Comparison

Maruko vs Graphica Playground

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side โ€” with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Maruko

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Maruko is an innovative programming tool. - Write programs on your phone - Develop SwiftUI applications - Develop React Native applications - No-code rapid UI creation - Low-code programming logic - Extensive APIs for rich functionality - API Request Manager. Provides interface access. - Database API and database management - Object storage API and object storage management - Easily implement offline-first and real-time data - iCloud storage and data synchronization with privacy - Various development tools Maruko Includes: Subscription Product: Your subscription will automatically renew. To cancel, please do so at least 24 hours before the renewal date. Privacy Policy: https://pipal.shu.dev/privacy_policy Terms of Service: https://pipal.shu.dev/terms_of_service Technical Support: X: https://twitter.com/imshudev Email: hi@shu.dev

About

Graphica Playground

Features
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Describe it. Ship it. Graphica Playground turns one sentence into a Metal shader you can actually use. Write what you want to see, watch it run full screen, tune it until it feels right, and take the code straight into your SwiftUI project. Built for designers, design engineers and iOS developers who want distinctive backgrounds, glows, ripples and gradients without writing shader math from scratch. GENERATE FROM WORDS - Type a description like "deep ocean caustics with drifting light" and get a live, animated Metal shader - Every result is compiled and checked on your device's GPU before you see it; broken or blank output is automatically repaired or replaced - Not quite right? Use Refine to describe what to change, and keep your colors and settings TUNE IT LIVE - Adjust speed, intensity and scale in real time - Pick from curated color palettes - Touch the preview and the shader reacts under your finger - Tuning never re-runs the AI, so you can experiment as much as you like EXPORT CODE THAT MATCHES THE PREVIEW - SwiftUI: a .metal file with a stitchable function plus a ready-to-use SwiftUI view built on .colorEffect - Metal only: just the stitchable function for ShaderLibrary - MTKView: runtime-compiled Metal source with an MTKView renderer - Copy to the clipboard or share the files - The preview and the exported code are built from the same shader, so what you see is what you ship LEARN SHADERS BY WRITING THEM - Lessons on coordinates, color, distance, rings, soft light and noise, one expression at a time - Your picture is checked against the target as you go, and most steps need no typing - Open a finished lesson in the editor to see what each slider changes START FROM PRESETS Hand-built starting points such as Liquid Glass, Mesh Gradient, Metal Ripple and Ripple Field. YOUR LIBRARY Every shader you generate is saved automatically. Search, mark favorites and pick up where you left off. SHORTCUTS AND SIRI Generate a shader, open one, adjust its parameters or get its code from the Shortcuts app, Spotlight or Siri. PRIVATE BY DESIGN - No account and no sign-in - Your prompts and shaders stay on your device, unless you connect your own model endpoint - On-device generation uses Apple Intelligence on supported devices - Offline templates always work, even in Airplane Mode, so generation never comes back empty - Prefer your own model? Connect any OpenAI-compatible endpoint with your own API key (Pro). The key is stored in the iOS Keychain and sent only to the endpoint you choose FREE - Up to 10 generations a day - 3 saved shaders - 4 presets - The first 2 lessons - Full live preview, touch interaction, speed, intensity, scale and curated palettes PRO - Export and copy code - Unlimited generations and unlimited saved shaders - Set all three colors by hand and tune the touch response - All 8 presets, including Nebula Warp, Crystal Cells, Vortex Rings and Particle Dust - Version history: return to any earlier take - Use your own API key - Every lesson, including new ones as they are added On-device generation requires iOS 26 or later on an Apple Intelligence-capable device with Apple Intelligence turned on. On other devices the app uses offline templates. SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION Graphica Playground Pro is available as an auto-renewing monthly or yearly subscription, or as a one-time Lifetime purchase. Prices are shown in the app before you buy and may vary by region. - Payment is charged to your Apple Account when you confirm the purchase. - Subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. - Your account is charged for renewal within 24 hours before the end of the current period. - You can manage or cancel your subscription in your Apple Account settings after purchase. Terms of Use: https://graphica.touyou.dev/playground/terms Privacy Policy: https://graphica.touyou.dev/playground/privacy

Screenshots

Maruko4 screens
Graphica Playground4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Graphica Playground at every 2 days against Maruko's every 5 days. Maruko's advantage is iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

Both are free to download. Maruko sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month and Graphica Playground sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Maruko ships an update every 5 days, Graphica Playground every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences ยท 4 level
Maruko versus Graphica Playground: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMarukoGraphica Playground
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 5 daysEvery 2 days โ€” better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.0 โ€” better26.0
Further details โ€” not scored
Size199 MB15 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperShumin YuYosuke Fujii

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Maruko

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly (3d Free)3 Days trial$7.991 Month
  • Yearly (3d Free)3 Days trial$44.991 Year
3 purchases

Graphica Playground

Subscriptions2
  • Pro Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Pro Yearly$29.991 Year
One-time1
  • Pro Lifetime$79.99

Questions

Is Maruko free?
Maruko is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Graphica Playground free?
Graphica Playground is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Maruko or Graphica Playground have ads?
Neither Maruko nor Graphica Playground shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Maruko or Graphica Playground?
Maruko ships an update every 5 days, and Graphica Playground every 2 days. Most recently, Maruko was updated on November 4, 2026 and Graphica Playground on November 1, 2026.

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