# The Playground App vs Mapikids

The clearest difference is ads: Mapikids at none against The Playground App's shown. On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

The Playground App ships an update every 8 days, Mapikids every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Playground App | Mapikids |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.3 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-playground-app/id6504211925/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **6** | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 8 days** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 86 MB | 113 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 17.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Kathleen Smith](https://appshunter.io/developer/1573994212) | [Olivier Morel](https://appshunter.io/developer/1831722280) |

## What reviewers say

### The Playground App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-playground-app/id6504211925)

Discover parks and playgrounds globally with a vast database of nearly one million locations. This app offers satellite and map views, smart filters for amenities, and directions. Track visits, earn badges, and share discoveries with friends and family.

**Highlights:** Nearly 1 million playgrounds globally, No account required, Satellite & map views, Smart filters for amenities, Get directions, Favorites & visited tracking, Earn badges and achievements

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Mapikids

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mapikids-playgrounds/id6749680478)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Playground App free?

The Playground App is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Mapikids free?

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

### Do The Playground App or Mapikids have ads?

The Playground App shows ads; Mapikids does not.

### Which is updated more often, The Playground App or Mapikids?

The Playground App ships an update every 8 days, and Mapikids every 2 weeks. Most recently, The Playground App was updated on September 22, 2026 and Mapikids on October 5, 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.*