Comparison

Dobutsu vs VDateNow

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Dobutsu

A Japanese clock application that displays time with Japanese notation and audio. It is free to download and use.

Highlights
  • Japanese time notation
  • Japanese audio
  • Free to download
  • iPhone, iPad, iPod support
Features
Read full description

This is Japanese clock app. Please be aware before you make a purchase that notation and audio are only available in Japanese.

About

VDateNow

Create augmented reality scenes by placing virtual characters on real-world surfaces. Take photos from any angle, customize characters with different VRM models, and even import external animations. This app allows for immersive virtual photography experiences.

Highlights
  • Augmented reality character placement
  • Customizable VRM model import
  • External motion import
  • Any-angle photography
  • Marker image toggle
  • Smartphone VR goggles support
Read full description

[Application overview] *When you see the marker on the table with the terminal camera, the character sits on the other side of the table. *You can take pictures from any angle you like. *You can change the characters by loading another VRM model you prepared. (You can import VRM model from VRoid Hub) *You can also use VR goggles for smartphones (The camera is not blocked.) to see 3D images. *You can also import and play external motions. [how to use] *Pre-work 1. Print the images shown below in A3 size (210 * 297mm). https://drive.google.com/open?id=1aso6gAUGB4HI2F_N13i5yd0A4FteaKOB 2. Place the printed image on the table where you want the character to appear. * How to operate this application ** How to make a character appear 1. When you start the application, the character list will be displayed, so please select the model you want to display. *Initially, Alicia Solid is the only character. You will learn how to add other models later. 2. Press the Menu icon to delete the Character List window. (Press again to redisplay) 3. Please look at the pictures you prepared in advance through phone camera. 4. When the "character selection" and "Fit image to camera" conditions are met, the characters automatically appear and sit at the table. We're all set. ** After the character appeared - Press the camera icon to take a picture. Take a picture from any position you like. The shot images are saved in the Gallery. - Press cloth icon to hide (or show) marker image. Hide mode is helpful when you want to put objects on the real maker and take pictures. - Press character icon, and she/he appears again. - You can load the other model to change to her/him. *How to Add VRM Models * Cautions * Read and use VRM files in accordance with the terms of use of each VRM file. Click the “Import VRM Files” button and select the model files you want to import. Such files must have the .vrm extension. The previous method used in versions 2.9.0 and earlier — manually placing files directly under the “VDateNow” folder (subfolders allowed) — is still supported. [Privacy Policy] *This application uses the camera of the terminal for AR display. *This app accesses your photo library to save photos [About Default Models] *This application uses the following VRM files as default characters. DWANGO Co., Ltd. "ニコニ立体ちゃん" http://3d.nicovideo.jp/alicia/

Screenshots

Dobutsu4 screens
VDateNow3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Dobutsu at 79% against VDateNow's 0%. Dobutsu also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 13.0). VDateNow's advantage is rating (3.5 vs 3.3). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

VDateNow holds the better App Store score, 3.5 against 3.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 8 and 4 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 79% of Dobutsu's written reviews are positive against 0% of VDateNow's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Dobutsu ships an update every 3 weeks, VDateNow every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Dobutsu versus VDateNow: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDobutsuVDateNow
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.3 (8 ratings)3.5 (4 ratings) — better
Positive reviews78.9% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings8 — better4
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS8.0 — better13.0
Further details — not scored
Size25 MB182 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperToshihide ShimadaYoshihiro Ito

Customer experience

Dobutsu

All ratings8 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral12.5%
Negative37.5%
Written reviews19 reviews
Positive78.9%
Neutral10.5%
Negative10.5%

VDateNow

All ratings4 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral25.0%
Negative25.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

In-app purchases

None

Dobutsu

No in-app purchases

None

VDateNow

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Dobutsu free?
Dobutsu is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is VDateNow free?
VDateNow is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Dobutsu or VDateNow?
VDateNow is rated higher. Dobutsu averages 3.3 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while VDateNow averages 3.5 from 4 ratings.
Do Dobutsu or VDateNow have ads?
Neither Dobutsu nor VDateNow shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Dobutsu or VDateNow?
Dobutsu ships an update every 3 weeks, and VDateNow every 2 months. Most recently, Dobutsu was updated on September 25, 2026 and VDateNow on October 3, 2026.

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