# Junk Jack Retro vs Growtopia

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Junk Jack Retro at 84% against Growtopia's 32%. Junk Jack Retro also leads on rating (4.3 vs 3.8) and ads (none vs shown). Growtopia's advantage is price (Free vs $0.99) and ratings volume (11K vs 147). On in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Growtopia is free to download; Junk Jack Retro costs $0.99 up front. Junk Jack Retro sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and Growtopia sells 23 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Junk Jack Retro holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Growtopia has 11K ratings behind it against 147, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 84% of Junk Jack Retro's written reviews are positive against 32% of Growtopia's.

Junk Jack Retro ships an update every 5 weeks, Growtopia fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Junk Jack Retro | Growtopia |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $0.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.3 (147 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/junk-jack-retro/id436555490/reviews)** | [3.8 (11K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/growtopia/id590495115/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 147 | **11K** |
| Positive reviews | **84.2% of reviews** | 31.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 32 MB | 372 MB |
| Requires iOS | **7.1** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Pixbits SRL](https://appshunter.io/developer/436555493) | [Ubisoft](https://appshunter.io/developer/317644720) |

## What reviewers say

### Junk Jack Retro

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/junk-jack-retro/id436555490)

Explore, build, and survive in procedurally generated 2D worlds. This prequel offers retro pixel art, a dynamic day/night cycle, and a vast array of crafting and building options. Discover hidden secrets, fight monsters, and create unique homes.

**Highlights:** Retro style pixel art, Procedurally generated worlds, Dynamic day/night cycle, Advanced farming system, Extensive crafting recipes, Underground biomes, Combat with diverse mobs

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Complete CraftBook | $0.99 | one-time |
| Slime Hat | $0.99 | one-time |
| Botanist Hat | $0.99 | one-time |
| Chef Hat | $0.99 | one-time |
| Robin Hood Hat | $0.99 | one-time |
| Breeding Hat | $0.99 | one-time |
| Jazon Hat | $0.99 | one-time |
| Frost Ninja Hat | $0.99 | one-time |
| Santa Hat | $0.99 | one-time |
| Golden Logo | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- ⭐ Long-time fan
- 💬 Multiplayer request
- 🎮 Retro feel
- 👍 Great game
- 🔍 Lots of content to explore

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes
- 🔒 Needs more security
- 🕹️ Clunky controls
- 💰 Not worth the money
- 🤔 Confusing

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes on launch
- Inventory/crafting issues
- Compatibility problems
- Saving/loading issues

**Requested features**

- Multiplayer
- Creative mode
- More content updates
- Armor and weapons
- Customization options


### Growtopia

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/growtopia/id590495115)

This is a 2D sandbox game where players can build anything, create unique characters, and explore thousands of worlds. Engage in player-generated mini-games, craft items, and trade with a massive online community. Enjoy regular updates and cross-platform play.

**Highlights:** Build anything imaginable, Create unique characters, Explore thousands of worlds, Play player-generated mini-games, Craft and trade items, Cross-platform play

**In-app purchases (23)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Bag o' Gems | $0.99 | one-time |
| Chest o' Gems | $1.99 | one-time |
| Special Consumable 1 | $2.99 | one-time |
| Holiday Pack! | $2.99 | one-time |
| Special Event Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Gem Fountain | $4.99 | one-time |
| 30 Days Subscription | $5.99 | one-time |
| Special Cape | $9.99 | one-time |
| It's Rainin' Gems | $9.99 | one-time |
| Royal Grow Pass | $9.99 | one-time |
| Awesome Item 1 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Awesome Item 2 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Special Cosmetic | $9.99 | one-time |
| Special Cosmetic Item 2 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Special Cosmetic 1 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Special Event Pack | $14.99 | one-time |
| Special Bundle 2 | $14.99 | one-time |
| Event Value Pack 2 | $14.99 | one-time |
| Event Pass | $19.99 | one-time |
| Road To Glory | $24.99 | one-time |
| Gem Bounty | $29.99 | one-time |
| 365 Days Subscription | $49.99 | one-time |
| Gem Abundance | $49.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💕 Childhood memories
- 🌟 Fun and engaging gameplay
- 👥 Ability to meet people from around the world
- 🕹️ Unique sandbox experience

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤖 Bots and spammers
- 🔒 Poor security and hacking issues
- 🤯 Toxic community and scammers
- 🔧 Unstable servers and disconnections
- 💰 Expensive in-game purchases

**Reported bugs**

- Random bans without explanation
- Rollback issues causing loss of items
- Glitches causing forced disconnections

**Requested features**

- Improved security measures
- Better moderation and banning of scammers
- Optimized server performance
- Controller support
- Revamped user interface


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Junk Jack Retro free?

Junk Jack Retro costs $0.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is Growtopia free?

Growtopia is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Junk Jack Retro or Growtopia?

Junk Jack Retro is rated higher. Junk Jack Retro averages 4.3 out of 5 from 147 ratings, while Growtopia averages 3.8 from 11K ratings.

### Do Junk Jack Retro or Growtopia have ads?

Growtopia shows ads; Junk Jack Retro does not.

### Which is updated more often, Junk Jack Retro or Growtopia?

Junk Jack Retro ships an update every 5 weeks, and Growtopia fortnightly. Most recently, Junk Jack Retro was updated on October 29, 2026 and Growtopia on October 31, 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.*