# ZMOTD vs Backyard.ai

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: ZMOTD at none against Backyard.ai's 5. ZMOTD also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs every 2 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Backyard.ai sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. ZMOTD asks for nothing beyond the download.

ZMOTD ships an update every 2 days, Backyard.ai every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 15, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ZMOTD | Backyard.ai |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[3.5 (36 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backyardai/id6498968886/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **36** |
| Positive reviews | — | 30.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 days** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 7 MB | 39 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.2 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Harmen Reichert](https://appshunter.io/developer/891277001) | [Ahoy Labs, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1742076359) |

## What reviewers say

### ZMOTD

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zmotd/id6465576423)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Backyard.ai

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backyardai/id6498968886)

Engage in immersive text and voice conversations with AI-powered characters. Customize your characters with detailed backstories, notes, and visuals. Discover new adventures in a vibrant community and select from multiple AI models for unique interactions.

**Highlights:** AI-powered text and voice chat, Character customization (lore books, notes, images), Community hub for adventures, Choice of 12+ AI models, Extensive character memory

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Standard Plan AI Models | $6.99 | per month |
| Backyard Cloud Standard | $12.00 | per month |
| Backyard Cloud Pro | $34.99 | per month |
| Standard Plan - Yearly | $107.99 | per year |
| Pro Subscription - Yearly | $314.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ZMOTD free?

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

### Is Backyard.ai free?

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

### Do ZMOTD or Backyard.ai have ads?

Neither ZMOTD nor Backyard.ai shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ZMOTD or Backyard.ai?

ZMOTD ships an update every 2 days, and Backyard.ai every 2 months. Most recently, ZMOTD was updated on September 15, 2026 and Backyard.ai on September 21, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*