# Cracker Jack vs Scout Elf® Ideas

The clearest difference is rating: Scout Elf® Ideas at 4.6 against Cracker Jack's 2.9. Scout Elf® Ideas also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 15 months) and ratings volume (3.6K vs 26). Cracker Jack's advantage is iOS requirement (5.1.1 vs 16.0). 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.

Scout Elf® Ideas holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 2.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Scout Elf® Ideas has 3.6K 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 65% of Scout Elf® Ideas's.

Cracker Jack ships an update every 15 months, Scout Elf® Ideas monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Cracker Jack | Scout Elf® Ideas |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.9 (26 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cracker-jack/id622864095/reviews) | **[4.6 (3.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scout-elf-ideas/id909087462/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 26 | **3.6K** |
| Positive reviews | 40.0% of reviews | **65.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 15 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 33 MB | 145 MB |
| Requires iOS | **5.1.1** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [PepsiCo, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/492265869) | [The Elf on the Shelf CCA & B LLC.](https://appshunter.io/developer/559893611) |

## 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


### Scout Elf® Ideas

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scout-elf-ideas/id909087462)

This app provides daily photo inspiration and creative ideas for Scout Elves during the Christmas season. Discover crafts, clothes, and instructions to recreate scenes and enhance your holiday traditions. Get alerts from the North Pole to prepare for elf arrivals and departures.

**Highlights:** Daily photo feed with inspiration, Idea Spinner for random suggestions, Filterable ideas and photos, Materials and instructions included, North Pole alerts for preparation, Elf arrival and departure notifications, Kids Mode with North Pole activities

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🎅 Fun and creative elf ideas
- 👍 Helpful for keeping Christmas traditions alive
- 🎨 Inspires family creativity and bonding
- 🕰️ Useful reminder for elf activities

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Concerns about app access for children
- 🤔 Some ideas too complex or require extra purchases
- 🐛 Bugs and glitches with app functionality
- 🔍 Lack of ability to easily switch between kid and adult modes

**Reported bugs**

- App crashing or freezing
- Inability to delete the app
- Saved favorites/ideas not persisting
- Videos and images not loading properly

**Requested features**

- More original and simple elf ideas
- Ability to save/share custom elf ideas
- Password protection for adult section
- Expanded content for international users


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Cracker Jack free?

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

### Is Scout Elf® Ideas free?

Scout Elf® Ideas is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Cracker Jack or Scout Elf® Ideas?

Scout Elf® Ideas is rated higher. Cracker Jack averages 2.9 out of 5 from 26 ratings, while Scout Elf® Ideas averages 4.6 from 3.6K ratings.

### Do Cracker Jack or Scout Elf® Ideas have ads?

Neither Cracker Jack nor Scout Elf® Ideas shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Cracker Jack or Scout Elf® Ideas?

Cracker Jack ships an update every 15 months, and Scout Elf® Ideas monthly. Most recently, Cracker Jack was updated on October 20, 2026 and Scout Elf® Ideas on October 19, 2026.

---

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