# Elf Studio® vs Aqua Clock

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Aqua Clock at none against Elf Studio®'s 11. Aqua Clock also leads on update cadence (daily vs every 3 days) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Elf Studio® sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Aqua Clock asks for nothing beyond the download.

Elf Studio® ships an update every 3 days, Aqua Clock daily. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Elf Studio® | Aqua Clock |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (3.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/elf-studio/id6443879616/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **3.8K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 45.5% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 days | **Daily** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 346 MB | 10 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) | [Andrew Hudson-Smith](https://appshunter.io/developer/1500765151) |

## 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 (11)**

| 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 |
| 50+ Elf Dance Animations | $0.99 | 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 |

**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


### Aqua Clock

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aqua-clock/id6760460959)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Elf Studio® free?

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

### Is Aqua Clock free?

Aqua Clock is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Elf Studio® or Aqua Clock have ads?

Neither Elf Studio® nor Aqua Clock shows ads.

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

Elf Studio® ships an update every 3 days, and Aqua Clock daily. Most recently, Elf Studio® was updated on October 11, 2026 and Aqua Clock on September 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.*