# Ark Nova vs YINSH

The clearest difference is price: YINSH at Free against Ark Nova's $10.99. YINSH also leads on review sentiment (90% vs 73%). Ark Nova's advantage is rating (4.8 vs 1.0) and in-app purchases (none vs 7). On update cadence, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

YINSH is free to download; Ark Nova costs $10.99 up front. YINSH sells 7 one-off in-app purchases. Ark Nova asks for nothing beyond the download.

Ark Nova holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Ark Nova has 1.3K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 73% of Ark Nova's written reviews are positive against 90% of YINSH's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Ark Nova ships an update fortnightly, YINSH every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Ark Nova | YINSH |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $10.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.8 (1.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ark-nova/id6449233549/reviews)** | [1.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/yinsh/id6758536658/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.3K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 72.9% of reviews | **90.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | **#31** | — |
| Size | 682 MB | 113 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Dire Wolf Digital](https://appshunter.io/developer/815343758) | [Theseus Game Studio](https://appshunter.io/developer/1829617307) |

## What reviewers say

### Ark Nova

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

**Currently charting:** #31 Top Paid · Board, #94 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


### YINSH

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/yinsh/id6758536658)

Engage in a Mensa Select award-winning strategy game with real-time online multiplayer or challenge an AI opponent. Analyze your performance with detailed stats and review past games to refine your tactics. Compete globally on leaderboards and track your progress with a sophisticated rating system.

**Highlights:** Online real-time 1v1 matches, Play with friends, Official Blitz Mode, Adjustable AI difficulty, Comprehensive performance stats, Game review and analysis, Global leaderboards

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

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pack of 160 Diamonds | $0.39 | one-time |
| Pack of 400 Diamonds | $1.29 | one-time |
| Pack of 750 Diamonds | $3.39 | one-time |
| No Ads Forever | $4.49 | one-time |
| Pack of 1600 Diamonds | $14.90 | one-time |
| Pack of 4500 Diamonds | $37.00 | one-time |
| Pack of 10000 Diamonds | $73.90 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Ark Nova free?

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

### Is YINSH free?

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

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

Ark Nova is rated higher. Ark Nova averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.3K ratings, while YINSH averages 1.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Ark Nova or YINSH have ads?

YINSH shows ads; Ark Nova does not.

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

Ark Nova ships an update fortnightly, and YINSH every 3 weeks. Most recently, Ark Nova was updated on October 22, 2026 and YINSH on October 8, 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.*