# Dusty the Digger vs Backhoe!

The clearest difference is price: Dusty the Digger at Free against Backhoe!'s $1.99. Dusty the Digger also leads on ratings volume (17 vs 2). Backhoe!'s advantage is rating (4.5 vs 3.8) and in-app purchases (none vs 10). On update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Dusty the Digger is free to download; Backhoe! costs $1.99 up front. Dusty the Digger sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $2.00 per month. Backhoe! asks for nothing beyond the download.

Backhoe! holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Dusty the Digger has 17 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Dusty the Digger ships an update every 83 months, Backhoe! every 53 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Dusty the Digger | Backhoe! |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $1.99 |
| Rating | [3.8 (17 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dusty-the-digger/id590266810/reviews) | **[4.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backhoe/id1087279396/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **17** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 89.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 83 months | **Every 53 months** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Size | 103 MB | 64 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **10.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Funloop](https://appshunter.io/developer/1845915590) | [Austin Ivansmith](https://appshunter.io/developer/806084714) |

## What reviewers say

### Dusty the Digger

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dusty-the-digger/id590266810)

Help a friendly construction vehicle navigate challenges, rescue friends, and build a new home. This interactive app features fun animations, sounds, and encourages curiosity and imagination in young children.

**Highlights:** Move, break, and build with Dusty, Rescue friends and build a new home, Hundreds of fun animations and sounds, Develop fine motor skills, Spark imagination, Collect and play with various animal friends

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Friends Pass Monthly | $2.00 | per month |
| Friends Pass Yearly | $12.00 | per year |
| Troop of Monkeys | $1.99 | one-time |
| Colony of Bunnies | $1.99 | one-time |
| Pack of 2 Friends | $2.99 | one-time |
| Pack of 3 Friends | $3.99 | one-time |
| Pack of 4 Friends | $4.99 | one-time |


### Backhoe!

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backhoe/id1087279396)

An interactive illustration game designed for young children, featuring a backhoe with simple touch controls. Kids can explore, dig, and drive without any pressure or complex mechanics.

**Highlights:** Interactive backhoe controls, Simple touch-to-play mechanics, Watercolor illustration style, No ads or in-app purchases, Score tracking, Kid-friendly design

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Dusty the Digger free?

Dusty the Digger is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Backhoe! free?

Backhoe! costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Dusty the Digger or Backhoe!?

Backhoe! is rated higher. Dusty the Digger averages 3.8 out of 5 from 17 ratings, while Backhoe! averages 4.5 from 2 ratings.

### Do Dusty the Digger or Backhoe! have ads?

Neither Dusty the Digger nor Backhoe! shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Dusty the Digger or Backhoe!?

Dusty the Digger ships an update every 83 months, and Backhoe! every 53 months. Most recently, Dusty the Digger was updated on November 1, 2026 and Backhoe! on November 2, 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.*