do The Marimo or Pass the Pen have ads?

The Marimo shows ads; Pass the Pen does not.

### Which is updated more often, The Marimo or Pass the Pen?

The Marimo ships an update every 3 months, and Pass the Pen every 2 days. Most recently, The Marimo was updated on October 23, 2026 and Pass the Pen on October 17, 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.*