# Cracker Jack vs Sphero Play

The clearest difference is rating: Sphero Play at 4.8 against Cracker Jack's 2.9. Sphero Play also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 15 months) and review sentiment (69% vs 40%). Cracker Jack's advantage is iOS requirement (5.1.1 vs 15.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Sphero Play holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sphero Play has 37K ratings behind it against 26, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 40% of Cracker Jack's written reviews are positive against 69% of Sphero Play's.

Cracker Jack ships an update every 15 months, Sphero Play every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Cracker Jack | Sphero Play |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.9 (26 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cracker-jack/id622864095/reviews) | **[4.8 (37K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sphero-play/id1280682522/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 26 | **37K** |
| Positive reviews | 40.0% of reviews | **69.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 15 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 33 MB | 193 MB |
| Requires iOS | **5.1.1** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [PepsiCo, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/492265869) | [Sphero, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/468699622) |

## What reviewers say

### Cracker Jack

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cracker-jack/id622864095)

Experience the classic Cracker Jack® prize fun with interactive games on your iPhone. Test your skills in a challenging ball navigation game or hit home runs in a baseball simulator.

**Highlights:** Digital Cracker Jack prizes, CJ Ball game, CJ Up to Bat game, Skill and balance challenges, Baseball simulator

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Sphero Play

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sphero-play/id1280682522)

Control and play with various Sphero robots using a single application. Explore multiple drive modes, engage in robot-controlled games, and learn basic programming through a block-based interface.

**Highlights:** Multiple drive modes (joystick, tilt, voice), Robot-controlled games, Block Drive programming, Sports-themed drive modes, Voice control

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fun and engaging app
- 👍 Great controls and customization
- 🎮 Enjoyable games and activities
- 💡 Compatibility with multiple Sphero products

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional connectivity issues
- 🔧 Limited features compared to older apps
- 🔋 Concerns about battery life and durability

**Reported bugs**

- Joystick controls not working as expected
- Alignment issues causing unexpected movement

**Requested features**

- More games and activities
- Support for additional Sphero products (e.g. Ollie, BB-8)
- Improved aiming and control precision
- Camera integration to see the Sphero's view


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Cracker Jack free?

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

### Is Sphero Play free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Cracker Jack or Sphero Play?

Sphero Play is rated higher. Cracker Jack averages 2.9 out of 5 from 26 ratings, while Sphero Play averages 4.8 from 37K ratings.

### Do Cracker Jack or Sphero Play have ads?

Neither Cracker Jack nor Sphero Play shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Cracker Jack or Sphero Play?

Cracker Jack ships an update every 15 months, and Sphero Play every 2 months. Most recently, Cracker Jack was updated on October 23, 2026 and Sphero Play 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.*