# Minecraft vs MelonBox

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Minecraft at 76% against MelonBox's 25%. Minecraft also leads on rating (4.5 vs 3.4) and ads (none vs shown). MelonBox's advantage is price (Free vs $6.99). On update cadence, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

MelonBox is free to download; Minecraft costs $6.99 up front. Minecraft sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and MelonBox sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $12.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Minecraft holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Minecraft has 845K ratings behind it against 47, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 76% of Minecraft's written reviews are positive against 25% of MelonBox's.

Minecraft ships an update every 2 weeks, MelonBox every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Minecraft | MelonBox |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $6.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.5 (845K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/minecraft-play-with-friends/id479516143/reviews)** | [3.4 (47 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/melonbox/id6479563946/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **845K** | 47 |
| Positive reviews | **76.3% of reviews** | 25.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | **#1** | — |
| Size | 1.3 GB | 394 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Mojang](https://appshunter.io/developer/479516146) | [KIDS GAMES LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1479640840) |

## What reviewers say

### Minecraft

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/minecraft-play-with-friends/id479516143)

**Currently charting:** #1 Top Paid · Games, #1 Top Paid · Adventure, #1 Top Paid · Simulation, #2 Top Paid, #8 Top Grossing · Adventure, #10 Top Grossing · Simulation, #97 Top Grossing · Games (US App Store)

Explore an infinite open world, gather resources, and build anything you can imagine. Survive dangerous nights or create freely in various modes. Play solo or with friends across multiple platforms.

**Highlights:** Open-world exploration, Building and crafting, Survival mode, Creative mode, Multiplayer gameplay, Cross-platform play, Marketplace for add-ons

**Features:** Game Controller support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Realms Monthly Subscription: You + 2 Friends | $3.99 | per month |
| Realms Plus: You + 10 Friends | $7.99 | per month |
| Realms Plus:10 Friends w/trial | $7.99 | per month |
| Minecraft Store Item 2 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Minecraft Store Item 3 | $2.99 | one-time |
| Minecraft Store Item 4 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Minecraft Store Item 5 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Minecraft Store Item 6 | $5.99 | one-time |
| Minecraft Store Item 8 | $7.99 | one-time |
| Minecraft Store Item 10 | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🤩 Amazing game
- 👍 Endless creativity
- 🎮 Engaging gameplay
- 🌳 Peaceful survival mode
- 🔥 Exciting updates

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and glitches
- ⚠️ Complicated controls and UI
- 💰 Expensive in-app purchases
- 🔌 Performance issues on older devices
- 🤖 Unwanted account requirements

**Reported bugs**

- Disappearing items and pets
- Skin and texture pack issues
- Frozen loading screens
- Multiplayer connectivity problems
- Redstone and command block glitches

**Requested features**

- More animal varieties
- Furniture and home decor options
- Vertical slabs and stairs
- Customizable pet behaviors
- New dimensions and bosses


### MelonBox

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/melonbox/id6479563946)

Create and destroy in a 3D sandbox universe. Build worlds, populate them with dynamic characters, and unleash chaos with a variety of weapons. Experience a living environment that reacts to your actions.

**Highlights:** 3D world-building, Dynamic character creation, Over 20 weapons, Interactive environments, Sandbox gameplay, Community features

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

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Battle Pass | $12.99 | per 7 days |
| Toilet Attack | $5.99 | one-time |
| Tesla Titan | $5.99 | one-time |
| Solarman Titan | $5.99 | one-time |
| Lightman Titan | $5.99 | one-time |
| Sirenman Titan | $5.99 | one-time |
| Mikehead Titan | $5.99 | one-time |
| Drill Titan | $5.99 | one-time |
| Machine gun Titan | $5.99 | one-time |
| Plane Titan | $5.99 | one-time |
| Chainsaw Angel Titan + No ADs | $6.99 | one-time |
| Reporter Titan + No ADs | $6.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Minecraft free?

Minecraft costs $6.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is MelonBox free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Minecraft or MelonBox?

Minecraft is rated higher. Minecraft averages 4.5 out of 5 from 845K ratings, while MelonBox averages 3.4 from 47 ratings.

### Do Minecraft or MelonBox have ads?

MelonBox shows ads; Minecraft does not.

### Which is updated more often, Minecraft or MelonBox?

Minecraft ships an update every 2 weeks, and MelonBox every 3 weeks. Most recently, Minecraft was updated on November 1, 2026 and MelonBox on October 30, 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.*