# PuppetMaster vs Shadow Theater

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Shadow Theater at none against PuppetMaster's 6. PuppetMaster's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PuppetMaster sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Shadow Theater asks for nothing beyond the download.

PuppetMaster ships an update monthly, Shadow Theater every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PuppetMaster | Shadow Theater |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.0 (52 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/puppetmaster/id438080891/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **52** | — |
| Positive reviews | 39.5% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 415 MB | 98 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Shmonster LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/438080894) | [Jersey Zhongwen LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/6773322283) |

## What reviewers say

### PuppetMaster

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/puppetmaster/id438080891)

Create animated videos by acting out scenes or touching the screen. Record your voice to bring characters to life in real-time. Features motion capture, multi-touch control, and the ability to use custom puppets and backgrounds.

**Highlights:** Real-time animation, Motion capture, Multi-touch animation, Create custom puppets, Create custom backgrounds, Export and share videos

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Creative Kids' Activities | $2.99 | per month |
| Animation | $2.99 | per month |
| Creative Kids' Activities | $24.99 | per year |
| Animation | $24.99 | per year |
| Animation | $2.99 | one-time |
| Animation | $24.99 | one-time |


### Shadow Theater

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shadow-theater/id6780068913)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PuppetMaster free?

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

### Is Shadow Theater free?

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

### Do PuppetMaster or Shadow Theater have ads?

Neither PuppetMaster nor Shadow Theater shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, PuppetMaster or Shadow Theater?

PuppetMaster ships an update monthly, and Shadow Theater every 3 months. Most recently, PuppetMaster was updated on September 29, 2026 and Shadow Theater on October 2, 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.*