# Particlescape vs Sandbox

Particlescape and Sandbox both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 86% of Particlescape's written reviews are positive against 48% of Sandbox's. Particlescape also leads on ads (none vs shown) and device support (5 vs 3). Sandbox's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 24 months) and ratings volume (8.4K vs 76). On price, rating, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Particlescape sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and Sandbox sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Particlescape holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sandbox has 8.4K ratings behind it against 76, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 86% of Particlescape's written reviews are positive against 48% of Sandbox's.

Particlescape ships an update every 24 months, Sandbox monthly. The most recent releases landed on August 8, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Particlescape | Sandbox |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (76 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/particlescape/id480584527/reviews)** | [4.4 (8.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sandbox-physics-simulator/id1563185441/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 76 | **8.4K** |
| Positive reviews | **85.5% of reviews** | 47.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 24 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 1 MB | 208 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV, Vision Pro** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Edwin Sirko](https://appshunter.io/developer/480585250) | [Tran Dinh Hung](https://appshunter.io/developer/1475879763) |

## What reviewers say

### Particlescape

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/particlescape/id480584527)

This app lets you create stunning visual patterns using interactive particle and gravity simulations. Generate thousands of particles with each touch, with higher resolution in dense areas. Optimized for performance, it supports up to half a million particles on screen.

**Highlights:** Interactive particle and gravity simulation, Generate particles with touch, Apply gravity with double-tap-hold, High-resolution rendering in dense areas, Supports up to 500,000 particles, 3D Touch pressure sensitivity

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Upgrade to Enable More Touches Without Ads | $1.99 | one-time |
| Upgrade to Enable Advanced Options | $1.99 | one-time |
| Premium options | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- ✨ Mesmerizing and beautiful visuals
- 🧘 Calming and relaxing experience
- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 🤩 Highly entertaining and fun
- 💡 Great for distraction and stress relief

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤔 Limited customization options
- 💸 Paid upgrades don't always work
- ❓ Controls can be difficult to use
- ⚫ Black background can be overwhelming
- 👎 Ads can be intrusive

**Reported bugs**

- Controls not working
- Upgrade does nothing
- App doesn't do anything anymore
- Menus don't work on iPad Air 2
- Paid upgrade provides no new features

**Requested features**

- Add meditation music
- Ability to change colors
- More options for drag and radius
- More physics properties
- Ability to remove or dim black background


### Sandbox

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sandbox-physics-simulator/id1563185441)

Explore a creative sandbox world where you can mix elements to discover their reactions and create dynamic environments. Experiment with physics, build structures, and witness exciting events like explosions and growth. New modes allow for planet destruction and life cycle simulation.

**Highlights:** Element mixing and reaction discovery, World building with plants and weather, Physics experiments (fire, explosions), Planet destruction mode, Life cycle simulation mode

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Unique and creative concept
- 🔬 Interesting physics and chemistry experiments
- 🕹️ Fun and addictive gameplay

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤯 Excessive and intrusive ads
- 🤖 Lack of customization and control options
- 🔍 Difficulty finding certain elements

**Reported bugs**

- Certain elements not functioning as expected
- Saved files becoming corrupted
- Inconsistent performance and stability issues

**Requested features**

- Add more elements and materials to experiment with
- Implement a pause/speed up time feature
- Introduce a sandbox mode without any ads
- Allow users to save and load custom creations


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Particlescape free?

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

### Is Sandbox free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Particlescape or Sandbox?

Particlescape is rated higher. Particlescape averages 4.6 out of 5 from 76 ratings, while Sandbox averages 4.4 from 8.4K ratings.

### Do Particlescape or Sandbox have ads?

Sandbox shows ads; Particlescape does not.

### Which is updated more often, Particlescape or Sandbox?

Particlescape ships an update every 24 months, and Sandbox monthly. Most recently, Particlescape was updated on August 8, 2026 and Sandbox on September 24, 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.*