# iQuarium vs XScreenSaver

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: XScreenSaver at none against iQuarium's 9. XScreenSaver also leads on review sentiment (93% vs 61%) and rating (4.8 vs 4.3). iQuarium's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 6 months) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 17.6). On price, ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. iQuarium sells 9 one-off in-app purchases. XScreenSaver asks for nothing beyond the download.

XScreenSaver holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 240 and 109 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 61% of iQuarium's written reviews are positive against 93% of XScreenSaver's.

iQuarium ships an update monthly, XScreenSaver every 6 months. Both last shipped on November 1, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | iQuarium | XScreenSaver |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (240 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/iquarium/id486736110/reviews) | **[4.8 (109 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xscreensaver/id539014593/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **240** | 109 |
| Positive reviews | 61.4% of reviews | **92.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 6 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 123 MB | 37 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 17.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Infinite Dreams Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/306712040) | [Jamie Zawinski](https://appshunter.io/developer/368900426) |

## What reviewers say

### iQuarium

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/iquarium/id486736110)

A virtual aquarium app designed for relaxation and stress relief. Watch your fish swim, feed them, and interact with them in a calming environment. Discover new decorations to personalize your tank and develop your fish's unique personality.

**Highlights:** Virtual fish tank simulation, Interactive fish care (feeding, playing), Discover and place decorations, Develop fish personality, Relaxing ambient sounds, Personalizable aquarium space

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

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 5000 Points | $0.99 | one-time |
| 5000 Points + Pirate Theme | $0.99 | one-time |
| 5000 Points + Zombie Theme | $0.99 | one-time |
| Pink Theme | $0.99 | one-time |
| Military Theme | $0.99 | one-time |
| Gangsta Theme | $0.99 | one-time |
| Christmas Theme | $0.99 | one-time |
| Happy New Year Theme | $0.99 | one-time |
| Bundle (4 Themes + 5000 pts) | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🐟 Realistic fish behavior
- 🌱 Relaxing aquarium experience
- 🎨 Beautiful graphics and animations
- 🕰️ Useful clock feature

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🕰️ Slow progression and unlocking of new items
- 🐟 Limited number of fish
- 🛑 Lack of updates and new content
- 💤 Boring after initial novelty wears off

**Reported bugs**

- Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions
- Crashing and performance problems
- Inconsistent point tracking and unlocking

**Requested features**

- Add more fish species and color variations
- Implement fish breeding and baby fish
- Allow for more customization and decoration of the aquarium
- Introduce new interactive elements and mini-games


### XScreenSaver

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xscreensaver/id539014593)

Explore a vast collection of historic and educational graphics demos originally designed for Linux and Unix systems. This application allows you to interact with hundreds of these visual demonstrations, ported from the classic screen saver collection.

**Highlights:** Historic graphics demos, Educational visual content, Interactive demo playback, Large collection of visuals, Cross-platform heritage

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- ✨ No ads or data collection
- 🎨 Extensive variety of screensavers
- 📱 Works seamlessly across multiple platforms (iOS, Mac, iPad)
- 🆓 Completely free application
- 🕰️ Nostalgic and retro aesthetic appeal

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes with certain screensavers
- 🎯 Difficult to tap small exit button on larger devices
- 🔋 High battery consumption on some devices
- ⚠️ Photo library screensaver crashes on iOS 13
- 🎪 Limited practical use on iOS devices

**Reported bugs**

- Photo library screensaver crashes on iOS 13
- GLText reveals password when system info is selected
- Framebuffer loading failures requiring app restart
- Crashes on certain devices or configurations
- Difficult UI for exiting screensavers on larger phones

**Requested features**

- Favorites or bookmarking system to save preferred screensavers
- Hide or exclude unwanted screensavers from rotation
- Ability to select specific channels in XAnalogTV screensaver
- Widget support for iOS standby mode
- Prevent auto-lock feature to keep screen on


## Frequently asked questions

### Is iQuarium free?

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

### Is XScreenSaver free?

XScreenSaver is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, iQuarium or XScreenSaver?

XScreenSaver is rated higher. iQuarium averages 4.3 out of 5 from 240 ratings, while XScreenSaver averages 4.8 from 109 ratings.

### Do iQuarium or XScreenSaver have ads?

Neither iQuarium nor XScreenSaver shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, iQuarium or XScreenSaver?

iQuarium ships an update monthly, and XScreenSaver every 6 months. Most recently, iQuarium was updated on November 1, 2026 and XScreenSaver on November 1, 2026.

---

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