# Operation Santa vs Mekorama

The clearest difference is price: Mekorama at Free against Operation Santa's $0.99. Mekorama also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 37 months) and ratings volume (8.9K vs 1). Operation Santa's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 6) and ads (none vs shown). On review sentiment, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Mekorama is free to download; Operation Santa costs $0.99 up front. Mekorama sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. Operation Santa asks for nothing beyond the download.

Operation Santa holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Mekorama has 8.9K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Operation Santa's written reviews are positive against 97% of Mekorama's.

Operation Santa ships an update every 37 months, Mekorama monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Operation Santa | Mekorama |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $0.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/operation-santa/id483735912/reviews)** | [4.7 (8.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mekorama/id1079464948/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **8.9K** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 96.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 37 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 10 MB | 11 MB |
| Requires iOS | 11.0 | 11.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Mike Hempfling](https://appshunter.io/developer/422781074) | [Fancade](https://appshunter.io/developer/1770270328) |

## What reviewers say

### Operation Santa

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/operation-santa/id483735912)

Help Santa deliver presents by launching them into chimneys. Master power and angle to overcome Christmas obstacles as you progress through increasingly challenging levels. Get the gifts delivered on time!

**Highlights:** Physics-based present launching, Adjustable power and angle, Overcome Christmas obstacles, Multiple challenging levels, Simple tap-and-drag controls

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Mekorama

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mekorama/id1079464948)

Guide a small robot through 50 intricate mechanical dioramas to reach its home. Enjoy relaxing gameplay with charming robots and collect level cards. Create your own dioramas with the built-in maker.

**Highlights:** 50 mechanical dioramas, Relaxing gameplay, Charming robots, Collectible level cards, Diorama maker, Small install size

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pay What You Want 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Pay What You Want 2 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Mekorama Premium | $3.99 | one-time |
| Pay What You Want 4 | $7.99 | one-time |
| Pay What You Want 5 | $15.99 | one-time |
| Pay What You Want 6 | $31.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Intuitive and fun gameplay
- 🎨 Beautiful graphics and animations
- 🎶 Relaxing and interactive music
- 💡 Ability to create and share custom levels
- 👍 Smooth and responsive controls

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional glitches and bugs
- 🔍 Limited camera controls
- 💰 Hints locked behind paywall
- 🤔 Difficulty curve can be uneven

**Reported bugs**

- Robot getting stuck or falling off platforms
- Inconsistent QR code scanning for user levels
- Occasional crashes or performance issues

**Requested features**

- Expand level creation tools
- Add more block types and textures
- Improve AI robot behavior
- Implement a level rating/sharing system
- Allow free camera movement in creator mode


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Operation Santa free?

Operation Santa costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Mekorama free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Operation Santa or Mekorama?

Operation Santa is rated higher. Operation Santa averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Mekorama averages 4.7 from 8.9K ratings.

### Do Operation Santa or Mekorama have ads?

Mekorama shows ads; Operation Santa does not.

### Which is updated more often, Operation Santa or Mekorama?

Operation Santa ships an update every 37 months, and Mekorama monthly. Most recently, Operation Santa was updated on October 23, 2026 and Mekorama on October 26, 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.*