# Pixel Pals Widget Pet Game vs Petopia

The clearest difference is rating: Petopia at 5.0 against Pixel Pals Widget Pet Game's 4.6. Pixel Pals Widget Pet Game's advantage is ratings volume (37K vs 11) and update cadence (every 2 days vs every 8 days). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Pixel Pals Widget Pet Game sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $1.59 per month and Petopia sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Petopia holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pixel Pals Widget Pet Game has 37K ratings behind it against 11, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Pixel Pals Widget Pet Game ships an update every 2 days, Petopia every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on November 12, 2026 and November 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pixel Pals Widget Pet Game | Petopia |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (37K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixel-pals-widget-pet-game/id6443919232/reviews) | **[5.0 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/petopia-pixel-pets-and-widgets/id6759053024/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **37K** | 11 |
| Positive reviews | 47.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 days** | Every 8 days |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#180** | — |
| Size | 29 MB | 67 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.3 | **18.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Christian Selig](https://appshunter.io/developer/687795558) | [Shogo Shibuya](https://appshunter.io/developer/1671795647) |

## What reviewers say

### Pixel Pals Widget Pet Game

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixel-pals-widget-pet-game/id6443919232)

**Currently charting:** #180 Top Free · Graphics & Design (US App Store)

Bring adorable pixel art pets to your Home Screen, Lock Screen, and Live Activities. Customize your chosen companions and enjoy their presence as you navigate your device, adding a touch of joy to every interaction. A variety of animals are available to personalize and name.

**Highlights:** Customizable pixel art pets, Home Screen widgets, Lock Screen customization, Live Activities integration, Variety of animal companions, Name customization

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pixel Pals Premium Monthly BF | $1.59 | per month |
| Pixel Pals Premium (Monthly) | $1.99 | per month |
| Pixel Pals Premium Yearly BF | $11.99 | per year |
| Pixel Pals Premium (Yearly) | $14.99 | per year |
| Food Pack Small | $0.99 | one-time |
| Food Pack Large | $4.99 | one-time |
| Premium Lifetime Black Friday | $48.49 | one-time |
| Pixel Pals Premium (Lifetime) | $49.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Cute and fun
- 👍 Great use of Dynamic Island
- 👍 Customizable pets
- 👍 Smooth integration with Apollo

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription
- 🐛 Buggy and unreliable
- 🔒 Limited free features
- 📵 Doesn't work well outside of app

**Reported bugs**

- Resets progress and pets when phone restarts
- Transparent background not working
- Subscription issues and locked features
- Pets disappearing from Dynamic Island

**Requested features**

- More free pet options
- Ability to interact with pets outside of app
- Syncing between Apollo and Pixel Pals
- Customizable pet animations and behaviors


### Petopia

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/petopia-pixel-pets-and-widgets/id6759053024)

Bring a charming pixelated companion to your device's Lock Screen and Home Screen widgets. Interact with your chosen pet, dress it up, and enjoy daily surprises and seasonal events. This app offers a peaceful, ad-free experience with a variety of adorable creatures to collect.

**Highlights:** Lock Screen and Home Screen widgets, Dynamic Island integration, 42 collectible pixel pets, Extensive dress-up options, Daily joys and seasonal events, Pixel dollhouse customization

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 100 Candies | $0.99 | one-time |
| Welcome Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| 350 Candies | $2.99 | one-time |
| 800 Candies | $5.99 | one-time |
| 2500 Candies | $14.99 | one-time |
| 6000 Candies | $29.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pixel Pals Widget Pet Game free?

Pixel Pals Widget Pet Game is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Petopia free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Pixel Pals Widget Pet Game or Petopia?

Petopia is rated higher. Pixel Pals Widget Pet Game averages 4.6 out of 5 from 37K ratings, while Petopia averages 5.0 from 11 ratings.

### Do Pixel Pals Widget Pet Game or Petopia have ads?

Neither Pixel Pals Widget Pet Game nor Petopia shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Pixel Pals Widget Pet Game or Petopia?

Pixel Pals Widget Pet Game ships an update every 2 days, and Petopia every 8 days. Most recently, Pixel Pals Widget Pet Game was updated on November 12, 2026 and Petopia on November 9, 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.*