# Ark Nova vs Roolz

The clearest difference is price: Roolz at Free against Ark Nova's $10.99. Roolz also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 73%) and update cadence (every 5 days vs every 3 weeks). Ark Nova's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and ads (none vs shown). On rating, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Roolz is free to download; Ark Nova costs $10.99 up front. Roolz sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Ark Nova asks for nothing beyond the download.

Roolz holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Ark Nova has 1.3K ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 73% of Ark Nova's written reviews are positive against 100% of Roolz's.

Ark Nova ships an update every 3 weeks, Roolz every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and November 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Ark Nova | Roolz |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $10.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.8 (1.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ark-nova/id6449233549/reviews) | **[5.0 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/roolz/id6761746417/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.3K** | 7 |
| Positive reviews | 73.1% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | **#22** | — |
| Size | 682 MB | 185 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Dire Wolf Digital](https://appshunter.io/developer/815343758) | [Garnix LLc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1891249287) |

## What reviewers say

### Ark Nova

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

**Currently charting:** #22 Top Paid · Board, #66 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


### Roolz

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/roolz/id6761746417)

Engage in a multiplayer strategy game combining territory control with a fantasy football theme based on real college football. Requires an account and internet connection for gameplay.

**Highlights:** Multiplayer territory control, Fantasy football twist, Real college football integration, Account required, Internet connection needed

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Add $5.00 Bid Balance | $4.99 | one-time |
| Add $10.00 Bid Balance | $9.99 | one-time |
| Add $25.00 Bid Balance | $24.99 | one-time |
| Add $50.00 Bid Balance | $49.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Ark Nova free?

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

### Is Roolz free?

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

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

Roolz is rated higher. Ark Nova averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.3K ratings, while Roolz averages 5.0 from 7 ratings.

### Do Ark Nova or Roolz have ads?

Roolz shows ads; Ark Nova does not.

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

Ark Nova ships an update every 3 weeks, and Roolz every 5 days. Most recently, Ark Nova was updated on November 7, 2026 and Roolz 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.*