# Elemental Sands vs Zen Factory

The clearest difference is rating: Elemental Sands at 4.3 against Zen Factory's 2.7. Elemental Sands also leads on review sentiment (44% vs 25%) and ratings volume (70 vs 6). Zen Factory's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Elemental Sands sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and Zen Factory sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Elemental Sands holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 2.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Elemental Sands has 70 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 44% of Elemental Sands's written reviews are positive against 25% of Zen Factory's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on November 4, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Elemental Sands | Zen Factory |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.3 (70 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/elemental-sands/id6474100439/reviews)** | [2.7 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zen-factory/id6743054018/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **70** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | **44.1% of reviews** | 25.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 222 MB | 106 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [TapTide Interactive](https://appshunter.io/developer/1711698136) | [Noboru Hirakawa](https://appshunter.io/developer/1463575241) |

## What reviewers say

### Elemental Sands

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/elemental-sands/id6474100439)

Build and automate a magical business empire in a fantasy world. Harness elemental powers to boost production and profits, collect rare items, and expand your reach to become a legendary CEO. This idle clicker game blends strategy with enchanting visuals.

**Highlights:** Build and automate business empire, Harness elemental power for production, Collect magical items and abilities, Increase company valuation and profits, Explore a fantasy world, Strategic management gameplay

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 24 Gold | $0.99 | one-time |
| Study Bundle | $2.99 | one-time |
| Volatile Study Bundle | $2.99 | one-time |
| Auto Buy | $4.99 | one-time |
| The Electric Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| No Ads Boost | $4.99 | one-time |
| 135 Gold | $4.99 | one-time |
| 310 Gold | $9.99 | one-time |
| Research Bundle | $12.99 | one-time |
| Volatile Research Bundle | $12.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- ✨ Refreshing free-to-play model
- 🎶 Excellent soundtrack
- 👍 Unique currency system
- 👍 Enjoyable idle gameplay
- 👍 Good aesthetic and art style

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐢 Drastic slowdown in progression
- 📉 Slow early game progression
- 📉 Progression feels stagnant
- 📉 Lack of rewarding progression
- 📉 Very slow and lacking features

**Reported bugs**

- Progress lost twice due to account issues
- App fails to load (tuning transmission frequencies)
- Updates bricked progress
- New patch reset sand capacity and spawn rate
- Game is locked with question marks on start

**Requested features**

- Convert excess sand to vials offline
- Increase level cap
- More content and end goals
- Formal suggestion channel (Discord)
- More mechanics in future updates


### Zen Factory

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zen-factory/id6743054018)

Guide rolling balls through stages, earning coins and unlocking new designs. Tap to remove stuck balls and enhance the stage for smoother gameplay. Enjoy a fun and customizable experience.

**Highlights:** Roll balls and earn coins, Tap to remove stuck balls, Enhance the stage, Strengthen balls, Unlock new ball designs, Customize gameplay

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Gem Crown | $4.99 | one-time |
| AD Remover | $4.99 | one-time |
| Silver ticket | $7.99 | one-time |
| Gold ticket | $14.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Elemental Sands free?

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

### Is Zen Factory free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Elemental Sands or Zen Factory?

Elemental Sands is rated higher. Elemental Sands averages 4.3 out of 5 from 70 ratings, while Zen Factory averages 2.7 from 6 ratings.

### Do Elemental Sands or Zen Factory have ads?

Both Elemental Sands and Zen Factory show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Elemental Sands or Zen Factory?

Elemental Sands ships an update every 3 weeks, and Zen Factory every 3 weeks. Most recently, Elemental Sands was updated on November 4, 2026 and Zen Factory on November 4, 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.*