# Joel vs Monster Maker

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Joel at none against Monster Maker's 6. Joel also leads on iOS requirement (11.0 vs 26.5). Monster Maker's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 2 weeks). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Monster Maker sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. Joel asks for nothing beyond the download.

Joel ships an update every 2 weeks, Monster Maker every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Joel | Monster Maker |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/joel/id6446503675/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **7** | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 30 MB | 21 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 26.5 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Rive, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1211837313) | [Peter Sillen](https://appshunter.io/developer/1868653067) |

## What reviewers say

### Joel

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/joel/id6446503675)

Experience a technical preview of advanced vector rendering technology by battling hundreds of zombies. This game showcases unprecedented vector rendering, ensuring crisp graphics that scale flawlessly across any resolution or device.

**Highlights:** Zombie battles, Advanced vector rendering, Scalable graphics, High-quality animation, Technical preview

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Monster Maker

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/monster-maker-drawing-games/id6794747405)

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock Bucket | $4.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Brush Sizes | $4.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Magic Pen | $4.99 | one-time |
| Unlock | $5.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Remote with Family Sharing | $9.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Bundle | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Joel free?

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

### Is Monster Maker free?

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

### Do Joel or Monster Maker have ads?

Neither Joel nor Monster Maker shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Joel or Monster Maker?

Joel ships an update every 2 weeks, and Monster Maker every 4 days. Most recently, Joel was updated on October 14, 2026 and Monster Maker on October 16, 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.*