# Meanwhile vs Mr. Potato Head

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Meanwhile at none against Mr. Potato Head's 1. Meanwhile also leads on review sentiment (79% vs 51%). Mr. Potato Head's advantage is rating (4.5 vs 4.1) and ratings volume (328 vs 10). On update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Meanwhile costs $4.99 and Mr. Potato Head $3.99 up front. Mr. Potato Head sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Meanwhile asks for nothing beyond the download.

Mr. Potato Head holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Mr. Potato Head has 328 ratings behind it against 10, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 79% of Meanwhile's written reviews are positive against 51% of Mr. Potato Head's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Meanwhile ships an update every 12 months, Mr. Potato Head every 7 months. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Meanwhile | Mr. Potato Head |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $4.99 | **$3.99** |
| Rating | [4.1 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/meanwhile-interactive-comic/id458451517/reviews) | **[4.5 (328 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mr-potato-head-school-rush/id1065623382/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 10 | **328** |
| Positive reviews | **79.2% of reviews** | 51.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 12 months | **Every 7 months** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | #158 | **#26** |
| Size | 55 MB | 320 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Zarfhome Software Consulting](https://appshunter.io/developer/457956106) | [PlayDate Digital](https://appshunter.io/developer/652113715) |

## What reviewers say

### Meanwhile

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/meanwhile-interactive-comic/id458451517)

**Currently charting:** #158 Top Paid · Book (US App Store)

Explore a mad scientist's wonderland and make choices that shape your adventure. This interactive comic offers thousands of branching paths, leading to various outcomes, from doom to success. Experience a unique story with full audio accessibility.

**Highlights:** Branching narrative paths, User-driven story choices, Thousands of adventure outcomes, Infinite scrollable canvas, Full audio accessibility (VoiceOver)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Mr. Potato Head

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mr-potato-head-school-rush/id1065623382)

**Currently charting:** #26 Top Paid · Book (US App Store)

Embark on a Spud-tacular adventure with an interactive storybook app. Tap, swipe, shake, and tilt your way through a thrilling tale as a beloved character tries to get you to school on time, encountering pirates, aliens, and more.

**Highlights:** Interactive storybook adventure, Tap, swipe, shake, and tilt controls, User-driven story with costume changes, Eight fun locations, Cinematic animations, Shake-a-thon finale

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great app for kids
- 😂 Funny and humorous content
- 🎨 Beautiful graphics and animations
- 📚 Engaging storybook experience
- 🗣️ Superb voice acting

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 Waste of money
- ⏳ Too short, little replay value
-  intrusive ads
- 💰 High cost for limited content
- 🗣️ No French voiceover (VF)

**Reported bugs**

- 🐛 Stuck in a loop asking for birth year
- 🐛 App crashes frequently
- 🐛 Loading screens get stuck indefinitely
- 🐛 No sound on some devices
- 🐛 App not opening on Apple TV

**Requested features**

- Add more levels or content
- Improve replayability
- Fix the loading bug


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Meanwhile free?

Meanwhile costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Mr. Potato Head free?

Mr. Potato Head costs $3.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Meanwhile or Mr. Potato Head?

Mr. Potato Head is rated higher. Meanwhile averages 4.1 out of 5 from 10 ratings, while Mr. Potato Head averages 4.5 from 328 ratings.

### Do Meanwhile or Mr. Potato Head have ads?

Neither Meanwhile nor Mr. Potato Head shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Meanwhile or Mr. Potato Head?

Meanwhile ships an update every 12 months, and Mr. Potato Head every 7 months. Most recently, Meanwhile was updated on October 1, 2026 and Mr. Potato Head on October 13, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Meanwhile or Mr. Potato Head?

Meanwhile currently peaks at #158 in the App Store charts, and Mr. Potato Head at #26. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*