# Elf Studio® vs Christmas Elf Call

Elf Studio® and Christmas Elf Call both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 88% of Christmas Elf Call's written reviews are positive against 45% of Elf Studio®'s. Christmas Elf Call also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). Elf Studio®'s advantage is update cadence (every 6 days vs every 46 months) and ratings volume (3.8K vs 1.1K). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Elf Studio® sells 15 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Christmas Elf Call sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 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 — 4.6 for Elf Studio® against 4.5 for Christmas Elf Call. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3.8K and 1.1K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 45% of Elf Studio®'s written reviews are positive against 88% of Christmas Elf Call's.

Elf Studio® ships an update every 6 days, Christmas Elf Call every 46 months. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Elf Studio® | Christmas Elf Call |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (3.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/elf-studio/id6443879616/reviews)** | [4.5 (1.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/christmas-elf-call/id6444538028/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **3.8K** | 1.1K |
| Positive reviews | 45.5% of reviews | **88.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 days** | Every 46 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 343 MB | 80 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [North Pole Command Centre Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/976131058) | [Julian Collado](https://appshunter.io/developer/1655180842) |

## What reviewers say

### Elf Studio®

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/elf-studio/id6443879616)

Create magical videos and photos of Santa and his elves visiting your home using augmented reality. Place characters in any environment, customize their appearance and animations, and record your own festive scenes.

**Highlights:** Add Santa Claus and elves, Unlimited elves and recording time, Create custom elves with Elf Workshop, Customize elf outfits and accessories, Elves with walking and dancing animations, Pre-plan or perform animations, Customize lighting, shadows, and camera filters

**Features:** Family Sharing, iMessage stickers

**In-app purchases (15)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock Elf Studio | $1.99 | per month |
| Elf Studio™ - Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| Unlock Elf Studio | $3.99 | per year |
| Elf Studio™ - Annual | $6.99 | per year |
| Elf Studio Pro - Annual | $9.99 | per year |
| 50+ Elf Dance Animations | $0.99 | one-time |
| 1 Elf Video Credit | $1.99 | one-time |
| 1 Credit - Pro Price | $1.99 | one-time |
| 5 Credits - Pro Price | $5.99 | one-time |
| 5 Elf Video Credits | $7.99 | one-time |
| 10 Credits - Pro Price | $9.99 | one-time |
| Elf Studio - Lifetime Pass | $19.99 | one-time |
| 25 Credits - Pro Price | $22.99 | one-time |
| 50 Credits - Pro Price | $34.99 | one-time |
| 50 Credits | $39.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎅 Elf-themed game
- 👍 Fun for kids
- 💡 Ability to create elf scenes

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Many features locked behind paywall
- 🐛 Glitchy performance
- 🚫 Limited free functionality

**Reported bugs**

- Unable to scan surfaces for elf placement
- Crashes and freezes when trying to use app

**Requested features**

- More free customization options
- Ability to save and share created scenes
- Improved surface detection for elf placement


### Christmas Elf Call

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/christmas-elf-call/id6444538028)

Simulate calls from a Christmas elf to surprise friends and family. Schedule incoming calls or initiate outgoing ones with realistic elf calling screens. A fun way to add festive cheer during the holidays.

**Highlights:** Schedule incoming elf calls, Initiate outgoing elf calls, Realistic elf calling screens, North Pole phone number simulation, Two calling modes: incoming and outgoing

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Premium | $4.99 | per month |
| Yearly Premium | $34.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Fun and engaging app
- 🎅 Realistic elf voice
- 🎄 Great for Christmas activities
- 💕 Kids love it
- 🤩 Magical experience

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Countdown timer is inaccurate
- 🤖 Elf voice sounds artificial
- 💰 Some features require in-app purchases
- 🔍 Limited customization options
- 🔇 Abrupt ending to calls

**Reported bugs**

- Calls get disconnected randomly
- App crashes on older devices
- Elf voice doesn't match user input

**Requested features**

- Allow users to choose elf voice
- Implement real-time countdown timer
- Add video call functionality
- Personalize elf interactions with user's name
- Expand unlockable content


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Elf Studio® free?

Elf Studio® is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Christmas Elf Call free?

Christmas Elf Call is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Elf Studio® or Christmas Elf Call?

Elf Studio® is rated higher. Elf Studio® averages 4.6 out of 5 from 3.8K ratings, while Christmas Elf Call averages 4.5 from 1.1K ratings.

### Do Elf Studio® or Christmas Elf Call have ads?

Neither Elf Studio® nor Christmas Elf Call shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Elf Studio® or Christmas Elf Call?

Elf Studio® ships an update every 6 days, and Christmas Elf Call every 46 months. Most recently, Elf Studio® was updated on October 27, 2026 and Christmas Elf Call on October 30, 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.*