# The Marimo vs AquaLife 3D

The clearest difference is rating: The Marimo at 4.4 against AquaLife 3D's 3.9. The Marimo also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 11) and review sentiment (80% vs 58%). AquaLife 3D's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (12.2 vs 15.6). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. AquaLife 3D sells 11 one-off in-app purchases. The Marimo asks for nothing beyond the download.

The Marimo holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 16 and 45 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 80% of The Marimo's written reviews are positive against 58% of AquaLife 3D's.

The Marimo ships an update every 3 months, AquaLife 3D every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Marimo | AquaLife 3D |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-marimo/id398361669/reviews)** | [3.9 (45 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aqualife-3d/id774987695/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 16 | **45** |
| Positive reviews | **79.6% of reviews** | 57.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 18 MB | 138 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **12.2** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Kosuke Ogawa](https://appshunter.io/developer/379825481) | [Nikolay Egorov](https://appshunter.io/developer/768130260) |

## 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


### AquaLife 3D

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aqualife-3d/id774987695)

Design and manage your own virtual aquarium with realistic 3D fish and decorations. Explore freshwater, saltwater, and fantasy environments, breed and sell fish to earn in-game currency, and customize your underwater world.

**Highlights:** Realistic 3D fish and decorations, Multiple aquarium types (saltwater, freshwater, fantasy), Breed, feed, and sell fish, Earn coins, diamonds, and experience, Over 100 fish species and decorations, Social features: invite friends, give/receive gifts

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 2 000 coins | $0.99 | one-time |
| 10 diamonds | $0.99 | one-time |
| 20 diamonds | $1.99 | one-time |
| 4 500 coins | $1.99 | one-time |
| 55 diamonds | $4.99 | one-time |
| 45 diamonds | $5.99 | one-time |
| 15 000 coins | $5.99 | one-time |
| 70 diamonds | $5.99 | one-time |
| VIP | $5.99 | one-time |
| 120 diamonds | $9.99 | one-time |
| 250 diamonds | $19.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Marimo free?

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

### Is AquaLife 3D free?

AquaLife 3D is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, The Marimo or AquaLife 3D?

The Marimo is rated higher. The Marimo averages 4.4 out of 5 from 16 ratings, while AquaLife 3D averages 3.9 from 45 ratings.

### Do The Marimo or AquaLife 3D have ads?

The Marimo shows ads; AquaLife 3D does not.

### Which is updated more often, The Marimo or AquaLife 3D?

The Marimo ships an update every 3 months, and AquaLife 3D every 4 months. Most recently, The Marimo was updated on September 22, 2026 and AquaLife 3D on September 19, 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.*