# Thisissand vs Emoji Maker, Avatar Creator

Thisissand and Emoji Maker, Avatar Creator both sit at 4.5 stars, but that hides the real split: 83% of Thisissand's written reviews are positive against 69% of Emoji Maker, Avatar Creator's. Thisissand also leads on iOS requirement (8.0 vs 16.0). Emoji Maker, Avatar Creator's advantage is ratings volume (14K vs 1.6K) and update cadence (monthly vs every 2 months). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Thisissand sells 7 one-off in-app purchases and Emoji Maker, Avatar Creator sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for Thisissand against 4.6 for Emoji Maker, Avatar Creator. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Emoji Maker, Avatar Creator has 14K ratings behind it against 1.6K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 83% of Thisissand's written reviews are positive against 69% of Emoji Maker, Avatar Creator's.

Thisissand ships an update every 2 months, Emoji Maker, Avatar Creator monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 10, 2026 and November 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Thisissand | Emoji Maker, Avatar Creator |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (1.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thisissand/id569414555/reviews) | **[4.6 (14K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/emoji-maker-avatar-creator/id1109117377/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1.6K | **14K** |
| Positive reviews | **83.1% of reviews** | 69.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 47 MB | 214 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Beige Elephant](https://appshunter.io/developer/569414558) | [Digital Palette LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/642936946) |

## What reviewers say

### Thisissand

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thisissand/id569414555)

Create and share mesmerizing sand art with this therapeutic app. Watch vibrant sand layers form, relax to soothing sounds, and explore a variety of color tools to design unique sand pictures. Join a community of artists and showcase your creations.

**Highlights:** Sand art creation, Relaxing soundscapes, Color Palette tool, Color Shifter tool, Color Picker from camera, Photo Sand feature, Save custom colors

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Color Palette | $0.99 | one-time |
| HD Sand | $0.99 | one-time |
| My Colors Expansion | $0.99 | one-time |
| Color Picker | $0.99 | one-time |
| Color Shifter | $0.99 | one-time |
| Toolkit (reduced price) | $0.99 | one-time |
| Toolkit | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💎 Relaxing and calming experience
- 🎨 Allows for creative expression
- 🔒 No ads or distractions
- 🤩 Satisfying sand effects
- 🤗 Supportive and friendly community

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Many features locked behind paywall
- 🐛 Occasional glitches and bugs
- 🔍 Difficult to find/access previous creations
- 🖌️ Limited color customization options

**Reported bugs**

- Screen going black after selecting photo sand
- Inability to post/share creations at times
- Inconsistent performance and loading issues
- Camera/microphone activation without user consent

**Requested features**

- Undo/erase functionality
- Ability to follow and comment on other users' creations
- More free color and sand options
- Improved search and organization of user content
- Save/resume unfinished creations


### Emoji Maker, Avatar Creator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/emoji-maker-avatar-creator/id1109117377)

Unleash your creativity by designing custom emojis, stickers, and avatars. Choose from thousands of components, including eyes, mouths, hands, and accessories, to craft unique characters. Add text, filters, and effects to personalize your creations.

**Highlights:** Design custom emojis and avatars, Thousands of components (eyes, mouths, hands), Add accessories and props, Apply filters and effects, One-tap background eraser, Custom text and fonts

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, iMessage stickers, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Emoji Maker PRO Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Ai Pro Monthly | $19.99 | per month |
| Emoji Maker PRO Annual | $59.99 | per year |
| Ai Pro Annual | $149.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fun and creative
- 👍 Allows customization of emojis
- 🎨 Good for expressing emotions

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Many features locked behind paywall
- 🔒 Limited free options
- 📤 Difficulty sharing custom emojis

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when trying to save emojis
- Issues with logging in and accessing account

**Requested features**

- More free options and accessories
- Ability to use custom emojis in messaging apps
- Improved stability and fewer crashes


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Thisissand free?

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

### Is Emoji Maker, Avatar Creator free?

Emoji Maker, Avatar Creator is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Thisissand or Emoji Maker, Avatar Creator?

Emoji Maker, Avatar Creator is rated higher. Thisissand averages 4.5 out of 5 from 1.6K ratings, while Emoji Maker, Avatar Creator averages 4.6 from 14K ratings.

### Do Thisissand or Emoji Maker, Avatar Creator have ads?

Neither Thisissand nor Emoji Maker, Avatar Creator shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Thisissand or Emoji Maker, Avatar Creator?

Thisissand ships an update every 2 months, and Emoji Maker, Avatar Creator monthly. Most recently, Thisissand was updated on November 10, 2026 and Emoji Maker, Avatar Creator on November 12, 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.*