# Elf Studio® vs Elf Watch

The clearest difference is rating: Elf Studio® at 4.6 against Elf Watch's 2.0. Elf Studio® also leads on ratings volume (3.8K vs 2). Elf Watch's advantage is iOS requirement (14.0.0 vs 17.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Elf Studio® sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Elf Watch sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Elf Studio® holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 2.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Elf Studio® has 3.8K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Elf Studio® ships an update every 6 days, Elf Watch every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Elf Studio® | Elf Watch |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (3.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/elf-studio/id6443879616/reviews)** | [2.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/elf-watch-christmas-magic/id6753828872/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **3.8K** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 45.5% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 days** | Every 9 days |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 343 MB | 134 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **14.0.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [North Pole Command Centre Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/976131058) | [Dubois Group LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/1845206925) |

## 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 (10)**

| 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 |
| 5 Elf Video Credits | $7.99 | one-time |
| Elf Studio - Lifetime Pass | $19.99 | one-time |
| 50 Credits - Pro Price | $34.99 | 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


### Elf Watch

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/elf-watch-christmas-magic/id6753828872)

Create fun videos of a Christmas elf appearing to be caught in mischievous acts around your home. This app allows you to personalize videos with your own room photos and a selection of festive prompts, adding magic to holiday traditions.

**Highlights:** Create elf mischief videos, Personalize with room photos, 40+ fun prompts, 25-day Advent calendar, Enhance Christmas traditions

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Single Video | $1.29 | one-time |
| 10-Video Pack | $11.49 | one-time |
| 25-Video Pack | $24.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Elf Studio® free?

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

### Is Elf Watch free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Elf Studio® or Elf Watch?

Elf Studio® is rated higher. Elf Studio® averages 4.6 out of 5 from 3.8K ratings, while Elf Watch averages 2.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Elf Studio® or Elf Watch have ads?

Neither Elf Studio® nor Elf Watch shows ads.

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

Elf Studio® ships an update every 6 days, and Elf Watch every 9 days. Most recently, Elf Studio® was updated on November 7, 2026 and Elf Watch 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.*