# Evergreen vs Ark Nova

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Ark Nova at none against Evergreen's 2. Ark Nova also leads on ratings volume (1.3K vs 27) and rating (4.8 vs 4.6). Evergreen's advantage is price ($4.99 vs $10.99) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). On update cadence, ads, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Evergreen costs $4.99 and Ark Nova $10.99 up front. Evergreen sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Ark Nova asks for nothing beyond the download.

Ark Nova holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Ark Nova has 1.3K ratings behind it against 27, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 61% of Evergreen's written reviews are positive against 73% of Ark Nova's.

Evergreen ships an update monthly, Ark Nova every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on November 7, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Evergreen | Ark Nova |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$4.99** | $10.99 |
| Rating | [4.6 (27 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/evergreen-the-board-game/id6444831273/reviews) | **[4.8 (1.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ark-nova/id6449233549/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 27 | **1.3K** |
| Positive reviews | 61.1% of reviews | **73.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | **#28** |
| Size | 184 MB | 682 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Horrible Guild](https://appshunter.io/developer/1460296043) | [Dire Wolf Digital](https://appshunter.io/developer/815343758) |

## What reviewers say

### Evergreen

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/evergreen-the-board-game/id6444831273)

Build a lush ecosystem by planting seeds and growing trees on your planet. Strategize to create the greenest and most fertile environment, competing solo or with others.

**Highlights:** Plant seeds and grow trees, Build a lush ecosystem, Solo and multiplayer modes, Cross-platform online leaderboard, Network planning gameplay, Over 20 achievements, Modular expansions

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pines Expansion | $1.49 | one-time |
| Cacti Expansion | $1.49 | one-time |


### Ark Nova

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ark-nova/id6449233549)

**Currently charting:** #28 Top Paid · Board, #80 Top Paid · Strategy (US App Store)

Design and manage a modern zoo to support global conservation efforts. Build enclosures, house animals, and utilize unique cards for special abilities. Compete to create the most successful zoological establishment.

**Highlights:** Plan and design a modern zoo, Build enclosures and accommodate animals, Support global conservation projects, Utilize 255 unique cards (animals, specialists, projects), Upgrade action cards for gameplay, Increase zoo appeal and scientific reputation

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great implementation overall
- 👍 Lots of fun
- 👍 Good animations
- 👍 Choice of modes
- 👍 Clean, modern and enjoyable design

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Tile placement/rotation issues on iPad
- 🐛 Building placement UI issues
- 👎 Difficult to read board state on mobile
- 👎 Lack of simultaneous view for key game info
- 👎 Cumbersome to create games with friends

**Reported bugs**

- iPad Flash exit issue
- Rewards screen being blocked by other UI elements

**Requested features**

- Option to enable larger UI buttons for modal panels
- Full screen mode
- Option to reverse zoom direction
- Improved card readability/zoom


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Evergreen free?

Evergreen costs $4.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is Ark Nova free?

Ark Nova costs $10.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Evergreen or Ark Nova?

Ark Nova is rated higher. Evergreen averages 4.6 out of 5 from 27 ratings, while Ark Nova averages 4.8 from 1.3K ratings.

### Do Evergreen or Ark Nova have ads?

Neither Evergreen nor Ark Nova shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Evergreen or Ark Nova?

Evergreen ships an update monthly, and Ark Nova every 3 weeks. Most recently, Evergreen was updated on November 7, 2026 and Ark Nova on November 7, 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.*