# ponpondoodoo vs Animal Express

The clearest difference is review sentiment: ponpondoodoo at 90% against Animal Express's 42%. ponpondoodoo also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 9 days vs every 3 weeks). Animal Express's advantage is rating (4.9 vs 4.6) and ratings volume (754 vs 16). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ponpondoodoo sells 16 one-off in-app purchases and Animal Express sells 23 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Animal Express holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Animal Express has 754 ratings behind it against 16, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 90% of ponpondoodoo's written reviews are positive against 42% of Animal Express's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

ponpondoodoo ships an update every 9 days, Animal Express every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on September 27, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | ponpondoodoo | Animal Express |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ponpondoodoo/id6445818248/reviews) | **[4.9 (754 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/animal-express-train-game/id6473816393/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 16 | **754** |
| Positive reviews | **90.3% of reviews** | 41.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 403 MB | 208 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.1 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [OLO-G Games Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1673957310) | [Finifugu Games Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1506266486) |

## What reviewers say

### ponpondoodoo

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ponpondoodoo/id6445818248)

A cute and relaxing game designed to help you understand your personality. Enjoy calming music and watch adorable characters while discovering more about yourself in just 10 minutes a day.

**Highlights:** Personality insights, Relaxing gameplay, Cute character animation, Calming music, Short daily sessions

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (16)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 300 ink | $0.99 | one-time |
| Magic Coin Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| magic ticket | $0.99 | one-time |
| Album Expansion Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| 1200 ink | $1.99 | one-time |
| Fireworks Festival | $1.99 | one-time |
| Japanese Dessert Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Chief's Fertile Ground 1 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Arcade VIP Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Halloween Witch Set | $2.49 | one-time |
| Rookie Caretaker Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Chief's Fertile Ground 2 | $2.99 | one-time |
| Village Expansion 1 | $3.95 | one-time |
| Chief's Fertile Ground 3 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Village Expansion 2 | $7.99 | one-time |
| Ink Saver Pack | $17.99 | one-time |


### Animal Express

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/animal-express-train-game/id6473816393)

Manage a charming railway empire filled with animal passengers. Sell tickets, attract diverse animals, and expand your train network through scenic landscapes. Enjoy relaxing idle tycoon gameplay and engaging simulation elements.

**Highlights:** Idle tycoon gameplay, Animal passenger management, Railway empire expansion, Train and station upgrades, Scenic ride simulation, Passenger entertainment

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

**In-app purchases (23)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| A Few Gems | $0.99 | one-time |
| Sakura Area Pass | $0.99 | one-time |
| Piggy Bank Half Full | $1.99 | one-time |
| Farm Area Pass | $1.99 | one-time |
| A Handful of Gems | $1.99 | one-time |
| Starter Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| A Few Ad Tickets | $1.99 | one-time |
| Superior Pass | $1.99 | one-time |
| City Exploration Pass | $3.99 | one-time |
| Full Piggy Bank | $3.99 | one-time |
| A Lot of Gems | $3.99 | one-time |
| City Area Pass | $3.99 | one-time |
| Gems Subscription | $4.99 | one-time |
| Premium Starter Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| A Lot of Ad Tickets | $4.99 | one-time |
| Water Area Pass | $7.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime 2x Revenue | $7.99 | one-time |
| Ad Ticket Member | $9.99 | one-time |
| Ads Ticket Pack | $9.99 | one-time |
| Premium Pass | $9.99 | one-time |
| A Ton of Ad Tickets | $14.99 | one-time |
| A Mountain of Gems | $59.99 | one-time |
| Dream Team Pack | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🐱 Cute and adorable game
- 🎨 Beautiful graphics and design
- 🕹️ Fun and satisfying gameplay
- 💎 Refundable gem upgrades

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 Excessive and intrusive ads
- 🤑 Predatory monetization model
- 🔁 Repetitive and lacking variety
- 🤯 Confusing offline earnings

**Reported bugs**

- Ad system issues (ads playing on repeat)
- Unused restaurant car upgrades

**Requested features**

- Ability to revisit previous train routes
- More animal species and passenger variety
- Day/night cycle and weather effects
- Manager automation or idle features


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ponpondoodoo free?

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

### Is Animal Express free?

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

### Which has better reviews, ponpondoodoo or Animal Express?

Animal Express is rated higher. ponpondoodoo averages 4.6 out of 5 from 16 ratings, while Animal Express averages 4.9 from 754 ratings.

### Do ponpondoodoo or Animal Express have ads?

Animal Express shows ads; ponpondoodoo does not.

### Which is updated more often, ponpondoodoo or Animal Express?

ponpondoodoo ships an update every 9 days, and Animal Express every 3 weeks. Most recently, ponpondoodoo was updated on September 27, 2026 and Animal Express on September 27, 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.*