# Wild Runners vs Populus Run

The clearest difference is ads: Populus Run at none against Wild Runners's shown. Populus Run also leads on review sentiment (70% vs 58%) and device support (5 vs 3). Wild Runners's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, rating, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Wild Runners sells 16 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and Populus Run sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Wild Runners against 4.7 for Populus Run. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 415 and 1.5K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 58% of Wild Runners's written reviews are positive against 70% of Populus Run's.

Wild Runners ships an update every 3 weeks, Populus Run every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Wild Runners | Populus Run |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (415 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wild-runners-multiplayer-race/id6458486076/reviews) | **[4.7 (1.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/populus-run/id6470197867/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 415 | **1.5K** |
| Positive reviews | 58.5% of reviews | **69.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 4 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 398 MB | 523 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Bloop Games](https://appshunter.io/developer/1224067835) | [FIFTYTWO](https://appshunter.io/developer/853087985) |

## What reviewers say

### Wild Runners

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wild-runners-multiplayer-race/id6458486076)

Experience thrilling 3D multiplayer races as unique animals through vibrant environments. Utilize power-ups and overcome silly obstacles to collect rewards and climb the ranks. An internet connection is required for this free-to-play online adventure.

**Highlights:** 13 unique animal characters, 24+ power-up cards, Procedural racing with obstacles, 5 wild environments, Star collection for rewards, Trophy road and weekly missions

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

**In-app purchases (16)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| VIP | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| VIP | $14.99 | per month |
| Pack of 30 Gems | $1.99 | one-time |
| League Offer 1 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Special Pack of 60 Gems | $1.99 | one-time |
| Special Pack of 170 Gems | $4.99 | one-time |
| Pack of 80 Gems | $4.99 | one-time |
| League Offer 2 | $4.99 | one-time |
| No Ads | $5.99 | one-time |
| Special Pack of 360 Gems | $9.99 | one-time |
| League Offer 3 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Pack of 170 Gems | $9.99 | one-time |
| Wild Pass | $9.99 | one-time |
| League Offer 5 | $19.99 | one-time |
| Special Pack of 950 Gems | $19.99 | one-time |
| Pack of 360 Gems | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Fun and enjoyable gameplay
- 🤩 Addictive and engaging
- ✨ Nice feel and look
- 🎨 Good graphics
- 🎵 Great music

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔋 Overheats phone
- 💸 Frequent and intrusive ads
- 🤖 Appears to be bot-only multiplayer
- 😴 Repetitive gameplay
- ❌ Ads not skippable

**Reported bugs**

- Phone overheats during gameplay
- Tapping 'X' to skip ads doesn't always register
- Unstoppable ads forced after levels
- Online play is not real multiplayer (bots only)

**Requested features**

- Implement friend system/multiplayer
- Add local communication feature
- Add online versus mode
- Add a cat skin
- Add a giraffe skin


### Populus Run

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/populus-run/id6470197867)

Control a crowd of people in this unique running game. Dodge obstacles, battle quirky bosses, and discover hidden characters. Enjoy the full experience with a one-time purchase.

**Highlights:** Control a crowd of people, Dodge giant fast food, Slide down pipes, Battle rapper bosses, Hardcore mode, Collect secret characters, Original soundtrack

**Features:** Game Controller support, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Game | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Amazing game
- 👍 Great developers
- 👍 Fantastic music
- 👍 Relaxing and fun
- 👍 Colorful and visually appealing

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Paywall after first few levels
- 🐛 Occasional performance issues
- 🐛 Compatibility problems on some devices

**Reported bugs**

- Freezing on login screen
- Graphical glitches on certain devices
- Saved data not restoring properly

**Requested features**

- Make the full game free to play
- Add more levels and worlds
- Improve level selection UI
- Allow customization of controls


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Wild Runners free?

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

### Is Populus Run free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Wild Runners or Populus Run?

Populus Run is rated higher. Wild Runners averages 4.6 out of 5 from 415 ratings, while Populus Run averages 4.7 from 1.5K ratings.

### Do Wild Runners or Populus Run have ads?

Wild Runners shows ads; Populus Run does not.

### Which is updated more often, Wild Runners or Populus Run?

Wild Runners ships an update every 3 weeks, and Populus Run every 4 weeks. Most recently, Wild Runners was updated on October 24, 2026 and Populus Run on October 25, 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.*